Following a sold-out edition of Afro Nation Portugal this summer, the success story continues as Afro Nation Puerto Rico makes its debut on U.S. soil.
Taking place across March 18th-21st on the multi-award winning beach of Balneario de Carolina, the festival reveals the first wave of talent across the four days which include headliners Beenie Man, Burna Boy, Chronixx and Davido.
Aptly referred to as the “King of the Dancehall”, Jamaica’s very own Beenie Man has been at the forefront of the globally reaching reggae and dancehall scene for almost 30 years. With hits such as “Dance Hall Queen” and “Who Am I”, he set the pace for artists to come. The Grammy-award winning innovator will be joined by “African Giant” Burna Boy, whose breakthrough year has seen his popularity skyrocket in the U.S, with the release of his debut album and his unforgettable performance at Coachella in April this year, bringing Africa to a global stage.
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Also set to perform is Reggae’s golden boy, Chronixx. At just 27 he’s been hailed as the leader of Jamaica’s roots revival moment and played an important part in the evolution of Jamaican music – he’ll have fans singing along to hits such as “Here Comes Trouble” and “Smile Jamaica”. Rounding off the list of big-league headliners is Afro-fusion superstar Davido who has had undeniable global appeal since he burst onto the scene with “Fall” and “If” in 2017 and has since worked with the likes of Young Thug and Swae Lee paving the way for Afrobeats outside of Africa.
The first festival of its kind, founded on good vibes and #BlackExcellence, Afro Nation Puerto Rico will welcome Nigerian-American actor, singer and model Rotimi and genre-blending Nigerian star Patoranking, who will bring his distinct sound to the festival for the first time next March. Adding to the jam-packed live billing is UK’s leading figure in Afrowave, Afro B, the “Drogba” singer will make his return to Afro Nation along with Ghana’s biggest dancehall artiste Stonebwoy and his “Ololo” collaborator, the uniquely talented Teni AKA Teni The Entertainer.
Set to make her Afro Nation debut is South-African new-age performance poet and singer, Busiswa, who featured on Beyoncé’s album “The Lion King: The Gift” earlier this year. Adding to the bill is Jamaican dancehall artist and performer, Shenseea, who exploded onto the music scene within just two years with her viral hit “Loodi”. Also performing is Jamaican artist Kranium whose notable collaborations include Ty Dolla $ign, Ed Sheeran, Bebe Rexha and Major Lazer to name a few. Rounding off the first wave of live acts for Afro Nation Puerto Rico is Africa’s cultural icon 2Baba, London-based music collective The Compozers, and one of the “First Ladies of Soca”, Patrice Roberts.
Across the fours days, festival-goers will be able to call Balneario de Carolina (AKA Carolina Beach) home. With its spectacular white sand and beautifully clear, warm water, it’s no wonder it has won the Blue Flag Award for cleanliness and water quality for a number of consecutive years. Located near the Isla Verde, the palm tree-lined beach is one of the finest and favoured in San Juan by locals and visitors alike, with attractions such as watersports, volleyball plus a water park close by for thrill-seekers looking for fun outside of the music performances. With even more line-ups yet to be revealed, the debut edition of Afro Nation Puerto Rico is set to make an immense impact on the U.S festival calendar next Spring 2020.
