| Status: | Active |
| Genre: | Afrobeats, Hip hop, RnB, Dancehall, Amapiano, Afro-swing |
| Dates: | March - July – August |
| Frequency: | Annually |
| Venue: | Praia da Rocha |
| Location: | Portimão |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Years Active: | 2019–present |
| Website: | i |
Afro Nation is an annual three-day music festival founded in 2019 by Live Nation, SLE - Sociedade Lusa de Espectáculos and Event Horizon to bring together the best African artistes in Afrobeats, Hip hop, RnB, Dancehall, Gqom,Amapiano and more.[1] [2] The festival was nominated in the Best Overseas Festival category at the 2019 UK Festival Awards.[3]
In 2020, Billboard Magazine named Afro Nation as one of The Gatekeepers of the Nigerian music industry.[4]
On 1 August 2019, Afro Nation (also marketed as Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Afro Nation U.S, Afro Nation Ghana, and Afro Nation Mexico) was established as a four-day annual music festival in Portimão, Portugal. In 2020, the festival was set to begin operating as a three-day annual event. However, the second edition was postponed to 1 July 2022,[5] due to the outbreak of COVID-19.[6] Customers weren’t offered refunds. Instead, they were forced to keep their tickets, which were valid for the following edition of the festival, which would only take place two years later. [7] The festival faced backlash from customers after not issuing refunds. [8]
On 13 December 2019, Afro Nation released its compilation mixtape curated by MOVES Recordings, titled Afro Nation, Vol. 1.[9] The album features guest appearance from SMADE, Ice Prince, Slim Kofi, Lighter Tod, Joey B, Kuami Eugene, Medikal, Eddie Kadi, Bisa Kdei, Adekunle Gold, Oxlade, Reekado Banks, Eugy, Br3nya, and Terry Apala.
In December 2020, the Ghanaian edition of the festival was cancelled, allegedly due to health concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.[10]
In 2022, the festival in Puerto Rico was shadowed with many cancellations, particularly of headliners such as Burna Boy, Tems, Koffee and Beenie Man, all canceled in the leadup to the festival.[11]
In 2022, the festival was cancelled in Ghana during the course of its second day, due to safety concerns. Customers were not pleased as the performances of several of the main acts were cancelled, and complaints about the failure to refund arose.[12]
On the 2023 Portuguese edition, the festival had continuous sound problems that seriously affected the performances.[13] Twelve people were arrested at the festival for drug trafficking, with the Portuguese authorities seizing 804 doses of marijuana, 335 doses of cocaine, 63 doses of amphetamines, 46 doses of hashish, and 1,845 euros from the illicit activity.[14]
On 9 June 2023, the organizers of the festival announced Afro Nation Nigeria, a new series of the festival to be held in Nigeria.[15] On 31 October 2023, the Nigerian edition of the festival was cancelled.[16]
Despite its export to other countries, Afro Nation main venue keeps on being at Portugal. Both audience and highly safe environment have maintained Portugal's summer festival as Afro Nation main venue in terms of investment associated with increasingly growth of audience and line up quality as festival records[17] shows.
The festival was launched in 2019, and has featured various guest performances from Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Busy Signal, Femi Kuti, Adekunle Gold, Afro B, B Young, Distruction Boyz, Hardy Caprio, King Promise, Maleek Berry, Mist, Mostack, Ms Dynamite, Not3s, NSG, Octavian, Stefflon Don, Teni, The Compozers, Vanessa Mdee, Laycon, and Yxng Bane. In its 2022 line-up, it featured Meek Mill, Megan Thee Stallion, Beenie Man, C4 Pedro, CKay, Dadju, Diamond Platnumz, Ding Dong, Innoss'B, KiDi, Kizz Daniel, Koffee, Kuami Eugene, Black Sherif, Tiwa Savage, Gyakie, Maître Gims, Naira Marley, Nelson Freitas, Niniola, Patoranking, R2Bees, Reekado Banks, Rema, Ruger, Small Doctor, Sona, Tekno, Tems, and Wande Coal.
On 26 September 2021, Afro Nation and Official Charts Company founded the official weekly UK Afrobeats Chart Show on BBC Radio 1 Xtra,[19] with host Eddie Kadi.[20]
| EP details | ||
| Afro Nation, Vol. 1 |
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