Summer Smash is back—and this year’s lineup is shaping up to be a memorable experience.
Marking its seventh year as one of the largest independently-owned hip-hop festivals in the world, Summer Smash has unveiled a heavyweight lineup. Taking place June 20-22 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, the 2025 edition will feature the first live performance from Young Thug since 2022, the world debut of a new collaborative project from Don Toliver and YEAT, and a triumphant return from Future, who remains in the midst of one of rap’s most dominant runs.
Thugger, who last performed live in spring 2022 before facing ongoing legal issues, will close out Sunday night with what is expected to be a celebratory and emotional set packed with hits, deep cuts, and fan favorites. His headlining slot marks one of the most significant booking coups of this year’s hip-hop festival circuit.
Meanwhile, Day 1 offers an unprecedented moment: Don Toliver and YEAT will share the stage for the first time, launching their highly anticipated joint project in front of thousands. Though details around the collaboration remain tight-lipped, their chemistry—both sonic and stylistic—has already sparked buzz as one of the genre’s most exciting pairings in recent memory.
Saturday night sees Future return to Summer Smash as a festival alum, coming off a career-defining string of hits, tours and viral moments. He’ll headline in peak form, reinforcing his place as one of the most consistent stars in modern rap.
But the lineup goes beyond blockbuster names. Summer Smash 2025 is doubling down on its hometown roots by spotlighting elite Chicago MCs like Chance The Rapper, G Herbo, Saba and FamousDex. Chance will also close out one of Sunday’s main stages in a nod to his hometown hero status, while Saba and G Herbo bring depth and lyrical dexterity to a festival best known for turning mosh pits into monuments.
Other returning alums add to the nostalgia and energy that Summer Smash has become known for, with Lil Yachty, Sexyy Red, Quavo, Destroy Lonely, Sahbabii, Nav, Ski Mask the Slump God, Trippie Redd and NLE Choppa all set to hit the stage once again. First-timers like Soulja Boy, 1900Rugrat and Che round out a lineup that blends legacy acts with the next wave of viral phenoms.
Behind it all are the local titans of youth culture: Lyrical Lemonade and SPKRBX, co-founded by director Cole Bennett and promoter Berto Solorio, respectively. “We are excited to present the 7th edition of the largest independent hip-hop festival in the world and can’t wait to show the fans what we’ve been working on,” Solorio said. Bennett added: “I feel lucky to be able to throw the party of the year with my best friends. May this be the best one yet. Lucky number seven.”
Last year’s edition made headlines with Chief Keef’s long-awaited return to Chicagoland and the U.S. festival debut of Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack crew. This year, the festival builds on that momentum with genre-defining talent, improved stage production and an expanded on-site experience, including art installations, a Ferris wheel, carnival games, roaming performers and one of the most diverse culinary programs in the country.
