ONE Musicfest Founder J. Carter Talks Historic Fest

A ONE Musicfest Founder is dishing on curating the nation’s largest Black-owned open-air celebration, bringing music, melanin, and culture to ATL.

Jason “J” Carter never set out to rewrite the blueprint for American music festivals, but when he looked around in the early 2000s, the Harlem-born, Florida A&M University graduate saw a void.

“I just could not find anything quite like Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo that spoke to my music, my culture,” Carter told BOSSIP. “So I went looking for it, and I realized it didn’t exist. At that point, I said, I gotta partner with somebody already doing it. They told me it would never work with our culture. That lit the fire to prove them wrong.”

That spark became ONE Musicfest (OMF), now in its 16th year. Presented by P&G and returning to Piedmont Park October 25–26, 2025, OMF is the nation’s largest Black-owned, open-air, multi-stage festival, drawing more than 100,000 fans annually and generating over $61 million in economic impact for Atlanta.

Its 2025 lineup includes Future, The Roots with Mary J. Blige, Ludacris & Friends, a Dungeon Family reunion honoring late Organized Noize producer Rico Wade, Jazmine Sullivan, Kehlani, Clipse, and breakout star Doechii.

For Carter, keeping the festival in Atlanta has always been non-negotiable.

“This doesn’t move, this doesn’t grow, this doesn’t happen outside of Atlanta,” he explained to Managing Editor Dani Canada. “For the last two decades, Atlanta has really been carrying the torch with regards to urban culture. How we react, respond, and support one another is unique here. If I had tried to build this in New York or Chicago, I don’t know if it happens. Atlanta is a very special breeding ground for cultural innovation.”

Carter credits the city’s embrace, from Mayor Andre Dickens to Black-owned vendors who make up more than half of OMF’s supported businesses, for sustaining the festival’s growth. But he also nods to the resistance he once faced from industry executives.

“Some of the folks who told me it would never work didn’t look like me,” Carter said. “They said a Black or hip-hop music festival was a liability. Meanwhile, billions are made off hip-hop every year. So for me, it was about putting our culture on display and letting the world see how beautiful it is. That’s what ONE Musicfest became: a Kumbaya, Woodstock moment for our community.”

The road from that first gathering to today’s multi-million-dollar enterprise wasn’t smooth. Carter describes the original team as a “Motley Crue” of friends: a club owner, a security company operator, a music insider, even someone from the mayor’s office.

“It was a random band of creatives on the initial run,” he laughed. “Over the years, you learn from mistakes. Some people become permanent, others rotate. But we knew it was too beautiful of a cultural experience not to continue.”

Carter’s vision has since expanded into activations that make OMF more than just music. From roller skating pop-ups with Marsai Martin to the upcoming “Luda Lounge,” which will celebrate Ludacris’ 25-year career with fan meet-and-greets, he sees the festival as a place where Black culture can be honored across generations.

“This year’s lineup is timely,” Carter said. “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.”

That sense of joy and community, Carter insists, stems directly from his years at Florida A&M.

“I’ll give Atlanta credit for what ONE Musicfest is today, but it 1,000 percent stems from FAMU,” he said. “There’s nothing like an HBCU experience, having the chance to live as a majority instead of a minority. It’s confidence, it’s a battery in your back. FAMU created a safe space to fail, to be built back up, and to push forward.”

That bond among Rattlers is unshakable; sometimes even misunderstood.

“People say FAMU is like a cult,” Carter joked to BOSSIP when asked if the cult rumors are true. “It’s not really a cult. It’s more like family. Everybody’s cool until they’re not, and that energy is what makes it feel so warm and welcoming.”

For Carter, FAMU homecoming — like ONE Musicfest — is best described as “a big Black hug.”

“It’s generational, high energy, nostalgic but always fresh,” he said. “Tens of thousands of people bringing good energy into one space. That’s exactly what we try to recreate with ONE Musicfest.”

With his mix of brand expertise, cultural reverence, and relentless Rattler pride, Carter has built a movement and ATL cultural mainstay and as OMF prepares for another landmark year, Carter’s mission remains clear;

“Uniting legends, elevating new voices, and creating unforgettable cultural moments.”

Click HERE for more info on ONEMusic Fest!