Afro Nation Ignites Detroit: A Global Fusion Of Music, Culture, And Unity
Detroit is the birthplace of Motown and Techno music. Auto power. City of fashion pioneers. It is the first and only city to be named a City of Design by UNESCO in recognition of the city's commitment to the design industry. These recipes feature award-winning restaurants and food entrepreneurs as well as organizations working to address food insecurity.
So when AfroNation first came to Detroit, a dynamic cultural experience was guaranteed. Black people from around the world travel to one of America's blackest cities for a two-day Afrobeats festival.
In partnership with Detroit-based Bedrock Real Estate, the AfroNation event is taking place August 19-20. Afrobeat and Amapiano international acts, as well as singers, rappers and DJs who call the Motor City home, drew thousands to the show. Josh Coram, who handles artist booking for AfroNation, told ESSENCE that it was important to "have Afrobeats at the heart of the lineup to create a 'musical and cultural melting pot' that combines Detroit's history of hip-hop and R&B."
Afro Nation organizes events outside of the main festival dates; A traveling dance party featuring panel discussions, comedy performances and a welcome party with Jerk x Jollof featuring African and Caribbean food and music.
"There are many reasons behind Detroit. First, the black community. He and his team delivered on that promise. The day after Detroit's Afro Nation Festival, organizers Motown for festival workers," said SMADE's Afro Nation co-founder and CEO on the second day of the festival. threw an afterparty at the museum and donated $100,000 to the foundation.
Many Detroiters who intentionally experiment in the city are asked to contribute to the event. Creative consultant and event organizer Amber Lewis is known in her hometown of Detroit as "Social n the City," named after her mentor. As Detroit's Afro Nation Ambassador, Lewis handles pre-festival promotions and is part of the influencer content team.
"I'm excited about Afro Nation coming to Detroit because it puts Detroit on the international stage, and we always should," Lewis said. "He showed people that there was a place for Afrobeat, black music, music and culture in Detroit."
Iradjir Oleta, a Nigerian environmental activist and event organizer based in Detroit, echoed the sentiment: “I think it makes Detroit more attractive to black people everywhere. Come here, live, grow and raise a family. Oleta assisted organizers with logistics and printing for SMADE and KORAM. Through her environmental justice organization, The Chip Bag Project, Oleta hosts nightly pop-ups featuring local chefs and restaurants. "Detroit is definitely not just a mecca for music, it's a mecca for black people in the United States."
Having a local small business in an African country is also a priority. Food vendors serve delicious food to hungry people, while shopkeepers sell clothes, jewelry and more. Detroit vs. All, the city-based brand has partnered with the Afro Nation vs. Everybody Shop festival. T-shirts feature slogans such as "Afro Nation Vs All" and "Afrobeats Vs All", and festival-goers can customize their T-shirts with a selection of small African-flag T-shirts from the shop.
"I was really excited to be a part of it because my family is from Ghana, so it felt like coming home," Scott Boateng, founder of Priva, a London-based skin and body care company, told ESSENCE Detroit. He joined this big event for the first time. In fact, the festival introduces local businesses to an international clientele, even artist Masigo told ESSENCE when he was first exploring Detroit, trying restaurants like The Kitchen by Cooking with Cooking and Breadless.
When participants returned home, the general consensus was that people had experienced the primal energy of the Afro Detroit nation and hopefully left any preconceived notions about Detroit within the city limits.
"Everybody wants to support him and everybody wants him to succeed," Coram said. “Detroit deserves it; There's a lot of negative media about Detroit, but it's a beautiful place and we want to highlight that.
