We live in an age of false hype, but the buzz around new Las Vegas festival Lovers & Friends has been rightfully earned by the 40-plus participating acts. Those artists, mostly best known for their 1990s and early-2000s hits, will amass at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 14—and then again the next day—to perform throwback hip-hop and R&B. Before it begins, reacquaint yourself with the game-changers on the lineup.

Headliner’s ball

Ms. Lauryn Hill fittingly tops the bill, the same way she brought melodic rap and neo-soul into the mainstream back in the day. The visionary found early success with Fugees, but her 1998 solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, solidified her as one of the most influential vocalists of all time. The best-selling album has become a cultural touchstone, and to many modern-day artists, a manual for musical greatness.

Joining Hill among leading ladies are Brandy and Monica, two artists that—along with Lovers & Friends headliner TLC—dominated the mid to late ’90s. If you weren’t tuning into Brandy’s sitcom Moesha, odds are you were bopping to her 1998 duet with Monica, “The Boy Is Mine.”

They paved the way for women like Ciara and Ashanti. Insta-hit collaborations with Ludacris, Missy Elliot and Timbaland catapulted Ciara to multi-platinum success, while her “Like a Boy”— an empowering standout that addressed the societal double standards of men and women—foreshadowed Taylor Swift’s “The Man.”

Usher, Lil Jon and Ludacris should require no introduction around here—they’re practically Las Vegans. Usher’s second Strip residency kicks off this summer, while Ludacris can often be found rapping at Drai’s or Light when he isn’t starring in Fast and Furious films.

Meanwhile, the rambunctious Lil Jon has kept it crunk as a resident DJ at major clubs along the Boulevard for years. Nelly, who also takes regular turns at Drai’s, introduced a new vernacular on 2000 album Country Grammar, assuming a tongue-twisting twang that made later singles like “Hot in Herre” so iconic.

Can’t Miss Crews

Everyone loved the wholesome and sweet Boyz II Men, but when you wanted something edgy, you popped in a Jodeci tape. R&B’s OG bad boys brought sex to the forefront on songs like “Freek’n You.” Jodeci laid a path for late-’90s group Next to take up the helm with multi-part harmonies and addictive hooks.

Atlanta’s 112 also emerged as an R&B powerhouse, cranking out sex-charged earworms like the Grammy-nominated “Peaches & Cream.” Racy Miami quartet Pretty Ricky also launched during the ’90, but true success arrived with 2005’s “Grind With Me,” a hybrid of hip-hop and sensual R&B.

As for TLC, the trio bumped to the beat of its own drum, bringing bona-fide attitude, fashion and funk to the masses, as playful as they were empowering. Who could forget the sass of “No Scrubs,” or the introspective lessons on “Waterfalls”?

Xscape and SWV share a similar place in many R&B fans’ hearts. The former’s “Just Kickin’ It” put the power quartet on listeners’ radar, and collaborations with artists like Keith Sweat kept them there. SWV (or Sisters With Voices), meanwhile, lived up to its name, unleashing a new wave of soul that would make it one of the best-selling female groups of all time.

Rap Queens

Before Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B ruffled conservative feathers with “WAP” or Doja Cat debuted the sexy Planet Her, Lil Kim, Eve, Foxy Brown and Trina were busy busting down the doors.

Lil Kim and Foxy Brown both grew up in Brooklyn, their paths forking when Kim met The Notorious B.I.G. and Brown was discovered by a local production team. Both women headed their own hip-hop crews, boldly rapping about their sexuality—and flipping the script on how women in music were perceived.

Eve and Trina stepped out in the late ’90s to bolster that mission. Trina’s provocative debut with Trick Daddy, “Nann,” placed her at the top of the game, while Eve’s 1999 debut, Let There Be Eve … Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, made her the third female hip-hop artist to notch a No.1 album on the Billboard 200, behind Lauryn Hill and Foxy Brown.

Collabs WE MIGHT Catch

Usher, Lil Jon & Ludacris. Lovers & Friends shares its festival name with this 2004 slow jam. That same year, the same trio released “Yeah!,” a club classic Usher still performs at his residency shows.

Ashanti & Ja Rule. Ashanti has also linked up with fellow F&L’ers Akon, Nelly, Fabolous and Fat Joe, but her most famous duet partner has been the “murda” king himself, Ja Rule. The wistful “Mesmerize” and “Always on Time” will take you back.

Frankie J & Baby Bash. Latino rapper Baby Bash has worked with many artists, but nothing tops 2003’s “Suga Suga (So Fly)” with Frankie J. The duo formed the smooth, fit-for-summer jam around a sample of Barry White’s “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby,” which might explain why we adore it so much.

Brandy & Monica. The R&B singers combined for a No. 1 hit with “The Boy Is Mine,” a masterstroke that showcased both in top form. The 1998 song won the Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and even went toe-to-toe with Celine Dion and Lauryn Hill for Record of the Year and Best R&B song.

The Weekly Playlist: Lovers & Friends Edition

Fat Joe, “Lean Back” (2004) A gangsta anthem about not wanting to dance? Only the leader of Terror Squad could make it work.

The-Dream, “Rockin’ That Thang” (2009) The ATL singer’s famed falsetto comes out in full force on this late-aughts hit.

Juvenile, “Back That Azz Up”(1998) It’s been more than a decade since it dropped, but this certified twerk anthem from the New Orleans Hot Boy still gets the party hoppin’.

Cassie, “Me & U” (2006) A slickly produced and hypnotic club gem born for the dance floor.

Twista, “Slow Jamz” (2004) This one has it all—Jamie Foxx singing, a College Dropout Kanye West, Twista’s whip-fast flows and more than 20 references to musical artists from multiple eras.

Ginuwine, “Pony” (1996) A sexy favorite that has stood the test of time. This is R&B at its absolute peak.

Fabolous, “Into You” (2003) This is what summertime loving sounds like when a Brooklyn rapper goes soft, and we love it.

LOVERS & FRIENDS May 14-15, 11 a.m.-midnight, $195 plus fees (per day). Las Vegas Festival Grounds, loversandfriendsfest.com

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