PHARRELL SHUTS DOWN THE ROOTS PICNIC STAGE, BRINGS OUT PUSHA T, N.O.R.E, AND MANY MORE

Each year The Roots Picnic delivers the best music block party, and this year was no exception. Fans flocked to Festival Pier in Philly for the festival’s 10th year, with a lineup that boasted names like Solange, Thundercat, Jeezy, 21 Savage, The Roots, and many more (Lil Wayne pulled out the morning of the festival due to medical reasons).

Nonetheless the festival delivered, especially to fans who flocked to the North Stage around 9:15 for Pharrell‘s set, which featured performances by the artist and artists whose songs he produced.

Skateboard P, backed by The Roots, hit the stage and immediately started performing a medley of his own hits and cuts he produced, including Daft Punk’s “Lose Yourself To Dance” and 702‘s “I Still Love You.”

Pharrell was then joined onstage by N.E.R.D. bandmate Shae Haley to perform some of the band’s most popular cuts, including Fly Or Die‘s “Maybe.” Then The Roots proceeded to play the melody of “What Happened To That Boy,” and out came Pusha T, who remained onstage to rap “Mr. Me Too” and “Grindin’.”

Next came N.O.R.E., who performed The Neptunes-produced “Superthug” and “Nothin’,” but didn’t leave the stage immediately after he performed. After thanking Pharrell and calling him the most “selfless” dude in the game, he told Skateboard P he was the greatest producer of all time, even bringing Push back onstage to make sure he knew it.

But the party didn’t stop there. Pharrell jumped back into the endless list of hits he’s produced, withB Black Thought continuing to rap effortlessly over each beat. Out of nowhere Skateboard P pulled what many thought was a random fan in a Hawaiian shirt onstage during “Lapdance,” but when the lights illuminated we all realized it was Tyler, The Creator, rapping every single word.

But Pharrell was the gift that kept on giving, closing the show by bringing six-year-old Reef onstage. Originally from Africa, Reef has been battling cancer for five years, traveling from Africa to LA and now Cincinnati to get help. Because of his condition he can’t be in the sun and his been in isolation most of his life.

The kid is a big fan of Pharrell’s, and Skateboard P brought him onstage to close the show with “Happy.