Built In The 757, For The 757: Pusha T’s Cousinz Festival Returns With T.I., Keyshia Cole And More This September
Hampton Roads doesn’t get enough credit for what it gave the music industry. Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Pharrell Williams, and Pusha T all came out of this collection of coastal Virginia […] The post Built In The 757, For The 757: Pusha T’s Cousinz Festival Returns With T.I., Keyshia Cole And More This September appeared first on Essence.
Black News 
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 19: T.I. performs onstage during DC Emancipation Day at Franklin Park on April 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brian Stukes/Getty Images) 
By Kimberly Wilson ·Updated April 26, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Hampton Roads doesn’t get enough credit for what it gave the music industry.
Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Pharrell Williams, and Pusha T all came out of this collection of coastal Virginia cities and um, hello… the receipts speak for themselves. For a region that gave so much to the culture, a festival of its own has been a long time in the making.
And we are sat.
T.I., Keyshia Cole, The-Dream, and Plies are headlining the third annual edition of Cousinz Festival, set for September 5 at Norfolk Scope Grounds in Norfolk, Virginia. The-Dream has written some of the biggest records of the last two decades for some of your favorite artists, but real ones know his own catalog is worth just as much hype. And if you’ve ever found yourself singing ‘LOVE’ at the top of your lungs in the club, just know, hearing Keyshia Cole singing it live, is a whole different type of energy.
“We wanted a mix of everything: legendary hip-hop, soulful R&B, and that down south trap feel,” said Grammy-winning co-founder Pusha T. Cousinz Festival was created by Pusha T, FAMLAY, and Global Music Touring CEO Antonio Dowe, who are all Hampton Roads natives.
The groundwork had already been laid prior to Cousinz even existing. Norfolk’s RnB Block Party had spent four years pulling more than 35,000 people to the city before Cousinz ever launched, which meant the new festival inherited an audience that already knew what it wanted. Jeezy, T-Pain, Lil’ Kim, and Backyard Band headlined a sold out 2025, drawing a crowd that had started making travel plans from well outside Virginia.
“What makes Cousinz so special is that it’s created and produced by those who live in the 757, FOR people in the 757,” said Antonio Dowe, CEO of Global Music Touring and Cousinz Festival co-founder.
“Each year, we’ve been proud of its growth as attendees are now traveling from different states for the “Cousinz vibe.” That’s a testament to the brand that we’ve created: it’s a ‘feel good’ time of music and community for everyone, and this year the experience will be enhanced. From the pre-events and day-of activations to the aesthetics and overall experience, we want everyone to feel like they’re at the biggest, best end of Summer family reunion.”
Beyond the four headliners, Bryan-Michael Cox performs alongside collaborators, with DJ sets from DJ Envy of Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, DJ Boof, DJ Aktive, DJ Quicksilva of 92Q Baltimore, and Jae Murphy. The DJ roster pulls from daytime television, international touring circuits, and everything in between. Chico Bean returns as host alongside media personality Dominique Da Diva across the indoor and outdoor stages.
The programming around the music has been just as consistent a part of the festival as the performances themselves. Scholarship initiatives, neighborhood revitalization work, panel conversations, and culinary offerings have been fixtures since year one, and according to FAMLAY, “The music and talent is great, but the community component is where we really salute our partners.”
That all returns for 2026, alongside Cousinz Radio, now in a formal partnership with Norfolk State University’s WNSB Hot 91.1, airing Saturday afternoons from noon to 2 PM beginning June 6. Pre-sale tickets are available through April 30 at cousinzfestival.com, with general on-sale beginning May 1 at 10 AM ET.
The post Built In The 757, For The 757: Pusha T’s Cousinz Festival Returns With T.I., Keyshia Cole And More This September appeared first on Essence.
