RnB Block Party held inside Scope on Saturday; preps underway for Cousinz Fest Aug. 31

Check out photos from the event from WAVY photojournalist Cortez Grayson below:

---

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The RnB Block Party will move inside of the Scope arena this weekend, ahead of possible inclement weather.

The RnB Block Party will take place from 6 p.m. Saturday until midnight, with headliner DJ Drama.

Local and national food trucks will set up inside the exhibition hall on the lower floor of the arena.

“[The] majority of the people in the 757 have experienced the block party in some capacity … whether a friend told them, whether they seen it on social media, whether they were physically there,” said Antonio Dowe, co-founder of RnB Block Party and the Cousinz Festival. 

Over the years, the RnB Block parties have grown, and they even traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada recently. Following a successful career with music event organizing, Dowe now serves on the Norfolk Civic Facilities Commission Board.

“It’s been a blessing and a great opportunity to sit around the other board members to give my opinion from a young Black person on what I feel like entertainment means to city economics,” Dowe said. 

Later this summer, on August 31, the same vibes will return to the Scope grounds for the Cousinz Festival.

“The biggest difference is for the RnB Block Party,” Dowe said. “We’re either inside of the arena or outside on the plaza, [but] with the festival, we’re activating the entire Scope grounds. Our merchandise store is going to be inside across in Chrysler Hall.”

“I’m super excited for Cousinz Fest because we have never done a performance at an RnB Block party,” Dowe said. “It’s been DJs for the entire three years … and the first time we do performers, you bring in Erykah Badu. [That] is huge for us. It is huge for RnB centric. It’s huge for what we continue to talk about — Black Entertainment affecting city economics. You have to bring in the right acts and the right performers. She’s a slam dunk for a Cousinz Festival in the first year.

Other big names, such as Larry June and Jermaine Dupri, are also on the lineup.

“The response I’ve been seeing from Larry June is ridiculous and very overwhelmingly positive,” Dowe said. “To have [Erykah Badu] and Jermaine Dupri on the same bill, it doesn’t get any more RnB than that.”

To buy tickets for the RnB Block party or the Cousinz Festival visit sevenvenues.com. 

Watch the full story on WAVY News Saturday Morning with Kiahnna Patterson at 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.