A Legacy on Stage: Tracing Hip-Hop’s Headlining Rise at Coachella

The Coachella stage has seen some of the most compelling performances of the last several years. And R&B and hip-hop acts have given some of the most historically revered and memorable of those performances. Legends like De La Soul, Redman and Method Man, and Pusha T have all taken the stage in the desert, and the headliners have been among the greatest in urban music. Here’s a look at the headliners who have helped define the Coachella experience.

Jay-Z - 2010

Jay-Z was still in the midst of his campaign for The Blueprint 3when he was announced as a Coachella headliner and Hov made the desert stage his own back in 2010, delivering scale and spectacle — and a stellar guest appearance from Mrs. Carter — as the day one headliner. Armed with a litany of hits (from “Takeover” and “P.S.A.” to an encore that included “Big Pimpin’” and, yes, “Encore”) and an Obama cameo on the background screen, the festival got Jay-Z at the peak of his influence and impact.

Dr. Dre and Snoop - 2012

Special guests had become a hallmark of Coachella headlining performances, and Dr. Dre himself had been a rumored surprise guest during Jay’s 2010 Coachella appearance. But two years later, as G-funk gurus Dre and Snoop Dogg took the stage to run through an enviable catalog, the West Coast legends delivered a resurrected icon. The 2Pac hologram became the talk of Coachella, and regardless of how anyone felt, it became one of social media’s first viral concert moments.

OutKast - 2014

Three Stacks and Daddy Fat Sax rocked the stage together for a historic set in 2014. OutKast had briefly reunited for a tour in celebration of the 20-year anniversary of their debut album, and Coachella was the barometer for how the veterans were expected to do on the road. The performance itself was famously awkward, with the reclusive Andre 3000 seeming detached and disaffected. But the duo got it together for their second appearance, acknowledging the flawed first set and showing they still had the goods.

Drake - 2015

The megastar closed out Coachella’s first weekend back in 2015 and delivered his novel combo of fizzy pop appeal and rap swagger. Keeping the performance decidedly emo, against a backdrop of somber rain, he ran through his then-catalog standouts including “6 God” and “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” However, Drake’s set is perhaps most known for the scene-stealing guest appearance from none other than Madonna, where the Material Girl famously kissed Drizzy during their performance, prompting a wave of Twitter reactions.

Ice Cube’s NWA Reunion - 2016

In the wake of the box office success of their F. Gary Gray-directed biopic Straight Outta Compton, the surviving members of N.W.A. took the stage together as special guests of Ice Cube. Initially, it was MC Ren and DJ Yella taking the stage with their former groupmate before Dr. Dre emerged to a raucous ovation. The L.A. vibes were completed with appearances from The Game and Kendrick Lamar.

Kendrick Lamar - 2017

Kendrick officially got his own headlining gig a year after appearing with Cube and N.W.A. Just days after the release of his critically acclaimed album DAMN, the Compton rhymer ran through that album’s highlights like “ELEMENT” and “DNA” and reached back to previous hits like “Alright” and “Money Trees.” Kendrick’s set began with the TDE short film The Damn Legend of Kung Fu Kenny, and included ScHoolboy Q, Future and Travis Scott. He memorably closed things with the crowd-pleaser “HUMBLE.” A star-affirming performance.

Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Eminem - 2018

Beyoncé became the first Black woman to headline Coachella in 2018, and she took advantage of the historical moment with gusto. Her “Homecoming” performance brought the Black college experience to the desert, complete with stepping and a marching band. It was a moment that affirmed Bey as a cultural force. Eminem headlined both weekends, complete with appearances from Dre, 50 Cent and Skylar Grey. The Weeknd’s set was his most well-received in Coachella history, following two previous lackluster appearances at the festival.

Tyler, The Creator and Doja Cat - 2024

Tyler, the Creator delivered one of the Coachella Festival’s defining performances with his 2024 headlining set. Combining his stellar catalog with an impressive visual display, it was the kind of performance that embodied what Tyler has become known for: controlled craft and unbridled creativity. Doja Cat closed the festival with a set that was just as visually engaging and arresting, performing with everything from dancing yetis to a dinosaur skeleton. She also decided to delve deeper into her catalog, as opposed to delivering the big shiny hits, resulting in a set that was fiercely individualistic yet still very crowd-pleasing.