Atlanta is gearing up for one of its most anticipated events of the year — ONE Musicfest (OMF) — and for 2025, founder Jason “J” Carter is making sure it’s an unforgettable celebration of culture, unity, and local pride.
When Carter first conceived the idea behind ONE Musicfest, he said he was responding to a vacuum in the live music scene. “I just could not find anything quite like Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo that spoke to my music, my culture,” Carter told Bossip in a 2025 interview. Determined to change that, he partnered with others who shared his vision, even after skeptics told him it would never work with our culture. That resistance only reinforced his mission: “that lit the fire to prove them wrong” (Bossip, 2025).
Now entering its 16th edition, OMF has become what Carter describes as “a kumbaya, Woodstock moment for our community”. Its ethos is simple yet powerful: Unity Through Music.
In an important shift, OMF is returning to Piedmont Park and, for the first time, instead of the usual two stages, OMF will expand to three performance stages this year. Carter also teased “over-the-top surprises” and the biggest Food Truck Village yet.
OMF’s 2025 lineup stands out as both celebratory and intentional. Carter remarked, “After losing Rico [Wade], celebrating Future, bringing Mary J. Blige for the first time, spotlighting Doechii — it’s needed. We need moments of joy, ways to celebrate each other.” (Bossip, 2025)
Performers slated for the weekend include Future, The Roots with Mary J. Blige, Ludacris & Friends, Jazmine Sullivan, Kehlani, Clipse, and Doechii, among others. These names honor OMF’s commitment to bridging generations, genres, and audiences.
Carter has remained unwavering in his choice to plant OMF’s identity firmly in Atlanta. “This doesn’t move, this doesn’t grow, this doesn’t happen outside of Atlanta … For the last two decades, Atlanta has really been carrying the torch with regards to urban culture.” (Bossip, 2025)
He credits that endurance to the city’s support, including festival vendors (over half local and Black-owned) and civic leaders who have backed the event.
Economic & cultural engine: As one of the few large-scale, Black-owned open-air festivals, OMF contributes to Atlanta’s creative economy and local business ecosystem.
Accessible platform for artists: By featuring both legends and breakthrough acts, Carter ensures that emerging talent shares the spotlight with icons.
A space for joy and healing: With tributes, surprise guest sets, and “moments of joy,” OMF is committed to more than entertainment — it’s about collective uplift (Bossip, 2025).
Community anchoring: Carter’s vision ties OMF’s identity to Atlanta, refusing to let the festival become untethered to the city that birthed it.
As OMF 2025 approaches, the promise is clear: more music, more culture, and even more opportunity to unite Atlanta. With a lineup that spans sonic eras and a home in the heart of downtown, this year’s edition may well be one for the history books.
Bossip. (2025, October 7). ONE Musicfest Founder J Carter Talks Historic Fest. https://bossip.com/3927193/one-musicfest-founder-j-carter-interview/
Georgia World Congress Center Authority. (2025). Everything you need to know about ONE Musicfest at Centennial Olympic Park. https://www.gwcca.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-one-musicfest-at-centennial-olympic-park
Fox 5 Atlanta. (n.d.). ONE Musicfest lineup Piedmont Park announced, tickets sale. Retrieved from https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/one-musicfest-lineup-piedmont-park-announced-tickets-sale