Afro Nation is returning to Detroit this summer. Over the course of two days (August 17 and 18), the festival’s second iteration is bringing some of the biggest names in Afrofusion, R&B, and hip-hop to the city.
“Bringing Afro Nation back to Detroit, the home of Motown and Techno music was an easy decision,” said Smade, Co-Founder of Afro Nation, in a statement. “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.”
Tickets for Afro Nation will be available for purchase here beginning April 3 at 9 a.m. EST.
According to the poster, this is only the first round of artists, and more performers will be announced at a later date.
But in the meantime, you can see the first wave of artists below.
Afro Nation
Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Chris Brown is set to embark on The 11:11 Tour, presented by Live Nation, this summer. The 26-city tour will feature two rising female artists in R&B, Ayra Starr and Muni Long, as special guests in select cities.
Kicking off on June 5 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, the tour will journey across North America, with stops in Brooklyn, Toronto, Atlanta, and more, before concluding at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on August 6.
The 11:11 Tour celebrates the success of Brown’s 11th studio album, which claimed the coveted #1 spot on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart, solidifying his status as a dominant force in the genre. Notably, the track “Summer Too Hot” from the album received a GRAMMY Awards nomination this year.
Tickets for The 11:11 Tour will be available starting March 6, with an artist presale and additional presales throughout the week. General on-sale begins on March 11 at 10 AM local time on LiveNation.com.
Fans also have the opportunity to purchase VIP Packages, offering premium tickets, access to the pre-show VIP Lounge, exclusive merchandise, and more. The contents of the VIP package vary based on the selected offer. Visit vipnation.com for further details.
While HotNewHipHop specializes in covering rap and R&B music, we love expanding into neighboring genres. One of those is Afropop and its various other subsets. Over the past few years, the sounds from the respective continent have become increasingly more popular. It is for good reason too, because there are so many intriguing talents that have popped up in the past couple of years. One of them is Ayra Starr.
She hails from the West African country of Benin, with roots in Nigeria as well. Ayra Starr got her start in 2021 and while her career is still young, she is arguably a “Starr” already. The 21-year-old songwriter was a GRAMMY nominee at the 66th award show for Best African Music Performance. Unfortunately, the trophy went to fellow artist Tyla for her hit song “Water.”
But, Ayra Starr has nothing to be ashamed of. Her career is going to last for a long time and her new song proves that. “Commas” details how she is looking to avoid all distractions so she can stay on the path to massive success. It is a stunning song filled with peaceful instrumentation that includes string sections and a strumming guitar. Ayra’s voice will leave in you in a trance the whole way through as well. Be sure to check it out above.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new single, “Commas,” by Ayra Starr? Is this one of the best songs of her career so far, why or why not? Could an album be in the works? What is your favorite element of the song and why? Is she the best up-and-coming Afro-music artist? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Ayra Starr. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.
Quotable Lyrics:
Na which kind life wey I never see? I carry God, so I fear nothing Steady increasing the commas Comma, comma, comma Original, no be parody E no fit clear for your memory
“It’s my first headline tourrrrr !!!” Starr wrote in an Instagram post on July 12 announcing her 21: The World Tour. “I’ve been touring around the world, opening for other artists, opening stages at festivals, Now it’s an Ayra Starr show !”
The tour will have three legs — North America, Africa and Australia, and Europe — and it began in Houston, Texas on July 27. So far, Starr has staged nine shows, including stops in Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Toronto. She will next perform on Wednesday night, September 6, in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the North American leg scheduled to wrap on September 19 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Starr won’t have much rest before starting her trek across Africa and Australia, beginning on September 30 in the latter’s Gold Coast. The European leg will kick off on November 3 in Stockholm, Sweden and wrap with a grand finale in Zurich, Switzerland on November 30.
If you’re planning on attending any of the remaining dates, check out Starr’s setlist (as chronicled by setlist.fm based on her September 2 show at Webster Hall in New York City).
Ayra Starr has built a cult-like following thanks to her collaborations with artists such as Wizkid and Kelly Rowland. The “Sability” singer stands firm as the reigning princess of Afrobeats’ subgenre mavins. With her music beloved across the world, Ayra will touch nearly every corner of the globe for her first headlining tour.
Ayra’s 21: The World Tour will stop in North America, Africa, Australia, and Europe, kicking off in the United States on July 27 in Houston, Texas. The singer took to Instagram to share the tour’s official flyer, writing, “It’s my first headline tour! I’ve been touring around the world, opening for other artists, and opening stages at festivals. Now, it’s an Ayra Starr show!”
At this time, Ayra hasn’t announced if she has any supporting acts, but with such a massive undertaking, it wouldn’t be shocking if, in the coming week, openers are added to selected dates.
View the full tour schedule below. Tickets for the 21: The World Tour are on sale now. Find more information here.
North American Wing
07/27 — Houston, TX @ Rise Rooftop
07/30 — Bowie, MD @ Prince George’s Stadium
08/03 — Port-au-Prince, HT @ NH El Rancho Convention Center
08/25 — Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
08/26 — Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix
08/29 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
09/01 — Boston, MA @ Royale
09/02 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
09/05 — Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre
09/06 — Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
09/08 — Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
09/10 — Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge
09/13 — Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre
09/16 — Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
09/17 — Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
09/19 — Vancouver, BC @ Enso Event Centre
Africa / Australia Wing
09/30 — Gold Coast, AU @ Toyota Center
10/06 — Cape Town, ZA @ Toyota Center
10/07 — Cape Town, ZA @ Toyota Center
10/08 — Johannesburg, ZA @ Toyota Center
10/14 — Zimbabwe @ TBA
10/15 — Malawi @ TBA
10/22 — Barbados @ TBA
10/27 — Abuja @ TBA
Europe Wing
11/03 — Stockholm, SE @ Berns
11/04 — Helsinki, FI @ Apollo Live
11/05 — Barcelona, ES @ Opium Club
11/08 — Rotterdam, DK @ Massillo
11/10 — Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
11/11 — Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute
11/13 — London, UK @ KOKO
11/17 — Rome, IT @ Teatro Centrale
11/18 — Copenhagen, DK @ Stagebox
11/19 — Madrid, ES @ Sala Coco
11/21 — Paris, FR @ Bataclan
11/23 — Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys
11/26 — Hamburg, DE @Grosse Freiheit 36
11/27 — Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom
11/28 — Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
11/30 — Zurich, CH @ Komplex XS
We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover, and while the same thought can be applied to album covers, the rule becomes a bit harder to follow in this scenario. An album’s artwork is the first thing that grabs our attention — negatively or positively — before we can press play on it. Oftentimes, the cover art is used to promote a body of work before its official release which then opens the flood gates for fans to judge its appearance and rate how good the album may or may not be.
For better or for worse, there have been a number of memorable album covers in 2021. There’s Drake’s pregnant woman-emoji-laden cover for Certified Lover Boy that was considered a troll until he went out his way to confirm it. Ye kept things simple with a black square for Donda while Lil Nas X’s artwork for Montero finds him nude and suspended in the air. Yung Bleu appears as an astronaut in his Moon Boy cover and Lorde’s own for Solar Power was a bit… cheeky, wouldn’t you say?
With that being said, 2021 also gave us album covers with artists showing off their best looks. It’s always great to receive a quality collection of music that’s wrapped in a well-captured portrait of the artist. Without further ado, here are the ten most stylish album covers of 2021.
Ayra Starr — 19 & Dangerous
Mavin Global Holdings
Afropop singer Ayra Starr dropped off 19 & Dangerous, her sophomore project and second release of the year. The project delivers a tale of growth that arrives as the singer prepares to exit the teenager status for adulthood. For its cover, Starr sits on a blue bag dressed in what appears to be red stain pants and golden elbow-length gloves. She’s also surrounded by deep green walls to complete the truly colorful cover.
CKay — Boyfriend
Warner Music South Africa
Keeping things in the afrobeats world, Ckay delivered another sharp cover art with his Boyfriend EP. He released the project at the top of the year and it’s masked with a purple hue that is complemented by the car Ckay leans on, the night sky and flowers behind him, the scarf and fingernails on the arm of a woman that’s wrapped around him. Altogether, it makes for a sharp cover that captures the Ckay’s sensitive side along with the seven songs that appear on the EP.
Doja Cat — Planet Her
Kemosabe/RCA
There has yet to be a moment too big for Doja Cat to handle. So even when the pressure for her to surpass expectations with her third album Planet Her continued to rise, Doja stepped up to bat and hit a home run. The artwork for the album helped listeners envision the weirdo spectacle that she presented on the project. She lays on what appears to be a glittery body of land which neon shades of glitter covering her body from head to toe. Might I mention that the album is also one of the best releases in 2021? Long story short, Doja came through from top to bottom.
Kirby — Sis. He Wasn’t The One
Kirby
At the beginning of 2020, Memphis singer Kirby arrived with her debut project Sis. Nearly two years later, she returned with its sequel Sis. He Wasn’t The One in what also sports a very underrated cover. Kirby lays beside a man with her light brown hair tied up while wearing a red top that compliments the flowery blanket she lays on and the room she’s in. If you’re looking for a body of work that vents one’s struggles with love while expounding on a man’s failure to be a solid partner, Sis. He Wasn’t The One delivers that with an aesthetically pleasing cover to look at.
Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introverted
Age 101 Music/ AWAL Recordings
Little Simz’sSometimes I Might Be Introverted is truly a beautiful body of work. It’s one of those rare projects where everything from the lyrics, the production, the sequencing, and more fall into the place so exquisitely. Its artwork is another notable point The London rapper sits nervously in a wooden chair while rocking a yellow and black checkered suit as his hair is tied up to a high altitude. The mustard yellow backdrop also pairs well with Little Simz’s look in what comes together as an eye-pleasing cover.
Masego — Studying Abroad: Extended Stay
EQT Recordings/Capitol Records
Masego ended 2020 with Studying Abroad, his first project since his pristine 2018 debut album Lady Lady. Studying Abroad received the deluxe treatment back in May as five more songs were added to the project to accompany highlights like “Mystery Lady” and “Silver Tongue Devil. The deluxe reissue also granted us a new cover that presented the already-stylish Masego in a salmon suit as he posed longing into the camera which captures nature’s beauty behind him.
Serpentwithfeet — Deacon
Secretly Canadian
Serpentwithfeet began the spring season this year with his Deacon project. It’s a release that was filled with music he described as “a lot softer, a lot more gentle than my previous work,” “something that felt very sensuous,” and “something that felt calm and restrained.” This tender approach comes alive on the project’s cover art as it presents Serpentwithfeet in a white button-up top and gold accessories on his fingers, neck, ears, and hair. He also holds another man in his arms who sports a similar white top as they both stand amid a hazy desert.
Symphani Soto — Under The Sun
Bizness Boi Music Group
South Florida’s Symphani Soto earned herself a nice career boost with her June project Under The Sun. Its 11 tracks make for a body of work ideal for an afternoon drive or warm evening at the beach. Soto appears relaxed and free throughout the project and if you need a visual for that, it’s available on the project’s cover art. The singer stands tall and free in a detailed and intricate bright orange dress as the slightly cloudy sky behind her helps to enhance her features and make her stand out.
Umi — Introspection Reimagined
Umi/Keep Cool/RCA
Umi breathed new life into her 2020 album Introspection and re-released it with a new dose of vibrancy and lucidity through eight songs. It also comes with a beautiful cover that sees Umi in an elaborate white gown. Captured from an aerial view, Umi stares closely into a mirror with her arms almost stretched fully apart over a rich red backdrop.
VanJess — Homegrown
Keep Cool/RCA
Nearly three years after their career-solidifying debut album Silk Canvas, VanJess returned with their Homegrown EP. Music aside, the project was presented with a flawless cover that captured the beauty of Ivana and Jess. Seated at a gold table and on golden chairs, VanJess stuns with clothing that ranges from cheetah print, bright red, shimmery gold, and lavish accessories. Oh, and the music on the project and its eventual deluxe edition are great too!
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
