US rapper Lil Wayne will headline Afro Nation Detroit 2024 alongside Afrobeats stars Asake and Rema. The festival is set for August 17 and 18 at Bedrock’s Douglass Site.
Lil Wayne, along with Jamaican dancehall artist Shenseea, has recently been added to the lineup, which already features prominent African artists like Kizz Daniel, Ayra Starr, King Promise, Uncle Waffles, and Musa Keys.
This marks the second time the festival, known as the world’s largest Afrobeats event attracting over 40,000 attendees from more than 130 countries, will be held in Detroit. The inaugural Detroit event took place in August 2023, headlined by Davido and Burna Boy. Prior to that, Afro Nation held its first US event at the 40,000-capacity LoanDepot Park stadium in Miami in May 2023.
“Bringing Afro Nation back to Detroit, the home of Motown and Techno music, was an easy decision,” co-founder Smade stated. “Detroit embodies culture, creativity, and pride. The energy here is electric, echoing the heartbeat of Afro Nation’s spirit. In Detroit, we found a community that welcomed us with open arms, sharing our passion for unity and celebration, giving us a home away from home. Afro Nation Detroit 2024 will be even bigger than last year, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you.”
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Before Detroit, Afro Nation will take place in Portugal this June, featuring acts like Tyla, Omah Lay, and Nicki Minaj.
The festival, which has been previously held in Portugal, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, regularly showcases top African stars alongside prominent US urban artists. Ghana is the only African country to have hosted Afro Nation, with events in 2020 and 2022. The festival’s debut in Lagos was canceled last October due to quality concerns.
In March, Afro Nation organizers released a mini-documentary highlighting the Afrobeats and amapiano genres.