The 2024 edition of Afropunk BLKTopia pulled up to the Lena Horne Bandshell in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on August 23 and 24, with all of the pomp, punk and pride we've come to expect. But a change of venue, a departure from its usual and copious star-studded lineup and alternative bands, left this year's punk festival with mixed reviews and festivalgoers wondering whether it was worth the $140.
For a quick history: Afropunk first took flight in 2003 as an indie film directed by James Spooner-- a peek into punk music through a Black lens. It soon morphed into a music festival platforming alternative Black culture with a punk ethos built on rebellion, self-discovery and cultural and sexual empowerment. In no time, the festival became a huge hit for its unapologetic exclamation that Black is as beautiful as it is eclectic and as it is diverse!
Nearly twenty years in, Afropunk exploded to become a staple in Brooklyn, attracting people from across the country-- a place to show-up and show-out before the summer sun sets and fall makes its return.
Afropunk, however, went on haitus during COVID and did not return for the two years to follow. With so many people avoiding large gatherings and outdoor festivals, the future of the festival was largely in question. Enter the owner of Essence Magazine and the Essence Festival. They took over Afropunk, literally saving it from extinction and debuted it once again in 2023 at Greenpoint Studios.
The 2024 celebration was moved to Prospect Park as part of a new partnership with BRIC's "Celebrate Brooklyn" music festival, featuring headliner, Erykah Badu.
According to Allen T. Lamb, Global Brand Lead for Afropunk, the 2024 Afropunk BLKtopia experience positioned the festival brand "to look forward into the future; and to change the thought pattern of who we see ourselves as." The theme, "Black People Do," offered programming heavy on alternative experiences, as the new festival owners aimed to reimagine Black life, creativity, community and expression, he said.
Interestingly, Legacy Pro Wrestling played a prominent role both days. The idea came from a Youtube series, said Lamb, and the goal was to expose the world of Black wrestlers as an action sport that "Black people also do."
The 2024 Afropunk BLKTopia featured a single stage, which posed a programming challenge. The wrestling was combined with a Ballroom Dance Battle from House Of Juicy Couture, whose dancers utilized the wrestling ring for a vogue competition that raised the festival energy.
Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian singer-songwriter Larissa Luz performed an electric Afro-Brazillian set that rocked the park on Friday: "Afropunk recently expanded into Bahia, with its third iteration this year, representing culture and the psychographic of Afropounk around the globe, with thirty thousand people in attendance."
In fact, the Afropunk brand experience is "meeting the fans where they are," said Lamb. It's now on four continents, with pop-ups in Europe (Paris and London), Africa and South America.
Other performers included Durand Bernarr, DJ Moma, and Gitoo of Everyday People. Badu was also joined by Rapsody and Thundercat during her sets, performing Thundercat's "Them Changes" from his 2015 album "The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam." and their collaboration song, "3:AM."
However, there was an obvious lack of name-brand talent, with Erykah Badu performing a similar set on both days. Don't get me wrong: Badu was brilliant, but the expectation placed upon her shoulders to carry the festival was heavy: "Afropunk ain't what it used to be," she said to the crowd, which kind of felt like the prevailing energy for the weekend.
The challenges of the Lena Horne Bandslhell also extended to the vendors. They were in rather hard-to-reach areas of the festival. Patrons looking to shop faced an ascent rife with bulky tree roots and ankle-challenging terrain.
Sales were "a little slower than expected," said Brooklyn Made shop executive Gabrielle Napolitano, while also noting that "there were sparks" of music discovery that Afropunk is known for.
"Afropunk is still about discovery and acknowledging the Afropunk core," said Lamb.
And he's not wrong: Overall, the 2024 BLKTopia Afropunk festival delivered the brand-name experience expected, but in much smaller doses. The vibes were high, and the love, culture and eye candy you've come to expect was was still present.
But the festival still has hurdles to jump as a legacy brand in Brooklyn. Brand value matters and moving forward, Essence Festival is challenged with presenting the Afropunk Festival in a way that resonates with Brooklynites while delivering the ticket value patrons have come to expect.
