Location: La Seine Musicalle, Paris, France

Date: July 2019

Genre: Multi-genre -Afro beat, Afro Pop, Afro House, Afro swing, Afro Tech, Alternative Rap and Hip Hop, Soul, Neo Soul, Indie, Contemporary R&B, Jazz 

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Afropunk Festival returned to Paris this summer, for the fifth annual edition of its infamously, unapologetically black arts festival. The festival made its debut in Brooklyn, New York over 13 years ago and was initially an underground phenomenon. Since then, Afropunk has expanded into a multifaceted mediahub, showcasing and celebrating art, music and identity of black communities on a global scale with festivals popping up in megacities like Atlanta, Brooklyn, London, Johannesburg, and Paris. 

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La Seine Musicale hosted the two-day festival, which saw a myriad of black attendees from all walks of life, flock to Paris to exercise their liberation through fashion, shop black local businesses, engage in panel discussions, interact with contemporary African artwork and dance to the music of black musicians. This festival also provided an outlet for black Parisians to be seen and lifted up, as this large and somewhat hidden population were outrightly visible over the course of the festival.

The lineup spans eclectic musical offerings that cover jazz, soul, hip hop, reggae, Afrobeats, pop, rock and everything else in between. 

 

This French edition of the Brooklyn-born festival still possesses the spirit of DIY punk culture and unique programming. The lineup of musical offerings span jazz, soul, hip hop, reggae, Afrobeats, pop, rock and everything else in between, which saw an eclectic lineup of performers grace the Red and Blue stages, including the likes of Solange, Burna Boy, Janelle Monaé, Ibeyi, Masego, Rico Nasty and IAMDDB.

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Keep an eye on Afropunk’s website for tickets for Paris 2020, here.

 

Words: Maggie Ibiam

Cover Image and video: Afropunk