AfroPunk Festival is coming to Philly for a battle of the bands

For the first time ever, the AfroPunk festival is hosting a Battle of the Bands competition here in Philly, with the winner getting a chance at a slot on the musical and cultural in New York City this August.

Last year, the festival saw over 60,000 in attendance with performances from D’Angelo, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Lianne La Havas, and Body Count. The Battle of The Bands has also helped bands like The Skins and Unlocking the Truth kickstart their careers.

Artists who want to sign up can register through the AfroPunk website between now and May 29th and then encourage fans to vote for them. Once votes are tallied, a competition will be held on June 19th here in Philly, where artists will duke it out in front of judges to determine who plays the fest.

AfroPunk fest flyer | via promoter Yusuf Muhammad

Over the past nine years, AfroPunk has transformed itself: it started as a 2003 cult classic film spotlighting black punk rock acts in America. Now, it’s become a cultural movement celebrating the creativity and passion of alternative black culture. The goal, however, remains the same: to help urban kids who feel like outsiders become part of a core community of like-minded people.

Since the actual festival’s beginnings in 2005, AfroPunk festival celebrates and unifies the cultural cornerstones of Afro-Punk culture: music, film, skate, and independent people. It’s been covered by numerous top-tier outlets like Pitchfork, The New York Times, and MTV. For more, visit the festival’s webpage.