Applause for Afropunk’s Artistry and Activism

August 31, 2017 by Ray Fontaine

Anais B / photo by Ray Fontaine

On August 26 and 27, 2017, Afropunk called together a fantastic showcase of fashion, music, activism, and community. This year’s Brooklyn festival , held once again at Commodore Barry Park, emphasized activism, resistance, and solidarity. Musicians, artists, hosts, poets, signage all called for freedom, equality, and action.

Kamau and Bro / photo by Ray Fontaine

The Black Stage hosted exciting smaller acts to discover all weekend long. DJ Anais B came all the way from Paris , spinning many heavyweight female artists like Lil’ Kim, Jill Scott and Missy Elliot. Late Sunday, the breakout rapper, singer and visual artist Kamau took the Black Stage just as the sun began to set. Kamau made a big splash at Afropunk this year when he closed his set with single “PohLease,” off of his recent EP, A Gorgeous Fortune, a mind-bending song discussing police brutality. At the end, when he called for a moment of silence and thrust his fist up in the air, thousands of Afropunks raised their fists with him.

Macy Gray / photo by Ray Fontaine

Between the adjacent Red and Green stages, headliners such as SZA, Solange Knowles, Protege, Simba, Michael Kiwanuka, and Gary Coleman performed all weekend. Pedestrians congested the walkway between these two main stages, at times creating an impenetrable wall of people, and potentially a fire hazard. The Solange and SZA shows drew massive crowds, onlookers packed in like sardines. The Gold Stage, on the other hand, felt spacious and hosted acts like Macy Gray, The Cool Kids, and Sango.

Michael Kiwanuka / photo by Ray Fontaine

Afropunk’s culture grows and develops to create a more powerful and inspiring event every year, becoming a more elaborate and diverse display of personality and history. The people, the hair, the clothes, the food all represent a raw unapologetic celebration of black culture in all its many forms. The scene was filled with lots of mesh tops, studs, vibrant patterns, headdresses, wigs, disco jumpsuits, nipples and more. Pop-up Braiding, Body Painting, Barber Shops, and Nail Salons represent just a fraction of the opportunities for festival goers to deck themselves out.

Headress / photo by Ray Fontaine

Editor’s Note:

While Afropunk has been instrumental in cultivating Brooklyn’s expanding music and cultural horizons since its beginnings in 2005, this year’s installment was marked by a lack of proper operational organization and security inside the gates. Because of this, there was a potential for tragic occurrences, due to overcrowding, a lack of signage and directions for festival attendees , when going from one stage to another. We applaud Afropunk’s success and its expansion into other locations around the globe, but urge Afropunk’s organizers to take steps to improve the fan experience in Brooklyn next year, with safety high up on the priority list.

Artists on our Radar

Ricky Stein: Texas Roots in Brooklyn

Ricky Stein/ photo courtesy of the artist

If you’re looking for music inspired by New York City with a Texan flare, look no further than Ricky Stein, a Brooklyn-based artist originally from Austin, Texas. Stein is a singer-songwriter whose music is grounded by a combination of his upbringing in Texas and his present life in the bustling streets of New York City and Downtown Brooklyn. Stein has an impressive discography of singles and albums, and since moving to New York City in August 2016, he has released a full album, “Long Summer” and many singles. Stein’s music is best defined as Americana and roots, with folk-infused acoustic and electric guitars, and his lyrics paint vivid images of nature and life. The listener feels connected to Stein, as his musical stylings resemble talent from the likes of John Prine and Bonnie Raitt. His most recent single, “Passenger,” highlights Stein’s talents with a strong harmonica section. The song’s instrumentation and structure is built on one verse, which compliments the song’s message about the uncertainty and ominousness of being a passenger on a long journey. Another standout, “Street Lights,” is a lighthearted commentary on the comfort of hope, the street lights representing persistent light even in the dead of night. Stein’s live performances are carefully tailored, his sets performed at local venues in Brooklyn like Pete’s Candy Store and many other venues known to support live roots and country music. His talents are always showcased, whether performing a solo show with a guitar and harmonica or being supported by a full band. Stein’s upcoming months are packed with performances at many venues, including Saturday, January 11th at Skinny Dennis Bar in Williamsburg and Friday, March 7th at Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook. You won’t want to miss it!

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