Afropunk Fest Atlanta Announces 2016 Lineup Featuring Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt and Saul Williams

(Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat)

Ever since it was conceived in Brooklyn, NY in 2005, the Afropunk Festival has come to become one of the largest music festivals that celebrate African-American culture. And this year, the event will be finally coming to Atlanta, GA, after its scheduled expansion last year was cancelled due to Hurricane Joaquin.

Taking its name from James Spooner’s 2003 documentary film, “Afro-Punk,” the festival originally sought to provide African-Americans an opportunity to build its own punk community amongst the predominantly white scene. Since, the festival has shifted to include soul music to attract a wider audience, bringing in amazing black artists including Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravitz, and Gary Clark, Jr.. Musical performers nowadays represent a variety of that reflect African-American subcultures.

“You can call AFROPUNK’s Carnival of Consciousness a festival if you want — but that wouldn’t be exactly right, at least not by the definitions of “festival” developed over the last decade. Is it a conference, retreat, salon, seminar, a rave- a happening, think-tank, a maneuver? Yes, to all of the above. We prefer to think of the Carnival as a new type of open cultural space and gathering of like-minded people.

The Carnival of Consciousness is a weekend-long congregation of producers, supporters, allies and consumers of black culture that will feature a schedule of music, art, film, lectures and the honest expression of youthful black concerns by leading contemporary voices.

Friday night we’ll kick off the weekend with AFROPUNK’s historic Fancy Dress Ball updated for a touch of J’ouvert (West Indian carnival atmosphere). By incorporating J’ouvert traditions, we will connect to our history of giving colonialism the middle finger and finding freedom in identity and one’s physical body.”

On the festival’s home page, Afropunk seems to exalt in its purpose and culture, and deservedly so, with a lineup as impressive as it is.

Get tickets here and check out the festival lineup below:

Afropunk Fest Atlanta Lineup:
Tyler, the Creator
SZA
Earl Sweatshirt
Saul Williams
Letlive
Goldlink
Big Freedia
Soulection
Lion Babe
Kelela
Gallant
HO99O9
Cakes da Killa
Baby Baby
Maluca
Young Paris
Abra
Kamau
Sir the baptist
St. Beauty
In the Whale
Rahbi
All Cows Eat Grass
Byrell the Great

Sounds By:
Mike Q
LSDXOXO
Sasha Marie
Sango
Andre Power
Chris McClenney
Monte Booker
Jeremy Avalon
Divine Interface
Decoteau
Blacksunshine
Sofa King Evil
Onidotcom
DJ Hour Glass
Thrice Groove
Florista