MIKE's Young World festival returned to Brooklyn on Saturday, transforming Herbert Von King Park into a New York Hip-Hop showcase.
The free event, presented by City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage, was one of the borough’s most anticipated rap concerts, with past performers including Earl Sweatshirt, Noname, Jay Critch and Pete Rock.
This year’s lineup included MIKE, EristhePlanet, Niontay, Salimata, Black Noi$e, and the highly anticipated Harlem rapper Max B. Released from prison in November 2025 after serving 16 years, Max B’s return represented a long awaited reunion with the city that launched his career.
MIKE, the rapper and curator of the showcase, performed an instrumental set with the band he developed for his NPR Tiny Desk concert. Fans were then treated with a surprise performance by Yasiin Bey, once known as Mos Def. The Brooklyn native ignited the crowd with classics like Auditorium and a Larry Heard dance remix of Umi Says.
Bey acknowledged his hometown roots by telling the crowd: “People ask me if I miss Brooklyn, I tell them I see it everyday when I look in the mirror.”
As the sun set, Max B took the stage, performing hit after hit. Opening with his new single, Ever Since U Left Me, he quickly transitioned to his old catalog of hits, including I Gotta Habit, Why You Do That, and Sexy Love.
Famous for his raw vocals and melodic production, Max B is credited for originating the wave movement in Hip-Hop. Although twenty years have passed since many of his songs were made, the crowd still knew every word, proving the wave is still very much alive.
