We are a few days removed from AfroPunk Atlanta wrapping up this past Sunday. It’s safe to say it lived up to this year’s mantra, “We Outside.” The AfroPunk Atlanta festival made a resurgence amid last year and the covid-19 pandemic. This year, they went the extra step to assure that the guests, staff, and acts were all safe at the event. The festival kicked off on Saturday and was a perfect introduction back outside for the festival. Besides the musical acts, AfroPunk is a festival that uplifts and supports the black community. From black-owned shops, to black-owned food trucks, they created an environment that felt like a safe space for black people to come and be their most authentic selves.
What set the tone for the beginning of the festival were the musical guests that were set to perform. On Saturday, Van Jess, KP the Great & Friends, Benji, and more took the stage early on day one. To close out Saturday, Tems arrived and had an electrifying set that had the whole place moving. Coming off of being a part of the song of the summer, being featured on Drake’s latest album ‘Certified Lover Boy’, dropping her EP, and having a hit with Brent Faiyaz, Tems came to AfroPunk and made it clear why it’s her year. Smino came and delivered a great set to end day one on a good note to close out day one.
On Sunday, the lineup of acts picked up right where they left off yesterday. Yung Baby Tate, Serpentwithfeet, and Foushee got the crowd feeling every song. Foushee came with excellent stage presence and had the crowd on their feet singing all the lyrics word for word. ArtLovesTrap also performed and kept the crowd on their feet until the closing acts. Rico Nasty’s performance was amazing to watch and witness in person. She performed with so much energy, and her stage presence was incredible. To close out the festival, Wale touched the stage. You could tell throughout his performance that Wale was enjoying himself and gave a fantastic set. “When they asked me if I wanted to do this festival, all they had to say was afro, and I was in,” said Wale. He also brought out Rick Ross to come to perform with him on stage. The pair had the place excited, and it was a great ending to an AfroPunk weekend.
AfroPunk Atlanta had a great comeback this year. They created a safe and healthy environment, where all people in the black diaspora could come and be themselves freely! It was a celebration of culture and us as a community knowing that “we got us.”
