Grand Prairie’s You Just Had to Be There Festival Wants to Run It Back on Nostalgia

On his most recent album, You Just Had to Be There, North Texas rapper Alex Jamal taps into what he calls “Player One Energy,” wearing the crown as one of the ringleaders of the local rap game. But with his second annual You Just Had to Be There Festival, Jamal is inviting several hometown heroes to join in on the adventure.

Set to take place Saturday, March 14, the festival will feature several local musicians, DJs and vendors gathering at The Epic in Grand Prairie, Jamal’s hometown. In addition to music and food, attendees will also be able to play vintage video games.

“The space was built to be family-friendly, so it just works out,” Jamal tells us. “And it feels good to be able to do something in my hometown. It was just a marriage waiting to happen.”

The festival’s second iteration comes after a big year for Jamal. Last year, he was featured on select Apple Music playlists and collaborated with Grammy-winning producer and fellow Grand Prairie native Miles “Super Miles” Franklin for You Just Had to Be There. Jamal describes the album as a “time capsule,” channeling the sounds of the ‘90s and 2000s he grew up with. Those influences aren’t reserved for the sonic delivery — the album’s cover art is reminiscent of that of an old PlayStation game. 

Continuing in that honoring of iconic media formats, Jamal has selected Tre 6 of K104 to host the festival. Bistro 1231 Trap Kitchen, Flavor After Flavor, Lavish Treats and Arlys Lattes are among the food vendors, and local shops like Tanks Vinyl, Dunnsports Collectibles and The Lonestar Brand will have stands on site. On the performance roster are Kid Prince, J Woodz, Pixie Athena, Van Gammon and more.

“Being in the world before social media ran everything, we’d look for where the bikes were to see where the homies were,” Jamal says. “Or being on the phone after 9 o’clock to talk to your crush, or whoever it was, because the minutes were free. You just had to be there to experience those things. And I just wanted to capture what I could inside of this album with those different elements — whether it’s the songs, the music, the sounds, the stories. Some of those, you really just had to be there for them.”

“What really drew me to the festival was the vision behind it,” says Woodz. “It’s one of those events that brings artists and the community together in a real way. The energy around it feels authentic, and it gives creatives a platform to express themselves while creating moments people will remember.”

Performers also recognize that Jamal has been very intentional about the operations and thoughtfulness in his curation process.

“Alex took extra care to choose special artists that reflected artistic diversity and a high level of musicianship, to pick food vendors who were passionate and meticulous about their craft, and to select a venue that would support the power of the art and his vision,” says Athena. “The content will vary, but the energy and excitement will remain consistent. I’m so looking forward to sharing my heart and good vibes through this set.”

In addition to platforming artists and providing opportunities to showcase their work, Jamal also wants them to learn the skills to market and book themselves. Back in January, he launched a new series called Free Game, during which he offers artists tips on how to make their music profitable and land more bookings.

“I just believe in giving a hand up,” Jamal says. “A lot of people have given me game over the years, and I’ve had the opportunity to be able to go to school, be able to build things brick-by-brick, myself. I’m very much community-focused, so if there’s any way that I can help artists understand the things that I do, because I think that a lot of artists don’t know how to monetize. They don’t know how to build out festivals, run college events, or go direct-to-consumer. So I just wanted to give the game that I had, and the knowledge that I have to be able to help out artists.”

Jamal intends to keep the festival going for years to come, especially as family-friendly music festivals are few and far between in this day and age. He intentionally priced the tickets affordably in an effort to keep the festival family-friendly. But mostly, he hopes for those who attend to echo the festival’s mission.

“The experience when you come in is just like, ‘Man, you just really had to be there,’” says Jamal. “I remember the feeling of coming to school, getting a bag of Doritos and getting the points off the back of them. The album was a time capsule and bringing some of those vibes back just blossomed into an amazing festival. And in keeping those vibes going, people wanted more of it. So the music, the time, the styles —  I just really feel like we captured it so well in this festival.”

You Just Had to Be There Festival begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. General admission tickets are $10, while kids can attend for free.