Philadelphia was in for a treat this weekend as the Pepsi Philly Eats Festival took over Eakins Oval on Saturday (Oct. 4), transforming “the City of Brotherly Love” into a vibrant celebration of food, culture, and music. Between the aroma of sizzling cuisine, the driving beat of live music, and the anticipation for some of Hip-Hop and R&B’s biggest names, the city’s energy was palpable.
The free event brought together Philly’s top local eateries, spirited Eagles fans, and electrifying performances that had the crowd on their feet.
Hot off their album rollout and a historic performance at the Vatican, Malice and Pusha T not only headlined the event but spoke exclusively with VIBE about what it meant to give back to the city that supported them early in their career. “It’s a great way to give back,” began Pusha. “It’s always good to have a home away from home and the local eateries make us feel like that.”
When asked to name their favorite Philly restaurant or eatery, Pusha shied away from the question, joking, “Now that wouldn’t be fair. If we told you that right now, we’d cause a war.”
(L-R) Malice and Pusha T of Clipse attend Pepsi Philly Eats Fest celebrating local restaurants on October 04, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Pepsi
Speaking more to their musical ties to the city, Malice added, “Philly has been here since our inception. Working with artists like Philly’s Most Wanted, Ab-Liva, even Gillie — from the very beginning Philly always showed us a lot of support. Cosmic Kev broke our record, so it’s always like a full-circle moment always coming back to Philly.”
Echoing those sentiments, Pusha reveled in how good it feels to “come back to where you were embraced first.” He also declared that it’s “fair to say that Philly embraced the Clipse first, artistically and musically,” while dubbing the city a “bit of a playground” for them whenever they visit.
After speaking with VIBE, the duo lit up the stage with their new songs “Chains & Whips,” “So Be It,” and “Ace Trumpets,” from album Let God Sort Em Out — before taking everyone back to the early 2000s with “Grindin’” and “What Happened to That Boy.”
Mid-set, Malice stopped the music to speak directly to the crowd full of day-one fans. “We do this for community, fellowship. We do this for Philly, for local restaurants not just here [at the event] but across the city,” he asserted.
Then came the night’s biggest moment when Clipse announced a surprise $150,000 donation on behalf of Pepsi, giving $10,000 each to 15 local Philly restaurants.
Recipients included: Café Carmela, Chickie’s & Pete’s, Curly’s Comfort Food, Jacobs Northwest, Oregon Steaks, Philip’s Steaks, Rocco’s Italian Sausage, The Flavor Spot, Three Monkeys Cafe, Mister P Pizza & Pasta, Royal Buffet, John’s Roast Pork, Steve’s Prince of Steaks, City View Pizza and Avenue Steaks.
The gracious donation was a moment that perfectly embodied the festival’s mission of giving back to the same city that’s been showing Clipse love since day one.
Ahead of Clipse hitting the stage, D.C. native Ari Lennox also gave the crowd her sultry vocals and soul-stirring energy, performing fan favorites such as her new single “Vacancy,” “Shea Butter Baby,” and more. And of course, a Philly event wouldn’t be right without Philly royalty, Freeway. The beloved MC took the stage to perform his hits, including “Eagles Bounce,” before surprising fans with fellow Philly native Neef Buck from Young Gunz.
Eagles legend Brian Westbrook, the team’s cheerleaders, drumline, and mascot Swoop also pulled up, turning the Oval into a pregame celebration before Sunday’s matchup.
It was the ultimate hometown link-up.
Pepsi
But beyond the music and famous faces, the festival was a foodie’s dream. Nine local restaurants dished out over two dozen fan-favorite eats — everything from crabfries and sausage sandwiches to Caribbean comfort food — all perfectly paired with Pepsi. The brand even brought out its drink station, DRIPS, a handcrafted beverage pop-up offering nine layered drinks with delicious mix-ins.
Scott Finlow, PepsiCo’s Chief Marketing Officer for Away From Home, summed it up best in a press release: “Philadelphia’s food scene is one of the most exciting in the country, where decades-old staples sit side by side with bold new spots,” he stated. “After the success of Pepsi NOLA Eats Fest, we’re proud to continue using our Local Eats platform to spotlight beloved restaurants that give a city its flavor — this time celebrating Philadelphia’s rich culinary traditions and pairing these fan-favorite dishes with Pepsi.”
From the endless food options to the unforgettable live performances, Pepsi made sure local Philadelphians were well-fed and well-entertained.
Pepsi
