[Gallery] AfroPunk: Miami
I Promise I Didn't Fall In Love This Time.
Another AfroPunk experience? Sure. Another AfroPunk experience in my hometown? Hell yes!
On May 20th, AfroPunk made a stop in the Magic City for a weekend full of firsts. This is the festival's first time making a stop in Miami since the festival became a major expansion in 2015. Hosted exclusively at Overtown's Urban Miami venue, the festival included a line-up that complimented Miami's West Indian cultures, as well as a love for Afrobeats.
When it came to the lineup, I was excited to finally see Haitian DJ, Michael Brun, live, with hopes that he would bring out friends from his biggest hits. From Kha-Lo, to Shirazee, the set was all energy, all Haitian flags, and a perfect vibe for AfroPunk.
For those unfamiliar with AfroPunk, the festival originally formed following the release of a Brooklyn documentary in 2002, which highlighted the subculture of Black, alternative-minded "punks". Following the documentary's release, the festival remained a relatively small event local only to the Brooklyn area until 2009, and gained national and international recognition. By 2015, then festival grew to 60,000 and began their expansion to additional cities throughout the year including Atlanta and London.
Miami marks yet another city added to the list. And with that first comes a major milestone for Jamaican dancehall artist, Skillibing, who's headlining performance on May 22 marked his first-ever performance in the United States.
In addition to its music lineup, AfroPunk also serves as a vendor opportunity for local small businesses, as well as partnership programs throughout the year with Shopify and others.
And lastly, it's a place where culture, fashion, afrocentricity, and cosplay are on full display, offering plenty of photo-ops, impromptu shoots, and collaboration. For this trip, I paired with my old friend Roze Taylor for some quick shots and the good times.
The next AfroPunk will be held in yet another expansion city: Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 17th, 2022 - and is being highlighted as a Juneteenth Celebration. For tickets, visit the official AfroPunk website.
Special Thanks to:
EyeKon Photography
The Urban Miami
Roze Taylor
Adora Anderson-West
AfroPunk Miami Committee