Written by Lexx Thornton
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park kicked off with a high-energy celebration ofAtlanta’s deep musical roots, headlined by some of the city’s most iconic performers. Hip-hop legends Jermaine Dupri and Ludacris, country superstars Zac Brown Band andKane Brown, and rising Canadian singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith all took part in a star-studded pregame ceremony ahead of the July 15 Midsummer Classic.
Atlanta was already set on fire with Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour that lasted four days in the star-studded city, bringing out the city each night to have 4 completely sold-out nights.
Dupri and Ludacris—two of Atlanta’s most celebrated artists—helped introduce the 2025 All-Stars with a hometown-inspired medley paying homage to the city’s global music legacy. The Clark Atlanta University Mighty Marching Panthers and Essence Dance Line joined them on the field for a high-octane performance anchored by the duo’s hit “Welcome to Atlanta.”
Jermaine Dupri, founder of So So Def Recordings, helped define the sound of Southern hip-hop in the ’90s with chart-topping hits and a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Ludacris followed with massive mainstream success, earning 18 Top 10 hits and global recognition through music, film, and philanthropy.
Membersof the Grammy-winning Zac Brown Band performed the U.S. National Anthem,offering a Southern rock-infused patriotic tribute as proud Atlanta natives. Canadian singerLauren Spencer Smith, who rose to fame on TikTok, sang the Canadian National Anthem.