Afropunk 2017 lineup (Soul II Soul, Dizzee Rascal, Sampha, Thundercat, more)
Annual Brooklyn music festival Afropunk returns August 26 & 27 to Fort Greene’s Commodore Barry Park, and the initial lineup is now here (more headliners TBA).
There’s a St Heron stage, which is Solange’s label, and that stage features a special guest. It also features Sampha, Thundercat, Sinkane, KING, and more TBA.
There’s also a Kaytranada & Friends stage with Kaytranada, plus Nao, Sango, J Rocc & Karriem Riggins (live), and more TBA.
As for the rest of the initial lineup, there’s blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr, R&B/soul singer Macy Gray, soulful crooner Michael Kiwanuka, veteran UK act Soul II Soul, TDE R&B singer SZA, Will Smith’s daughter Willow Smith, grime vet Dizzee Rascal, rising British MC Little Simz, back-in-action indie rap duo The Cool Kids, orcehstral R&B newcomer serpentwithfeet, hardcore rippers Pure Disgust, and still more. Check out the entire initial lineup below, and stay tuned for more lineup additions.
Tickets for Afropunk are on sale now.
The 2017 lineup was announced along with this WE THE PEOPLE statement from Afropunk:
We, the people built this land. Our flesh and blood is present in its buildings, its roads and its bridges. Our souls are its spiritual cornerstone. Our culture is its foundation. Our being nourishes this land – as our ancestors’ beings nourished it before us – yet the land has not always reimbursed us.
We, the people recognize the bullshit of the powerful. The injustices they committed in the past have never disappeared from view. The inequalities they perpetrate are there for all but the blind. The inadequacies they’ve paid forward to a future age are appearing over the horizon. Unless…
We, the people have a code:
No Sexism
No Racism
No Ableism
No Ageism
No Homophobia
No Fatphobia
No TransphobiaWe, the people commit ourselves to uphold and fight for the rights enshrined in our code. Let us honour those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, and hold accountable those who curtail our liberties. Let us walk in the footsteps of warriors who came before us, and strive to create a society based on fundamental human rights. Let us rewrite the universal laws and educate the errant minds.
We, the people have the will to heal the divisions that threaten to reduce our dreams to ashes. We believe in resurrecting the creative power of our diversity. We open our hearts and minds, and dance to the rhythm of a brand-new future. Together. Brave and compassionate. And beautiful.
May the Goddess protect we, the people.
Speaking of Solange, she headlines NYC’s Panorama festival in July. Speaking of Little Simz, she plays a FREE NYC show TONIGHT (4/6). Sinkane also plays New York’s Mountain Jam.
AFROPUNK BROOKLYN LINEUP (MORE HEADLINERS TBA)
ST HERON STAGE
FEAT SPECIAL GUEST
SAMPHA
THUNDERCAT
SINKANE
KING
& more
KAYTRANADA & FRIENDS STAGE
KAYTRANADA
NAO
SANGO
J ROCC & KARRIEM RIGGINS (LIVE)
& more
GARY CLARK JR
MACY GRAY
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
SOUL II SOUL
SZA
WILLOW SMITH
DIZZEE RASCAL
LITTLE SIMZ
BLITZ THE AMBASSADOR
THE COOL KIDS
PRINCESS NOKIA
PROTOJE
LEIKELI47
THE COOL KIDS
THE SKINS
KEVIN ABSTRACT
SERPENTWITHFEET
SAM DEW
SHABAKA AND THE ANCESTORS
SON LITTLE
PURE DISGUST
QUIÑ
LOUDER THAN QUIET
& more
—
Update: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that Mary J Blige is playing the festival.
