BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Grammy-winning rapper T.I. will headline the Wind Creek Steel Stage at PNC Plaza on Aug. 5 with special guest DaBaby, ArtsQuest announced Monday.
The show is the ninth headlining act revealed for the 43rd Musikfest, which runs July 31 through Aug. 9. The concert is being presented with media partner LOUD Radio.
Ticket access begins Tuesday for ArtsQuest members and Friday for the general public at ArtsQuest.org.
T.I., born Clifford Harris Jr., is a three-time Grammy Award winner and one of the architects of the trap music subgenre that reshaped hip-hop in the 2000s.
The Atlanta rapper has released 11 studio albums over his career, with seven reaching the top five of the Billboard 200.
His sixth album, “Paper Trail,” produced the No. 1 hits “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna.
Beyond music, Harris has built a business portfolio spanning a record label, a clothing line, a production company and real estate holdings. He has also appeared in films including “ATL,” “American Gangster” and Marvel’s “Ant-Man.”
The Musikfest date comes as T.I. prepares to release “Kill the King,” which he confirmed at the 2026 Grammy Awards will be his twelfth and final studio album.
The project’s lead single, “Let Em Know,” produced by Pharrell, dropped in January. T.I., widely credited as one of the pioneers of trap music, told Entertainment Tonight that he plans to step away from recording to focus on family and other creative ventures, including a stand-up comedy special set for release in December 2025.
DaBaby, whose real name is Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, rose to mainstream prominence in 2019 after signing with Interscope Records. The Charlotte, N.C., rapper’s debut album “Baby on Baby” spent 55 weeks on the Billboard 200, while his follow-up “Kirk” debuted at No. 1.
His biggest hit, “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch, spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and earned multiple Grammy nominations. He has also appeared on chart-topping remixes alongside Dua Lipa and Jack Harlow. DaBaby released his fifth studio album, “Be More Grateful,” on Jan. 30, his first full-length project since 2024.
The T.I. and DaBaby show joins a growing Musikfest 2026 lineup that already includes comedian John Mulaney on Aug. 1, Train on Aug. 3, “Weird Al” Yankovic on Aug. 4, Bailey Zimmerman on Aug. 6, Parker McCollum on Aug. 7, Yellowcard and Taking Back Sunday on Aug. 8 and AJR on Aug. 9.
A record 1,449,000 people attended Musikfest in 2025. The 11-day festival features more than 500 free performances across 16 stages on Bethlehem’s north and south sides.
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