Brooklyn’s Afropunk has come and gone but we’re still reeling from all the fun we had over the weekend.
This year’s lineup up featured artists who gave crowd-pleasing performances from names like FKA twigs, Jill Scott, Tierra Whack and more.
The festival, which always features an incredible lineup of everything from indie rock to edgy soul, also included a number of booths and spaces for cool beauty experiences; insane photobooths; and platforms for activists to spread and share their work.
It’s hard to sum everything that makes Afropunk a one-of-a-kind live event but we’ve picked out a few moments from this year’s festival that has us wishing we could go back.
01
The Artists Embodying Afropunk’s Punk Ethos
Afropunk is a space for Black people to be their most radical selves and acts like Rico Nasty, Earthgang, Leikeli47, Ho99o9 and more perfectly embody what the festival is all about. Nasty’s rousing performance Saturday had fans bouncing, screaming and going wild in the pit.
02
Alicia Keys’s Surprise Appearance
At the festival Tierra Whack had one of the best sets, which featured a surprise appearance by Alicia Keys. It was almost impossible to hear the pair over the crowd’s insane reaction.
03
Rapsody Joins Leikeli47
Keys wasn’t the only surprise performance at the festival. Rapsody joined Leikeli47 for her Afropunk set with the two performing “Oprah” from Rap’s new album Eve.
04
Afropunk’s Sunday Best
No one does fashion and beauty like Black people at Afropunk, NO ONE. There was no shortage of sequins, body paint, lace, fringe, platform boots, anything and everything you could imagine.
05
Jill Scott’s Saturday Performance
Jill Scott’s performance was one not to be miss and if you did, well, sorry. Scott performed the perfect cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” that we are not going to be able to get over anytime soon.
06
This Is An FKA twigs Stan Account
FKA twigs was perfect. And, sure, we may be biased—we stan and we will stan forever—but the singer gave us choreography, costume changes, pole dancing while she elevated our spirits, fed us and watered our crops. There was no better way to end the weekend.
