A Taste of Philadelphia At The Roots Picnic With the Band Snacktime
As we entered into the second sun-soaked day during the 17th Annual Roots Picnic festival, a familiar brass blast echoed across The Mann’s Presser Stage. But, it wasn’t just any band warming up the crowd for soundcheck—it was Snacktime, Philadelphia’s own R&B-funk collective
As we entered into the second sun-soaked day during the 17th Annual Roots Picnic festival, a familiar brass blast echoed across The Mann’s Presser Stage. But, it wasn’t just any band warming up the crowd for soundcheck—it was Snacktime, Philadelphia’s own R&B-funk collective that has popularized a joyful electric sound, resembling the roots it came from with Philadelphia’s funk music scene and city’s joyful noise and unfiltered soul.
I had a chance to sit down with two of the lead singers of the band, Yesseh-Ali, who also plays the Saxophone in the band, and Nico Bryant.
Being born out of deep resilience and rhythm during the COVID-19 pandemic’s height in summer 2020, Snacktime began by playing free shows in Rittenhouse Square. Those grassroots concerts—driven by horns, percussion, and an extremely catchy flow—quickly attracted crowds thirsty for connecting among fellow music-goers and musicians alike. What began as a busking experiment evolved into one of Philly’s most magnetic musical forces.
“It’s a special chemistry we have with these guys, that we built off of, from nothing essentially, says Ali.” “But now, it’s about to be five years. I'm just re-living and re-playing the moments that we’ve had, and especially during the roots picnic, it hit me in a different way.”
For this year’s Roots Picnic, Snacktime’s performance was certainly a homecoming—and a declaration of what Black music is made of. Entering the first day Black Music month, June 1st, Philly’s pride was on full display, not just in the crowd’s magnetic energy, but within the band’s own reflections on how they’ve begun and where they’re going. Nico Bryant, whose fourth time performing with Snacktime, ushers in a newfound energy to the band’s impact.
“Last year, I left the [Roots] Picnic feeling really inspired and energized. And I told myself, in the next five years, one way or another, God is going to make a way to put me on this stage, says Bryant.” “And somehow God put me on that stage. I’ve been a fan of Snacktime since I first saw them in 2021 at Brooklyn Bowl, so this is a dream come true.”
The band is not just a crowd favorite within our city— since their national debut as the live band for former Eagles player Jason Kelce’s ESPN show filmed in Philadelphia called “They Call It Late Night,” they’re headlining packed venues, opening for national acts, and hitting the festival and concert circuit hard. For their set, the band played their newest single “SUNSHINE” , a new summer anthem for the band which feels like a sonic celebration of their journey: warm, funky, and bursting with the optimism to make the world a better place that’s become their signature.
The band’s blend of funk, R&B, hip hop, and jazz isn’t just a genre-bending musical experience—it’s purely Philadelphian. From their Rittenhouse Square stomping grounds to some of the biggest stages in the country, including this weekend’s Roots Picnic, Snacktime carries the spirit of a city where music lives in every papi store, block party, and SEPTA ride.
And as Black Music Month kicks off, their moment at the Roots Picnic feels especially poignant. In honoring the Black sonic legacy that shaped them—from Gamble & Huff to The Roots to Jill Scott—Snacktime is carving out its own space in the canon.
“Just to have the representation show up and show out for our people, for our music, and just cover all parts of the musical diaspora—everything, to the Roots of it all, says Ali” “I’m honored to be a part of that legacy.”
In a time when artists often have to choose between cultural roots and commercial viability, Snacktime is showing that you don’t have to leave Philly to blow up—you just have to bring Philly with you.
“In my eyes, Black Music and Black Art and Black culture has influenced so much in the world and it’s just… There’s nothing like us, says Bryant.” “And it’s nothing like when we use our gifts that we were given and [just] create. It’s a different energy to it, and it transcends generations and time.”
The band’s presence was more than just booking another gig. It was a baton pass to continue to connect the culture.
Snacktime is not just a taste of the city. They are the flavor.
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Diamante "Dimo" Ortiz
Dimo Ortiz (She/They) is a Philly poet, journalist, and organizer exploring grief, gender, and Afro-Boricua heritage. They founded Protest PHL, host open mics, and write Notes to Self, reflecting on life, self-love, and storytelling.
