Afro Nation Detroit 2024 was a two-day music festival that brought together top Afro artists from Afrobeats, Hip-Hop, R&B, Dancehall, Gqom, Amapiano and more. Detroit, the birthplace of Motown and Techno, proved to be the perfect location for this vibrant celebration.
The world’s largest Afrobeats festival took place Saturday through Sunday, August 17 and 18, at Bedrock’s Douglass Site. This historic venue, formerly the Brewster-Douglass Projects, was the country’s first federally funded housing project for African Americans and the former home of legends such as Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson.
Afro Nation Detroit featured a plethora of performances from the black diaspora, including Rema, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, Kizz Daniel and Michigan native Kash Doll on the main stage. Meanwhile, artists like Uncle Waffles, Musa Keys, Scorpion Kings, DBN Gogo and more kept the party going all weekend long on the Piano People stage. In all honesty, there were moments when the Piano stage was even better lit than the main Lit Everywhere stage.
The opening day of the festival got off to a rocky start due to weather delays, but when the festivities started at around midnight, the party was over. DJ Marine kicked things off with an electrifying set, setting the tone for Charity, who brought energy to the main stage. King Promise followed, showing why he’s the king, delivering a performance that turned the crowd into a choir. Rema closed the day with an unforgettable, fiery performance.
On the second day there was a significant increase in the number of participants – if day 1 was full, day 2 was packagedJuls and DJ Marine warmed up the crowd during the entrance and prepared the stage for Ruger, who easily controlled the audience.
When Shenseea entered the stage a few minutes later, the crowd erupted in cheers as if they had been waiting for this moment their whole lives. She played fresh songs from her new album You’re never late herefollowed by Asake, who delivered a lively performance and literally bounced off the walls.
Even though Lil Wayne had to cancel due to bad weather in NYC, the festival was still an incredible experience.
Check out the four best moments from the main stage.
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R&B meets Afrobeats with PARTYNEXTDOOR
Photo credit: Izzy Nuzzo
PARTYNEXTDOOR delivered the grand finale of his Sorry I’m Outside Tour at Afro Nation Detroit on Sunday. The Toronto native thrilled the crowd with fan favorites from 4th placeincluding “Lose My Mind” and “Cheers”. The electrifying atmosphere was enhanced by the fact that PND was surrounded by his dancers, known as the Party’s Angels, who added extra energy to the performance as he remained mostly still.
While Afro Nation is primarily an Afrobeats festival, PARTYNEXTDOOR set the R&B tone for the day ahead of Asake’s performance.
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King Promise lights up the stage
Photo credit: Kenneth Dapaah
King Promise is a great artist who knows how to captivate a crowd. The international star delivered a dynamic set, playing hits from his extensive repertoire. His energy was infectious as he used every inch of the stage to build a connection with the audience. No matter what song he played, the crowd sang along to every word.
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Shenseea’s star power in the spotlight
In May, Shenseea released her second studio album, You’re never late herewhich cements her status as one of Jamaica’s most promising young stars. Fresh from her debut You’re never late here During her North American tour, she performed at Afro Nation in Chicago on August 16.
Shenseea did not disappoint, delivering one of her signature rousing performances. Her confidence and flair were evident as she charmed the audience with her lyricism and dancing, effortlessly proving why she is a superstar.
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Ayra Starr is stunning and dynamic
Photo credit: Christopher Claxton
Ayra Starr was one of the standout stars at Afro Nation, sharing the spotlight with other Nigerian superstars like Rema, Asake, Adekunle Gold, Kizz Daniel, Omah Lay and Ruger. She delivered a truly amazing performance, showcasing hit singles as well as songs from her new album, The year I turned 21. Ayra moved confidently across the stage with her dancers, using every inch to connect with the audience.
Her magnetic stage presence was captivating. Not only was her vocals powerful, but she never stopped dancing. The synergy between her, her band, and her dancers was evident. We especially liked that each track included moments where she passed the mic and just danced. This performance highlighted her growing strength as an artist and performer. Ayra Starr is a dynamic talent who is really making waves in the industry.
Audible Treats covered Billboard‘s accommodations during Afro Nation Detroit. Billboard previously partnered with Afro Nation on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart.
