Chocolate Soul MusicFest

Display Location: Marquee Case, Exhibition Hallway, 2nd Floor
Display Dates: February - May 2023

The Chocolate Soul MusicFest began in 1994 as a popular Thursday night jam session at Atlanta’s Yin Yang Café. When the weekly event outgrew the space organizers turned it into a mobile festival dedicated to showcasing soul, rock, funk and hip-hop music at venues around the city. Chocolate Soul helped to promote newly signed Atlanta artists from diverse genres and provided space for more well-known artists, like CeeLo Green and India.Arie, to showcase new material and grow their audiences.  

By the late 1990s, Chocolate Soul had continued to expand and moved into larger Atlanta venues like Center Stage and Variety Playhouse. The event began to feature national and international acts but continued to include local and regional performers. In between acts, DJ Kemit presented dance sets that became a staple of the event and created a unique energy for both performers and attendees. In 2000, organizer Wil Griggs launched the Chocolate Soul Musicfest Tour which traveled the show to major cities across the United States.