Black For The First Time: Some Thoughts On Afropunk 2019

"I remember Afropunk from back in the day."

That was the refrain from everyone I ran into during Afropunk weekend. The festival has definitely evolved from those days in the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) parking lot into an international brand of Black excellence (or so they think).

2019 marked my return to Afropunk not as a music industry person, but just a regular ass dude. It was my first time back in years. I also remember the times at BAM, but this year, I was curious to see if this festival has still "got it." Here are some random thoughts and musings from this past weekend.

Afropunk is the best music festival in the United States. Ok glad I caught y’all with that clickbait title. Sure, that might be a stretch, Afropunk is more than a festival, it's a community. Name another festival that's truly a safe space for women, genderqueer, and LGBTQ people of color...I'm waiting.

Not to say that this festival is not with it's faults. It's leadership is...suspect (also just downright shady). It's embrace of corporate sponsorships is a necessary evil, but it dilutes the organization's claim to anything remotely associated with "punk." Even with all that, Afropunk is the only festival I would risk heat exhaustion and swollen feet for.

The Lineup is...FINE. People were complaining about the lineup this year, calling it the worst in years. There were also complaints about it being recycled (Santigold again?), and questions about the headliners Jill Scott and FKA Twigs. Having that said, I thought the lineup was solid this year, with a good combination of buzzy Internet acts (the aforementioned Rico, Tierra Whack, Scarlxrd) with solid live performers (Tank and the Bangas). Yes, it would be nice to have a Childish Gambino, or a Tyler, or Lizzo, but if those acts were booked, people would complain when they raise ticket prices.

Are there any artists from New York anymore? Just looking at the lineup and you would notice that most all the artists performing were from the South or Midwest, with pockets of representation from DC and the West Coast. Even the crowd seemed to be from out of town. It seems that Brooklyn is less of a place to live and more of a state of mind. It's sad.

Rico Nasty is the future and we all just live in it. Let's get this out the way, if you measure Rico Nasty's performance against others this weekend, you would say that it was...debatable. At some points it basically looked like she was just her own hypeman and not a true performer. But it didn't matter, her performance was the most energetic (and dare I say "lit") of the weekend. The combination of punk energy + trap beats might be the future sound of disaffected youth everywhere. Also, "Smack a Bitch" is probably the best way to let out your anger at the end of a long workday.

Punk is not dead....it’s just been relegated to the afternoon. I haven't been back to Afropunk in a number of years, but it seems that, at least this time around, they have tried to embrace their "punk." roots. (I'm not talking trap punk here kids, I'm talking about punk with actual guitars). The only problem is that these bands were relegated to the early afternoon slots. Unfortunately, all forms of guitar-based rock music aren't hot in the streets anymore so the genre is a victim of modern concert festival booking. However, I did catch some amazing punk sounds from bands such as North Carolina's Black Haus and NYC's Rebelmatic.

BCUC was the most exciting act of the weekend. Again, who cares what "punk" is? (This will be a theme). The South African band BCUC brought more energy than almost any other artist this past weekend. These dudes were sweating for your entertainment. Please respect.

Note....this performance is NOT from Afropunk but you get the gist.

Jill Scott is punk AF. People doubted that Jill Scott would bring it. They questioned her. What is an R&B star doing at a "punk" festival, they asked? Jill don't care. She BROUGHT IT. Also, opening a set with a interpolation of Radiohead's "Creep" might be seen as pandering, but Jill pulled it off so well that even if it was...we don't care.

Toro y Moi is a low key rock star. I haven't seen this dude perform in a while. He's always been awkward....I mean, that's why we like Toro. But the dude has stepped up his live game with his latest album, Outer Peace, which is his most prolific in years. The dude now has swagger, and his live show is a reflection of this.

Lianne La Havas is a humble jewel and we must protect her. That is all.

Brittany Howard is the bravest woman in music. You have to be brave to come out and play an hour of country-tinged adult contemporary tracks from a non-existent album to a alt-hip-hop crowd. The songs themselves didn't win over the crowd, and I would be lying if I didn't say I was pining for an Alabama Shakes cover, however Brittnay doesn't care. She came out and did her thang. And I can't be mad.

FKA Twigs still bores me. I get this all the time. "Stone, aren't you a purveyor of alternative Black music? Why don't you like FKA Twigs?" Honestly, her music and persona just feels cold and distant to me. I was waiting for my mind to be changed by her headlining performance and....it wasn't. Like most everyone else at Afropunk Sunday evening, we made our way to the exit during the middle of her set.