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Afro Nation

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Afro Nation
StatusActive
GenreAfrobeats, Hip hop, RnB, Dancehall, Amapiano, Gqom, Afroswing
DatesMarch - July – August
FrequencyAnnually
VenuePraia da Rocha
Location(s)Portimão
CountryPortugal
Years active2019–present
Organised by
  • Live Nation
  • Event Horizon
  • Smade Entertainment
  • Memories of Tomorrow
Websiteafronation.comi
AfroNation tickets

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, Afroswing 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]

History

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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.[3]

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]

Portugal's audience and headliners

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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.

Afro Nation 2019 (August 01–04)

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Afro Nation 2022 (July 01–03)

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Afro Nation 2023 (June 28–30)

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List of Afro Nation Festivals

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  • Afro Nation Portugal (cancelled in 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
  • Afro Nation Africa[18] (in Ghana. Took place in 2019; cancelled in 2020, cancelled mid-festival in 2022; never repeated).
  • Afro Nation U.S.
  • Afro Nation Puerto Rico (in 2022 it 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).
  • Afro Nation Mexico (cancelled).
  • Afro Nation Nigeria (cancelled).

Performers

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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.

Radio shows

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Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show

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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]

Music charts

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Discography

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Mixtapes

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List of mixtapes with selected details
Title EP details
Afro Nation, Vol. 1

References

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  1. ^ Pires, Bruno Filipe (2019-07-04). "Festival Afro Nation traz estrelas e 50 milhões de retorno a Portimão". Barlavento (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  2. ^ "Festival Afro Nation foi apresentado no No Solo Aqua da Praia da Rocha". www.som-direto.com (in Portuguese). 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  3. ^ a b "Afro Nation Portugal nominated for best overseas festival". Voice Online. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  4. ^ Cirisano, Tatiana. "The Gatekeepers". Billboard. p. 3. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Wizkid, Davido, PSquare headline AfroNation 2022". The Nation Newspaper. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Afro Nation Puerto Rico Is Canceled Due To Coronavirus Concerns". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Afro Nation festival: 'Where's my refund?'". BBC News. 2020-05-23. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  8. ^ "EVENT: Afro Nation Faces Backlash After Not Issuing Refunds. [@Afronation] - GUAP". guap.co. 2020-05-13. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  9. ^ "Afro Nation festival debuts brand new music – listen first here". Red Bull. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  10. ^ "2020 edition of Afro Nation Ghana cancelled". GhanaWeb. 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  11. ^ "Afro Nation Comes to Puerto Rico: Big Dreams, Canceled Sets, and Growing Pains". Rolling Stone. 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  12. ^ Amoah, Geraldine (2022-12-31). "AfroNation cancels mid-show due to security concerns, more chilling details drop". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  13. ^ Gomes, Wilds (2023-06-30). "Afro Nation segue e soma... com falhas de som". BANTUMEN (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  14. ^ "Detidas 12 pessoas por tráfico de droga durante festival Afro Nation". Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  15. ^ Onikoyi, Ayo. "Afro Nation Nigeria festival announced". Vanguard Nigeria. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Afro Nation Nigeria 2023 cancelled". GhanaWeb. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  17. ^ "Festival Afro Nation levou mais de 40 mil pessoas a Portimão, avança organização". Expresso (in Portuguese). 2023-07-03. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  18. ^ "Afro Nation Ghana 2020 cancelled". Music In Africa. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  19. ^ "BBC Radio 1Xtra to launch weekly Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  20. ^ "BBC Radio 1Xtra - The Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show with Eddie Kadi". BBC. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Billboard & Afro Nation Are Launching a U.S. Afrobeats Chart". OkayAfrica. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  22. ^ "Official Charts Company launches Afrobeats chart". Complete Music Update. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
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