Hiero Day Announces San Francisco Lineup, Expansion to LA and Canada

It’s a big year for Hieroglyphics. The Oakland hip-hop crew announced this week that they’re returning to San Francisco’s Midway for Hiero Day 2026, which they’re headlining with Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mereba on Sept. 7. And they’re expanding their homegrown festival to Los Angeles and British Columbia, Canada. 

The LA stop brings Hieroglyphics, Lupe Fiasco, Coast Contra and Lxgit to the Hollywood Palladium on Aug. 30. On Sept. 11–13 at the Salmo River Ranch campground in southern British Columbia, Hieroglyphics takes the stage once again along with Chali 2na, Cut Chemist, Abstract Rude and more.

Hiero Day began as a free Oakland block party in 2012 and continued in the Town until last year, when Hieroglyphics moved it to San Francisco for the first time. Tajai Massey, a festival organizer and Hieroglyphics MC, told KQED that once the event moved across the bridge, promoters from other cities started calling. He says Hiero Day could be hitting more stops across the country soon.

“We got calls from New York. We’ve had calls from Denver, Seattle and also I think Albuquerque,” Massey says. “So you might be seeing the Hiero Day tour.”

But even as he sets his sights on expansion, Massey, who is currently living abroad in Panama, says the Bay Area hip-hop scene is on an upswing. Hieroglyphics is getting ready to put out their first album in over a decade, All Said and Done, which the nine-person collective recorded together in their Oakland studio. (The record is already available for purchase, and hits streaming platforms Sept. 3.) 

Massey says he’s grateful that the group, which has remained close throughout the 33 years since their first hit — “’93 Til Infinity” by Hiero offshoot Souls of Mischief — continues to work together and push each other as artists. “I’m feeling good that we’ve had such a long, illustrious career, and it continues, and that we’re doing new things,” he says.

The Hiero Day San Francisco lineup features Bay Area artists Frak and Ruby Ibarra, both of whom have risen to national prominence recently. Shady Nate, Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, DJ BlackWoman and DJ Kurren$i are just a few of the other homegrown artists on the bill.

Massey says he’s happy to see more cross-pollination and mutual support from all corners of the Bay Area hip-hop scene, a trend he hopes the festival can help continue.  “I don’t think it’s out of survival,” he adds. “It’s out of mutual respect.”

Hiero Day returns to the Midway (900 Marin St., San Francisco) on Sept. 7. Full lineup and details here.