It is a special homecoming moment for global Afrobeats superstar Davido as he launches the Are We African Yet? (A.W.A.Y.) Festival in Atlanta.
The one-day music festival and cultural experience, which takes place at State Farm Arena on Nov. 18, urges the African diaspora and non-Africans to celebrate each other’s roots and experience African culture like never before.
Credit: EMMANUEL AGBEBLE'APMWORLDMAG'
Credit: EMMANUEL AGBEBLE'APMWORLDMAG'
The festival will feature performances by Davido, Musa Keys, Lojay, King Promise, Spinall, Victony and more. Through the power of music, A.W.A.Y looks to unite communities, promote collaboration and celebrate the diversity and magic of African music and culture.
“The whole culture is so big now so I wanted to do something to bridge the gap between being an American but also understanding African culture,” said Davido.
This festival could have taken place anywhere in the world, but there was no doubt in Davido’s mind that “there’s no better place than Atlanta” to hold an event such as this.
It will be a full-circle moment for Davido as he was raised between Atlanta and Lagos, Nigeria. The Afrobeats artist, who holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Nigeria, has always been proud of his African heritage. From an early age, he would promote African culture as much as he could to his friends in the city by introducing them to music or urging them to try foods like jollof rice. He continues to “push the culture,” but on a much larger scale as a global superstar.
“We thought of a festival that we could do every year to not only showcase myself but also showcase other talents in music, fashion and food,” he said.
Credit: EMMANUEL AGBEBLE'APMWORLDMAG'
Credit: EMMANUEL AGBEBLE'APMWORLDMAG'
When Davido was growing up, there were few avenues to promote African culture to America and the wider world. The rise of social media changed that.
“Nigerians used to say they were Jamaicans because it was easier to explain. It’s much different now, when you tell people you are from Nigeria they will say how much they love Nigerian music, food and clothing.”
“Right now, we have social media and lots of avenues to see how beautiful this place is and how beautiful the people are. We have so much talent which has been hidden from the Western world for years and this festival will showcase that,” he said.
Davido further points to the power of social media in having a positive impact in Africa, referencing the recent MrBeast video in which the philanthropic YouTuber built 100 wells in Africa.
“That’s what my festival stands for. You say you want to come to Africa but what are you really doing to make a difference? It’s cool that you come out for shows or have fun on vacation, but what are you doing before you leave?
“I was like ‘Damn, why didn’t I think of that first!’ It was really dope though. That’s the power of social media, if we didn’t have YouTube nobody would have seen that and it’s going to inspire a lot of people to do their own things too,” said Davido of MrBeast’s efforts.
Credit: EMMANUEL AGBEBLE'APMWORLDMAG'
Credit: EMMANUEL AGBEBLE'APMWORLDMAG'
Afrobeats is currently one of the fastest-growing music genres, gaining global recognition with chart-topping songs and big Western collaborations from artists like Drake, Beyoncé and Justin Bieber. For Davido, this recognition has been a long time coming.
“The music has always been top-tier. It is now more commercial and recognized, so from that perspective the music has changed,” he said. “But the quality of music and artists, we been dope since time, I’m talking 40, 50, or even 100 years ago.
“Africa has always been a special force in art, whether it is movies, fashion or food. The culture has been dope for years but more recently the world has opened up.”
The rise in Afrobeats has also inevitably led to African artists performing in the biggest venues across the country.
“We have been selling tickets. It’s not even about selling tickets but it’s about using those venues. Africans could have been doing this if we were given access to the venues that we do now. That’s not surprising to me.”
Davido believes that these large-scale events are not only important in showcasing African talent but could also have a direct impact on making African Americans explore their heritage further, which is exactly what he wants to achieve with his A.W.A.Y festival.
Credit: Robb Cohen/Invision/AP
Credit: Robb Cohen/Invision/AP
It can be difficult for many African Americans to trace the roots of their ancestry, their connection to Africa broken by centuries of slavery.
“Every year you can see all types of people from African Americans, Caucasians and every race coming to Africa for vacation,” he said. “People have an awareness and more people are doing DNA tests to know where they are from to have a sense of belonging.”
A.W.A.Y will launch its inaugural festival this weekend, but Davido already has big plans for the future and aims to make this a yearly celebration. He hopes to bring even bigger African artists to Atlanta, spotlighting the beauty and influence of African culture.
FESTIVAL PREVIEW
A.W.A.Y. Festival
8 p.m. Nov. 18. $33 and up. State Farm Arena, 1 State Farm Drive, Atlanta. statefarmarena.com.
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