The Delicious Festival was this past weekend. This year I opted to go on Sunday and yes, Lauryn Hill was my main drawcard. I went in with cautious optimism, and let’s just say my expectations and reality didn’t exactly hold hands.
The Food
First things first: the food. Or should I say, the lack of it (for me, anyway). The Delicious Fest is an international food and music festival; the food is meant to be half the experience, but as usual, vegetarian options were few and far between. The only stall I spotted was a tofu stand. Otherwise, the meat lovers had a feast. Even the lounge we were hosted in didn’t bother trying. My plate was chakalaka and green salad. I’ve learned to brace myself for festivals by eating before I leave the house. But it’ll never not disappoint me.
Channel O Stage
Then there was the music. We took a shot’left to the Channel O stage, and found Vinny Da Vinci serving grown and sexy tunes, I would describe it as pure bliss. Then the BPM shot up with DJ Tira, who gave us a performance and a half. He opened with I Won’t Let You Go, which had the crowd going, and then grabbed the mic to hype everyone up. One thing about DJ Tira? He knows how to command a stage. Halfway through his set, we took the long 20-minute walk back to the lounge.
Ms Lauryn Hill
After a thirty-minute wait, if not more… There she was. Ms. Lauryn Hill, glowing in a beautiful red Thebe Magugu ensemble. And honestly, the outfit stole the entire show. Sharp, elegant, rooted in BaSotho artistry, Thebe outdid himself with this one. Her background singers were dressed by MaXhosa, which was also a stunning touch.
The performance itself? I have mixed emotions. Lauryn opened with rap verses from her Fugees days, then slid into Zion, which had the crowd singing at the top of their lungs. It was brief but electric. Then she handed the stage over to Zion Marley. After what felt like forever, she returned for a short performance of Doo Wop before YG Marley stepped in. I came for Ms Lauryn Hill, but it felt like her sons performed more than she did. By the time Wyclef Jean came out, I was already making my way to the parking lot, catching his set from a distance.
So, was the Delicious Festival delicious? I made the best of it. The company I kept made it a lovely day, and I looked cute. Sometimes, that’s all you need. A great outfit and good company.
Images: DSTV Delicious Facebook
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