California Roots Music & Arts Festival Releases Second Artist Announcement

The 8th annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival has teamed up with Billboard for an exclusive announcement of their second round of artists. Joining an already impressive lineup is hip-hop legend Nas, Cali Roots favorites SOJA, Stick Figure, Iration, and Nahko and Medicine for the People, alongside new school Jamaican artists Protoje, Jah9 and dancehall luminary Yellowman.

Also included in this round are Easy Star Records artists Passafire and reggae powerhouse Easy Star All-Stars. Adding to the international reach of this year's lineup is New Zealand-based Six60 who blends soul, rock, dubstep and drum and bass into an infectious style of their own. Capping off this round are DC rockers RDGLDGRN, the punk-inspired Ballyhoo!, and the soulful grooves of Syngry.

This announcement sees a dynamic range of artists joining together to make a truly top-tier festival. Some of the biggest names in the hip-hop, reggae, rock, and roots worlds from across the country and around the globe are all set to take over the Monterey County Fair and Event Center from May 26-28, 2017.

"We are extremely proud of the California Roots brand as we continue to grow into our eighth year," says festival CoProducer Dan Sheehan. "Adding Nas, one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time, is an honor and shows how Cali Roots spans genres all rooted in one vibe. With festival favorites, alongside new up and comers and classic artists, we are thrilled about 2017's programming with even one more artist announcement to come."

Early bird tickets are on sale now and "early advance" go on sale on December 8th. (Purchase Link: http://californiarootsfestival.com/tickets). This year also introduced, The California Roots "Redwood Pass" in partnership with the Redwood Forest Foundation (www.rffi.org). Two redwoods will be planted for each of these, very limited Redwood Passes, resulting in a total of 800 new redwood trees. The launch was so successful, that the passes sold out in five minutes.

Round Two Artist Line-Up Announcement:

• Nas

• SOJA

• Iration

• Stick Figure

• Nahko and Medicine for the People

• Protoje

• Easy Star All-Stars

• Passafire

• Yellowman

• Jah9

• RDGLDGRN

• Six60

• Ballyhoo!

• Synrgy

FESTIVAL DETAILS:

The 8th Annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival

Dates: Friday, May 26, 2017 - Sunday May 28, 2017

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm PDT

Venue: Monterey County Fair and Event Center

Address: 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, CA 93940

Admission: Varies (Purchase Link: http://californiarootsfestival.com/tickets)

Age restrictions: All Ages

Round Three Artist Announcement: Tuesday, January 10, 2017