For two days in August, Downtown Los Angeles always becomes the center of the music universe. Those two days were this weekend, as FYF Fest stopped by Exposition Park on Saturday and Sunday. Everyone from Kendrick Lamar to LCD Soundsystem, Grace Jones to Rae Sremmurd, took to the stage, and no one left disappointed.

We were there to check it out, so here were our eight favorite things about FYF this year.

Kendrick Lamar

Mallory Turner 

Before we even touch on anything else, let's talk about the real star of the show. Kendrick Lamar's headlining performance on Saturday night will likely go down in the history books as one of LA's greatest festival performances ever. Kendrick brought the entire festival to another level with nearly 90 minutes of energy, intensity, and sheer musical genius. He may be the best rapper alive, and he certainly acted like it during his homecoming set for one of the biggest and most powerful hip hop shows in recent memory.

A Wide Variety of Food

By no means are we saying that all of the food at FYF was good (because some of it just wasn't), but there were plenty of options to choose from, regardless of dietary restrictions. From vegan stands to all-organic food trucks, gluten-free dishes to heartiest of cheeseburgers, you could find just about anything within the grounds of the Coliseum. For that matter, it was almost impossible to find every food vendor listed in the directory, but we don't think anyone went hungry this weekend. Maybe you sacrifice some of the beauty of sprawling forests and rolling hills by hosting a pretty big festival in the heart of LA, but you sure get some solid cooks to come out. For us, the highlights were a Yakisoba bowl from a random stand and the falafel from the Middle Feast food truck.

Saves the Day

Mallory Turner 

Although hip hop, pop, and more modern hipster-friendly alternative were on full display during FYF, it was the old school emo rockers who brought out one of the most vocal crowds of the day. Warped Tour 2003 was in full effect when hundreds of formerly disenfranchised emo kids sang the chorus of "Freakish" back to Chris Conley and company.

All of the Lights

Eran Ryan

Regardless of how you felt about the musical selections, you had to admit that FYF was one of the prettiest festivals of the year. Downtown LA isn't known for being an exceptionally beautiful place, but the vast array of string lights, globe lights, floor lights, and other types of light managed to make for a fantastic glowing visual experience. Sure, festivals like Outside Lands and Lollapalooza might have a nicer park, but FYF absolutely made the best out of what they were given.

Vince Staples

Mallory Turner

Despite not quite having the energy he's become known for, Vince Staples still put on one of the best performances of the weekend. His wit and sarcasm was as sharp as ever, and anyone who doesn't think he's the future of hip hop is likely mistaken. His Saturday afternoon set was the first time that it seemed everyone at FYF had gathered in one spot, and it was for a good reason. Once again, Staples proved that you don't need to be flashy or over the top to put on a great show, you just have to know what you're doing.  

Actually Good Drinks

Eran Ryan 

Any festival with a three-digit wristband price is going to have a decent craft beer selection. That much is almost as necessary as the music itself. But FYF really showed that festivals can have a solid cocktail menu too. From the simplest of margaritas to the most complicated $20 beverages, there were quite a few bars at FYF serving up mixed drinks that would be worth getting in an actual bar or restaurant setting. The only issue was that you weren't allowed to drink them in most of the areas where the stages were, causing massive lines to get into the few beer gardens where you could see a stage. 

Grace Jones

Mallory Turner 

If you didn't know who Grace Jones was going into FYF, you do now. The 68-year-old songstress dominated the stage and took all of the teenage and twentysomething children to church and school at the same time. Describing it in words wouldn't do it justice, so just check out this video.

The Vibe

Eran Ryan

For some reason, FYF always has a friendly vibe. From the sparkling balloons that told you where to go to the smiles of just about every person working there, 2016 was no less friendly than years past. There's not the overwhelming feeling of Coachella, and everyone seems to be comfortable for most of the weekend. From size to location to overall atmosphere, there's just something right about FYF that other festivals should look to capture.