Funk Fest 2014 will hit Charlotte this weekend with two days of performances by Outkast, LL Cool J, B.O.B, Doug E Fresh, Morris Day and The Time, Fantasia, The Roots, War, Salt & Pepa, 112, Ice Cube and others.

Despite its name, the lineup is not dominated by the likes of George Clinton and other artists who have come to be known for playing “funk” music.

“I get a lot of people asking me ‘where’s the funk?’,” asked Leo Bennett, CEO, president and founder of Variety Entertainment, the company responsible for producing Funk Fest. “They think that the name Funk Fest means it’s got to be that kind of music, but if you do the research on ‘funk,’ you see that funk is actually where all music started – jazz, hip hop and R&B. It’s the grandfather of all music from James Brown to Al Green and Michael Jackson.”

Bringing the funk to Charlotte
Bennett said his Funk Fest is about taking parts of all different types of music, which originated from funk, and putting it together in one big show.

“It’s like gumbo,” he said. “You have all these different types of music on one stage, and in the crowd, you’ve got everybody from the kid in 12th grade who wants to see B.O.B. to your grandmother who wants to hear War. My focus was to have it where there was some type of music in the show that everybody could relate to at any age group.”

The first Funk Fest was held in Mobile, Ala., in 1997. Bennett eventually sold the rights to the local radio station but continues to hold the festival each year five other cities – Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta and now Charlotte. 

Although the festival has been around for nearly two decades, 2013 was the first year it was held in Charlotte. Bennett, who has lived in Charlotte since 2001, said he wanted to bring it here sooner, but finding a suitable venue was a challenge. He needed a space where his company could have more control over concessions and make arrangements for key sponsors and traveling vendors. He also needed a venue that provided an ideal atmosphere for fans.

 “I love the venue we have now,” he said. “The Metrolina Expo is a great venue for us logistically, but it also has a lot of space. When you are outdoors you want to be able to move around and not be on top of each other... This venue is humongous, so we are really pleased.”

Bennett said the reception since bringing the festival to Charlotte has been exceptional.

“It’s been great,” he said. “We are where we want to be with ticket sales. They are constant and consistent, and not just in Charlotte.”

He said Charlotte’s festival has drawn fans in from Atlanta, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and cities in South Carolina.

One of the biggest draws this year is that Variety was able to land Outkast. The recently “reunited” Atlanta-based rap duo has embarked on a national tour, playing over 40 festivals, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their groundbreaking debut album, “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.”

According to Bennett, Variety Entertainment was the only African-American owned promotion company to land a date with the much-sought-after hip hop performers.

Inspiring musicians of tomorrow
For Bennett, Funk Fest is about much more than music. It also serves as a means for him to give back to the community. The Charlotte festival will serve as the annual fundraiser for Lifting as We Climb Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by Bennett in 2013. Its mission is to better the lives of underprivileged kids through music and entertainment.

“We are partnering with A Child’s Place and using the money that we raise from this event to do a lot in the community this fall and for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” he said. “It’s really been in my heart over the last eight years to really do something to give back. We give back in every city that we go to with Funk Fest. We always partner with local organizations… Now, instead of partnering with other nonprofits, I am blessed to have my own nonprofit.”

He adds that he will continue working with other nonprofits, as that is a part of the greater vision for Lifting as We Climb, Inc. He wants to find ways to assist other nonprofits that are also working with the same and similar missions.

He will also continue his efforts outside of Lifting as We Climb, which give back to communities outside of the Charlotte area.

Bennett, a Florida A&M University graduate, works with the school’s Marching 100 band to recruit students and provide scholarships for college-bound students. He also helps provide students in Florida and other Funk Fest markets who are interested in studying music with instruments, uniforms, money and other necessities to fulfill their dreams.

“We also get a group of kids and bring them out to Funk Fest,” said Bennett. “We do this in every market. A lot of times, it’s underprivileged kids who have never seen anybody perform live. They’ve never met a star or celebrity. So imagine a kid who has never been to a show and probably never out of their city getting a chance to meet LL Cool J or Ice Cube. That’s something they’ll never forget. That’s what we do… We give them an opportunity to come out to the show, and meet these huge celebrities. We hope that it will inspire them.”

Bennett, who is a pharmacist, also wants to address issues of health through his nonprofit by raising money for medical research, specifically in relation to prostate cancer. Bennett lost a loved one to the disease and is now on a mission to raise awareness and help find a cure.

For tickets and more information on the two-day lineup for Funk Fest, visit www.funkfest2014.com.

Comments