Jay Z and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney Meet After “Made In America” Controversy; Festival Will Remain in Landmark Location

Nearly two weeks ago, Jay-Z took to the Philadelphia Inquirer to express his disappointment in the city’s mayor, Jim Kenney, and his decision to evict the “Made In America” music festival from its landmark location, without warning. 

In the opinion piece, Jay highlighted Kenney’s lack of respect, the festival’s impact on the city, as well as its financial contributions, as he added that the two would discuss options “internally and handle accordingly.” 

Since then, the two have hashed out their differences and together have come up with a resolution. 

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On Monday night, Kenney shared a photo of himself and Jay-Z ahead of his OTRII tour stop at Lincoln Financial Field, with the caption, “Really enjoyed meeting Jay-Z tonight. We’re both very excited about the future of [Made In America] here in Philly.” 

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Kenney’s post came about two weeks after the city revealed it would no longer host the festival on the Ben Franklin Parkway, and about one week after city officials sat down with Jay’s team to discuss a solution. 

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Eventually, both parties agreed to continue with the festival on the Parkway. The festival kicks off on Saturday, September 1.