At last, "urban" music - a term that covers everything from hip-hop to garage, R&B to grime and indeed nearly all music of black origin - has its own all-encompassing festival. And the weekend-long Prince's Trust urban music festival successfully celebrated most, if not all, of the finest genres under the "urban" umbrella. While bhangra beats and drum'n'bass were noticeably absent, soca, bashment, hip-hop and soul were all on offer alongside spirited freestyle contests and breakdance battles.

The British artists stood out in their multifarious musicality. They may lack the hit singles and big budgets of their US counterparts, but they still managed to impress, notably Dizzee Rascal, Ty and north London's Amy Winehouse with her searing scat. Despite being restricted to early time slots, Durrty Doogz and Taz performed their stripped-back sounds with irrepressible energy.

However, the weekend finally belonged to the American artists. Alicia Keys was utterly arresting, even when merely singing at a piano, while Mos Def's powerful poetics resounded as loudly as the screams that greeted Cassidy and ATL. Jamelia proved you don't have to be Beyoncé to be bootylicious. However, not even her shimmering Superstar could contend with Ms Knowles's fireworks, confetti and Crazy in Love shakefest.

Entering to a frenzied welcome, headliner Jay-Z showed why his retirement will leave such a hole in the heart of hip-hop. The crowd was enthralled by the back-to-back classics performed with style, flair and overwhelming confidence.

The energy may have dipped in places, and several acts failed to show up - while Prince Charles was nowhere to be found. However, the feeling was that here was a small step for music, but a giant leap for the urban world.