Live Nation Urban Launches ‘Femme It Forward’ Multi-Format Series Featuring Cardi B, City Girls, Teyana Taylor, Jorja Smith, Many Others

– Femme it Forward
Live Nation Urban

Live Nation Urban has launched a multi-format series of all-female curated lineups spotlighting the entertainment industry’s most creative and accomplished visionaries, with confirmed events coming to Harvard University, Broccoli City Festival in the Washington, D.C. market, The Pavilion At Music Factory in Dallas, Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles and others this year.

“Since our inception in 2017, Live Nation Urban continues to create opportunities for emerging and established urban artists – both on the stage and behind the scenes,” said Heather Lowery, Live Nation Urban VP of Talent & Touring, “This past year has been an exceptional one for women in music and entertainment, and with the incredible contributions of women, it is fitting that we honor the future of music and its continued steps on the path to inclusion.”

Artists and others taking part in the Femme It Forward series include Cardi B, City Girls, Teyana Taylor, Nicole Bus, Rico Nasty, Jorja Smith, Kali Uchis, Ari Lennox, Ama Lou, Dounia, Brianna Cash, Mahalia, Jill Scott, Faith Evans, Tweet, Monica, Brandy, Ashanti, Keri Hilson, Amerie, Lil Mo, Mya, and more to be announced.  Kali Uchis and Jorja Smith kick off a co-headline tour at the end of the month.

Live Nation Urban continues to present varied content, led by Live Nation Urban President and Maverick partner Shawn Gee, who manages The Roots. The company produces the Roots Picnic festival in Philadelphia along with Broccoli City, and has recently announced tours or concert series including multi-city Rap Caviar events in partnership with Spotify, and gospel singer Kirk Franklin’s second annual Exodus Festival in Texas.

Gee told Pollstar in a year-end survey in December that one of the company’s missions is “to change the complexion of the live music industry.”

“We’ve created some really exciting platforms in the Hip-Hop, R&B and Gospel space, that will be perennial events that I am really proud of and excited to see grow,” Gee said. “However, what I see as the biggest accomplishment of our first full year in existence is the growth and development of my team members. One of the goals of LNU is to try to change the complexion of the live music industry, literally. The live space, from a buyer / agent / vendor / venue perspective has traditionally been a white male driven industry. 

“With Live Nation Urban, Michael Rapino has given me a platform to give young African-American male and female executives an opportunity to enter this space and grow and flourish. In the past 12 months, the impact that the ideas that my growing team has had on culture has been impressive and proven the overall narrative upon which my venture is built.”

All Femme It Forward shows will donate a portion of proceeds from ticket sales to philanthropic organizations that support the advancement of women.