The Art of Rap Tour Returns with Hip-Hop Icons to Arkansas’ Walmart AMP

Ice-T and DJ Evil-E will join Rakim, DJ Jazzy Jeff, the Sugarhill Gang and Big Daddy Kane for The Art of Rap concert at Walmart AMP (11,000-cap) in Rogers, Arkansas, on Oct. 18. The Live Nation-produced event is a continuation of The Art of Rap festival tour birthed by co-founders Ice-T and Micky Bentson more than a decade ago, and marks the first Art of Rap-branded event since 2023.

“We took a hiatus to watch what people are doing,” Bentson tells Pollstar . “Now that we see what’s happening, we’re back!”

Bentson also has two other dates booked separate from Live Nation: one on August 27 at the Western Idaho Fair in Boise with Ice-T, Sir Mix-A-Lot and DJ Kevie Kev and another on August 28 at the Benton Franklin Fair in Kennewick, Washington, though the lineup has yet to be announced.

The Art of Rap festival tour launched in July 2015. The inaugural events took place in California, with the first show on July 18, 2015, at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine and the second on July 19, 2015, at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View.

The idea was inspired by Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap documentary that was released in 2012. Directed and executive produced by Ice-T, with Bentson serving as an associate producer, the film starred a laundry list of legendary hip-hop artists, including B-Real, Big Daddy Kane, Common, Chuck D, Dr. Dre, Rakim, Eminem, Grandmaster Flash, Ice Cube, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and Snoop Dogg.

It was an official selection for the Sundance Film Festival and hit theaters in June 2012. An accompanying soundtrack was released on CD and as a digital download with 15 songs from the movie, seven freestyles as performed in the film and Public Enemy’s “Harder Than You Think (Just Like That).”

Following the film’s positive reception, it wasn’t long before The Art of Rap Tour was criss-crossing North America. Benzo promised there’s more on the horizon for the brand.

“Something big is bubbling with The Art of Rap,” Bentson promised. “In about a week or so, we’ll put something up and you’re gonna be like, ‘Oh shit!’”

_Originally reported by [Pollstar](https://news.pollstar.com/2026/05/05/the-art-of-rap-returns-with-ice-t-dj-evil-e-rakim-dj-jazzy-jeff-sugarhill-gang-big-daddy-kane-dj-kevie-kev-more/)._