Featured Blog Posts (525)

Black Witch: "How I became a Pagan Witch

This is my first post after the Afro-Punk festival, thank you everyone who said hi to me and recognized me! That was totally awesome! I'm very glad you guys like my writing, it's very nice to know I have support. I had a great time, it was my first Afro-Punk. I missed P.O.S. and a couple other several acts on the next day because I was too broke for an overnight stay. I do plan on going next year and being more prepared. I…

Continue

Added by The Establishment on July 16, 2010 at 5:00pm — 17 Comments

A Nation of Misfits: Flipper, just get the vinyl

Like The Big Boys before them, Flipper's legacy has unfortunately been hijacked by their biggest fans. It's impossible to talk about Flipper without talking about Nirvana, a fact exacerbated by the fact that Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic spent three years in the late 2000's as a member of Flipper. Kurt Cobain famously wore his Flipper t-shirt in the album art for In Utero, and made frequent references to the band in…

Continue

Added by Sound Check on July 13, 2010 at 11:30pm — 3 Comments

From a bitter girl in London, Street Peeper Punk

I'm a born and bred Londoner, and it would be fair to say that London has become the half-shaven hairstyle hub. Model Alice Dellal…

Continue

Added by Safety Pins on July 7, 2010 at 12:00pm — 10 Comments

Safety Pins: For the quirky pretty girl

One of the summer looks that seems to have everyone all excited is the glammed out kente rockabilly design. The best designs on a everyday wear level that I found has been from designer, Maya Amina Lake. Her line is called Boxing Kitten. Not only does she use her prints for the every day look, but she even has celebs like Alicia Keys, the Knowles sisters, Estelle, Jack Davey, Goapele…

Continue

Added by Safety Pins on July 6, 2010 at 7:00pm — 6 Comments

BAD RABBITS: Afro-Punk Festival 2010!

Bad Rabbits bum rushed the stage this afternoon, killin it with tracks from their album Stick Up Kids! These young dudes from Boston know how to rock a crowd! With synchronized dance moves to shout outs to the World Cup Blackstars, Bad Rabbits are NOT to be slept on! Click below for performance clips and their shout out to the Afro-Punk community!

BAD…

Continue

Added by Afro-Punk on June 27, 2010 at 9:00pm — 2 Comments

Galaxy of Tar: Afro-Punk Festival 2010!

Galaxy of Tar rocked the stage with the first performance of the day! Our girl, Naima, was in full effect, showing off her new band to the Brooklyn crowd. Also proving that girls can, and do, rock out. This was Galaxy of Tar's first Afro-punk festival performance and we're glad we had them on the line-up! Check below for performance clips and their personal shout out to the Afro-Punk community!

Galaxy of… Continue

Added by Afro-Punk on June 27, 2010 at 6:00pm — No Comments

BAD BRAINS PERFORMANCE CLIPS!!!

photo by Fabio Colombo

in case you missed it... Bad Brains DESTROYED their 45 minute Afro-Punk set at Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn last night. The pit was insane, the barricades were obsolete, and the music was dope. Click below for raw footage of the performance and holla at the album for photos!…

Continue

Added by Afro-Punk on June 27, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Afro-Punk Festival 2010! Wall-EVOLution!!

Graffiti artists Optms, Borish, Baja, and Ibrahim are vibing off of the energy of the festival, painting an animals' rebellion on the wall. Each artist has a brings a different articulation of the rebellion to their piece, check below for individual interviews and holla at the photo album to witness the progression of the wall!…

Continue

Added by Afro-Punk on June 26, 2010 at 3:00pm — 1 Comment

Afro-punk Festival: Post Your Memories Here!

There are many images and characteristics associated with the rock scene. People may think of piercings, tattoos, crazy hairstyles and handmade clothing, but rarely do they include people of color in that image. It turns out that black Americans have had a strong history in the genre and still do today. The term “Afro-Punk” originally referred to these people of color (usually African Americans) who existed in the punk…

Continue

Added by Afro-Punk on June 21, 2010 at 12:00pm — 8 Comments

The New Face of Action Sports- Taking over the city streets one trick at a time

For years, kids in the inner city have used sports as a way out of their economic situation. It seems common to hear professional basketball and football players talk about their days growing up broke, practicing their craft for countless hours, and then making millions through endorsements once they get into the professional leagues.

The story that seems to go unspoken in the Black community are the growing number of… Continue

Added by APX on June 17, 2010 at 5:00pm — 2 Comments

Too old and too black for punk?

When most people think about punk rock, images of sweaty thin white boys instantly come to mind- holding stead fast to the idea that punk music is reserved for the privileged white youth that exude bottled rage in the form of guitars, drums, mosh pits, drugs, piercings, and cheap alcohol.

Too old and too black for…

Continue

Added by Sound Check on June 16, 2010 at 5:00pm — 14 Comments

Shake Yo' Can- Visual Artists at the 2010 Festival!

In preparation for the 2010 Afro-Punk Festival, we are calling out to artists on the scene. This year's mural wall will be bigger and longer--a 150 foot canvas-- giving more room for some of the illest underground artists in Brooklyn to come out and show off their skills. We had the chance to meet up with this year’s featured artists and ask them…

Continue

Added by Afro-Punk on June 9, 2010 at 5:00pm — 4 Comments

I'm Black and I'm a Witch: My guide to Magick

Y’see, I’m a Witch. A Black Witch but not in the way of practicing black but I’m an African American who also happens to be a Witch. I guess it would be better calling myself an African-American Witch to keep heart attacks at a low but it’s such a lengthy name! Ah well. I’m Pagan as well, meaning that I follow a nature-based belief system. I’m not Wiccan tho. I’ll explain the differences (and why ‘magick’ is spelled with a…

Continue

Added by The Establishment on June 9, 2010 at 2:30pm — 19 Comments

MY TOP TEN REASONS why Chicks don't Digg Punk

In this male dominated world, women have only seemed to go so far in the punk music arena. Now in mainstream pop music we have Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, but where are the women punk artists. And why, after so many years of sexual equality, can't a woman just be a good punk artist as opposed to being good for a "female" punk artist. Well, I thought about it, and here are my top ten reasons why women shy away from the punk experience.…

Continue

Added by Gender Bent on June 5, 2010 at 12:30pm — 39 Comments

Afro-punk Meets the Millenial: A call to the young rebels

Afro-punk Meets the Millenial! This post, by 14-year-old, Kyler Jones, is an introduction to a new Afro-punk section, Carded, dedicated to adolescent issues, i.e. suicide, peer pressure, sexual harassment, coming out, parental gripes, advice, outreach, community service, teenage employment info, and youth rights.…

Continue

Added by Carded on May 31, 2010 at 12:12pm — 9 Comments

Africa Is The Future: Just Put it on a Shirt

The cover of the Nneka mixtape is where I first saw the big bold slogan printed on a hoody "Africa Is The Future." These four little words said volumes about current global economics, cultural, music and fashion! Once I sat back and thought about it, there is nothing bigger I would want on a shirt then that slogan! Africa, the birth place of civilization, IS the future. Through all it's turmoil and wars and poverty, you will see it make it's way back to be center, if you only…

Continue

Added by Safety Pins on May 25, 2010 at 8:30am — 3 Comments

You Can't Handle Black with W. Kamau Bell

We found a comedian who claims he can end racism in one hour. That's right. W. Kamau Bell (pronounced KA-MAOW, like KA-POW) says that his one man stand up show can end that nasty little "r" word that we've all got mighty comfortable with. So, we decided to invite this San Francisco comedian to the Afro-punk scene to smack us around a little, get the race conversation stirred up a bit, and to make us a little more uncomfortable… Continue

Added by Afro-Punk Features on May 14, 2010 at 12:30pm — 18 Comments

Organic food in the Black Community: A desert land

Some time ago a friend asked me if I could drive her to a grocery store because her car was broken down. I offered to take her to one a bit further out but she chose one in the hood that she always goes to. I had never been there before although I had driven past numerous times. I went inside the store with her, following her aisle by aisle as she filled up her cart with canned vegetables, canned fruit and boxes of freeze dried mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. The beef… Continue

Added by Afro-Punk Features on May 20, 2010 at 8:30am — 14 Comments

Reclassified Afro-Punk: STAX records is punk music

From one Memphis label, we can hear mod, soul, country, blues, rock and the beginnings of punk. Oh, you thought MC5 and The Stooges were proto-punk, right? Well take a look and listen to the artists of STAX. They’re in the same category as early 60’s bands like The Sonics, The Monks, and The Fabulous Wailers. If those bands are respected for their early contributions to rock, then Stax is in need of an Afro-Punk Reclassification because they… Continue

Added by Afro-Punk Features on May 13, 2010 at 12:00pm — 8 Comments

Love Connections on Afro-punk? Why Not?

My response to Jill Scott's Essence Magazine article seemed to have people up in arms as far as interracial relationships and white men/ women stealing all the "Good" black men/ women. I've noticed that here on Afro-Punk we have an array of men and women from different backgrounds, races, religions, etc. and it almost seems, even though we all have our different views on many many topics, that…

Continue

Added by Afro-Punk Features on May 10, 2010 at 2:00pm — 36 Comments