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The line-up for the second Afropunk London festival has just been announced – and it’s a treat. London grime prince JME is coming out of semi-retirement to join Willow Smith, Danny Brown and super-bassist Thundercat at stunning new venue The Printworks on July 22 and 23 for an explosion of afrocentric culture.
At Afropunk, food and fashion take almost equal billing to the music. Last year, at Alexandra Palace, it became a swirling nexus of extraordinary self-expression. Take the guy wearing two flat flamenco hats on top of each other, who appeared in every single style blog the next day. Hopefully he’ll reappear with an even bigger stack of headgear for 2017. Thankfully, it wasn’t a case of style over substance, but instead a thrilling mixture of both.
Chazz Adnitt
Organisers have stuck to that successful script. Will Smith’s teenage daughter is no stranger to proceedings, having headlined the Paris edition with big bro Jaden back in 2015. Thundercat, Lianne La Havas, The Heavy and Danny Brown are also Afropunk veterans who played at the original event in Brooklyn. Other acts playing over the two days include rappers Saul Williams and Little Simz, a wide range of writers and singers such as Corinne Bailey Rae, Lianne La Havas, NAO, avant-garde rapper Kojey Radical, rock band Sate and garage punkers The Bots – with many more acts set to be announced.
Word is that trailblazing journal gal-dem and respected NTS Radio will also be involved on the day too. Add that to the incredible new venue, and it looks like Afropunk London 2017 is gonna make one helluva comeback. Get ready.
Afropunk London is at The Printworks, Jul 22-23.
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