Carlos Neal, executive producer of Hulu’s “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he sees Freaknik today as a community event celebrating Atlanta’s history and culture, as opposed to a street party for Black college students.
This is why Neal has reorganized it as Freaknik Reunion 2024, he said.
Happening at College Park’s Backstage Atlanta venue on Saturday, Apr. 20, the four-hour event will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. Neal believes promoting Freaknik Reunion 2024 as a late-afternoon event with a car show, food trucks and live musical performances will make the event more family-friendly than the rowdy block parties of the late-1990s.
“My first goal is always safety in front of everything that we do to make sure that everyone will know it’s a good experience,” he said.
“We’re trying to recreate its original spirit to make it about the people,” Neal said.
Credit: After 9 Partners
Credit: After 9 Partners
Grammy-winning rapper Killer Mike, whose birthday is April 20, is billed as the event’s host. Podcaster Big Homie Kodaq, custom dental jewelry designer Scotty ATL, and recording artist Playa Poncho will co-host.
There are also scheduled performances by Atlanta rappers Baby D and Princess of Crime Mob, producer Drumma Boy and others.
Credit: Carlos Neal
Credit: Carlos Neal
Neal, an Adamsville native who’s produced Freaknik events since 2019, said he worked with relatives during the 1996 Olympic Games selling jewelry near Underground Atlanta. It was the first time he saw the pandemonium Freaknik brought to Atlanta.
In 2002, Neal started promoting parties and events at while in undergrad at Southern Polytechnic State University. He started incorporated good causes in his ventures.
“It’s always been near and dear to me to party with a purpose,” said Neal, who graduated from Georgia State University and Georgia Tech. “You can come and turn up, but we’ll have a booth for voter registration or community cleanups around as well.”
In 2018, Neal started researching ownership and trademarking the Freaknik name. He said his father gave him the money to claim Freaknik and he was able to produce his first event using the name the following year.
Neal said he has reached out to people who opposed his modern version of Freaknik and made them partners, including promoters of Freaknik events in the 1990s. He added that more than 30,000 people have attended his three Freaknik events from previous years, without any reported incident or arrest.
“I wanted any and everybody that had something to do with Freaknik and want to help move it forward to be a part of it,” Neal said.
According to Neal, Freaknik Reunion 2024 will also pay tribute to Rico Wade, the founding member of production trio Organized Noize and its artist collective, Dungeon Family, who died last Saturday.
DJ Jelly, along with Kizzy Rock, Mr. Collipark and DJ Papo, will perform a musical set featuring Organized-Noize-produced songs. “He’s a pillar to our community, but we’re trying to honor him in a way that respects his legacy and [does] not become a promotional tool,” Neal said.
In March, Neal was recognized with a proclamation from City of South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau for expanding Freaknik’s outreach in the community to connect with small businesses and local nonprofits.
Credit: After 9 Partners
Credit: After 9 Partners
He also plans to work closely with Black college students, using their direct feedback to consider future programming.
He hopes the student input will help to preserve the event’s original mission to celebrate positivity.
“We know it got out of control, but the spirit of Freaknik never went away,” Neal said. “It’s the people that made Freaknik, so it’s the people that’s going to bring it back. We have open arms for anybody that wants to come, but it’s going to take a village to make it happen.”
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