Live Nation Urban Acquires Equity Stake In Broccoli City Festival; Co-Founders Named To Executive Roles

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Photo Courtesy of  Brandon McEachern & Marcus Allen 

Live Nation Urban has expanded its partnership with Broccoli City Festival by acquiring a significant equity stake in the Washington, D.C.-based event. Festival co-founders and entrepreneurs Marcus Allen and Brandon McEachern, who launched the festival in 2010, will take on executive roles at Live Nation Urban.

The Oct. 13 announcement from Live Nation Urban notes that Allen and McEachern will work with Live Nation Urban President Shawn Gee to “scale the Broccoli City brand and catalyze the creation of new content and culture-centric live experiences and festivals.” 

Along with its incredible lineups over the years – which have featured stars such as Lil Wayne, Cardi B, Childish Gambino and the late Nipsey Hussle, along with rising artists such as Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Summer Walker, Wizkid and City Girls – Broccoli City is known for supporting environmental consciousness in the African-American community and fostering” creativity through innovative initiatives at the intersection of technology, music, art, and social impact.”

“We are super excited about this partnership with LNU/LN, and working closer with Shawn Gee. I really appreciate him encouraging us to be big thinking entrepreneurs and brand builders… not limiting us to event producers,” McEachern said in a statement. 

Allen added, “We are going to focus on curating untapped niche markets, bigger partnerships, and international expansion. Reimage the future of live cultural experiences. Our big picture goal is to create a 100-million-dollar community at the apex of live entertainment, social impact, and digital media.”

Live Nation Urban first partnered with Broccoli City for its 2018 event. Since its founding the festival has grown every year. 

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Photo of Shawn Gee by Ben Hausdorff 

After taking two years off because of COVID, Broccoli City Festival returned in 2022 to RFK Stadium Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C., May 7-8, with a lineup topped by 21 Savage, Ari Lennox, Summer Walker and Wizkid. This year also marked the debut of BLK (Black) Change Weekend  May 5-8, featuring community building events like Broccoli Con, a job fair, the Broccoli City 5k run and an all-night party. 

“For us as a company, this investment was an important one,” Gee said. “When we formed in 2018, one of the first deals we did was the original co-promotion deal with the Broccoli City team. I promised the guys that the success of our partnership would lead to greater things, and it was important to me to keep my word. We are not simply investing in a festival; we are investing in these amazing founders. We believe this will be the first of many brands that we will build together with Marcus and Brandon as they have an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit. One of the core tenants of Live Nation Urban is identifying young black entrepreneurs in the live space and investing in their vision. I’m looking forward to continuing to build with Brandon and Marcus”

READ MORE:
Festival 411: Broccoli City Returns With ‘Biggest Celebration Of Black Culture & Change’