Three 6 Mafia, Ja Rule, Xzibit & More Turn Tacos & Tequila Into a 2000s Time Machine
There are music festivals, food festivals, and then there is Tacos & Tequila Festival, an event that throws everything into the blender and somehow makes it work. When Tacos & Tequila rolled into Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, Illinois, it brought a full day of throwback hip-hop, massive tacos and burritos, tequila, margaritas, Lucha Libre wrestling, and plenty of nostalgia. With a lineup featuring Three 6 Mafia, Ja Rule, Ginuwine, Xzibit, Chamillionaire, Yung Joc, Frankie J, MIMS, and DJ Ashton Martin, the festival felt like someone turned a 2000s playlist into an all-day party, and that was exactly the point.
All Photos By: Aaron R. Shriver PhotographyMore Than Just a Concert
One of the strongest parts of Tacos & Tequila was that there was always something happening beyond the main stage. Food trucks and taco vendors filled the festival grounds, serving everything from traditional tacos to over-the-top creations. Some of the burritos looked nearly as big as your arm, and there was no shortage of options for anyone arriving hungry. Bars and VIP bars lined the outside of the concert bowl, serving handcrafted margaritas, tequila, and other drinks throughout the afternoon and evening. There was even an elevated VIP experience with couches and bottle service for fans looking to turn the festival into a full-on party.
The layout of Northwestern Medicine Field worked surprisingly well for the event. Seating throughout the stadium and along the hill gave fans plenty of opportunities to sit down between sets while still keeping sightlines toward the stage. The space was utilized well, allowing thousands of people to move between music, food, and the festival's other attractions without everything feeling confined to one area.
Out on the infield, Lucha Libre wrestling added another completely different element to the afternoon. Between the wrestling, immersive art and photo opportunities, tequila tastings, and the festival's beloved Chihuahua Beauty Pageant, Tacos & Tequila made sure this wasn't an event where you simply stood in front of one stage for eight hours.
MIMS Sets the Tone
MIMS helped kick the music into another gear, and before diving deep into the throwbacks, he shared a little meaning behind the name fans have known for nearly two decades. MIMS stands for “Music Is My Savior,” a fitting message for an artist whose music instantly transported the crowd back to the mid-2000s. Of course, the moment everyone was waiting for came when the opening beat of “This Is Why I’m Hot” hit Northwestern Medicine Field. Nearly 20 years after the song became a massive hit, the crowd still knew every word.
Click The Image Above For The Full MIMS Photo GalleryOne of the best moments of his set came when MIMS stopped the music and spoke directly to the crowd. “We’re all too old to fight anyway,” he joked before encouraging everyone to spread love. His message was that it didn’t matter who you voted for or what differences you might have; everyone inside the stadium had come together for the same reason: a love of music. For a festival built around nostalgia and bringing people together through songs they grew up with, it was a simple message that perfectly captured the spirit of the day.
Frankie J Has the Crowd Singing
Frankie J brought a completely different energy to the stage. His smooth R&B sound had the crowd singing along, but when he began singing in Spanish, the reaction, especially from the women packed near the stage, went to another level.
Click The Image Above For The Full Frankie J Photo GalleryIt was one of those festival sets that reminded you just how many songs from this era are permanently embedded in people's memories.
A Schedule Change Leads to a Chamillionaire Highlight
Festivals rarely go exactly according to schedule. When Yung Joc was running roughly 15 minutes late, organizers made the call to move ahead with Chamillionaire, keeping the show moving instead of leaving the crowd waiting.
Click The Image Above For The Full Chamillionaire Photo GalleryIt ended up creating one of the afternoon's most entertaining moments. Chamillionaire brought two fans onto the stage for a rap battle, turning the crowd into the judges and giving the festival something completely unscripted before eventually delivering the song everyone knew was coming: "Ridin'."
Yung Joc Finally Finds the Stage
Yung Joc eventually arrived, and once he found the stage, he made up for lost time. Instead of letting the delay kill the momentum, Joc came out and delivered a clinic of recognizable hits that immediately pulled the crowd back in. Songs like "It's Goin' Down" transported Northwestern Medicine Field straight back to the mid-2000s.
Click The Image Above For The Full Yung Joc Photo GalleryThat became a recurring theme throughout the festival. You might not have listened to some of these songs in years, but within seconds of the beat dropping, everyone remembered every word.
Xzibit Brings Some West Coast Flavor
Xzibit added some West Coast weight to the lineup and brought Dr. Dre into the mix through songs connected to one of hip-hop's most influential eras. His set hit differently from some of the lighter party moments earlier in the afternoon. It was heavier, harder, and a reminder that this lineup wasn't built around one specific corner of 2000s music.
Click The Image Above For The Full Xzibit Photo GalleryTacos & Tequila was bouncing between R&B, Southern rap, West Coast hip-hop, and radio classics all day.
Ginuwine Brings the R&B Nostalgia
Ginuwine brought a smooth change of pace to a day packed with hip-hop, delivering some serious late-'90s and early-2000s R&B nostalgia.
Click The Image Above For The Full Ginuwine Photo GallerySongs like “Differences,” “So Anxious,” and, of course, “Pony” had Northwestern Medicine Field singing along. The instantly recognizable opening beat of “Pony” drew one of the biggest reactions of his set and proved that more than 25 years later, Ginuwine's biggest hits can still get a party moving.
Ja Rule Makes Sure Chicago Gets Its Show
Ja Rule's appearance came with a little extra meaning. Referencing his previous Chicago engagement, he joked that the last one hadn't gone particularly well. This time, despite traveling through a Nor'easter, he made sure he was getting to Chicago.
Once there, Ja Rule gave the crowd much more than a quick greatest-hits festival appearance. Along with his own catalog, he worked in songs he had written or helped create for other artists, giving fans a reminder of just how extensive his fingerprints are across that era of music.
Click The Image Above For The Full Ja Rule Photo GalleryHe also offered one of the night's more meaningful messages. Time is the one thing you can't get back, so make good on it. For a festival centered around nostalgia, the comment landed perfectly. Everyone was there remembering where they were when these songs first came out, but at the same time they were creating an entirely new memory around them.
Three 6 Mafia Brings Memphis to Chicagoland
By the time Three 6 Mafia took over Northwestern Medicine Field, there wasn't much left to do except turn everything up, and they did exactly that.
DJ Paul and Juicy J brought that unmistakable Memphis sound to Chicagoland, firing off hit after hit and keeping the crowd bouncing from beginning to end. Their catalog has become such an important part of Southern hip-hop that even decades later, the opening beats were enough to send the crowd into a frenzy.
Click The Image Above For The Full Three Six Mafia Photo GallerySongs like “Stay Fly,” “Poppin' My Collar,” and “Slob on My Knob” turned the entire concert bowl into one massive party, with fans jumping, dancing, and shouting every word back toward the stage.
After a full day of throwback hits, tacos, tequila, and nostalgia, Three 6 Mafia were the perfect group to bring it all home. Their set didn't just close the festival; it gave Tacos & Tequila one final burst of energy and sent Geneva home with a little taste of Memphis.
Nostalgia Done Right
Tacos & Tequila understands its audience. This isn't trying to be the newest or trendiest festival on the calendar. It knows exactly what it is: a throwback day-party built around the music, food, and memories of a generation that grew up with these artists dominating radio, MTV, BET, and burned CDs.
The tacos were plentiful. The margaritas were flowing. Lucha Libre wrestlers were flying around the ring. Frankie J had the ladies screaming. Chamillionaire hosted a rap battle. Yung Joc reminded everyone that it was still "Goin' Down." Ja Rule reflected on the value of time, and Three 6 Mafia finished the night by bringing Memphis straight to Geneva. Sometimes a festival doesn't need to reinvent anything. Sometimes you just need good food, a drink in your hand, a few thousand people around you, and the opening beat to a song you haven't heard in years. Tacos & Tequila delivered exactly that: nostalgia meeting new memories, one taco, tequila shot, and throwback hit at a time.
