Rejoicing through music of the African diaspora.
Ms. Lauryn Hill called out to Africa and its global diaspora with Diaspora Calling! on Friday.
A cross-generational lineup meant fans saw everything from Wyclef Jean, Erykah Badu, YG Marley and Zion Marley to Giggs, Fireboy DML and host Dave Chappelle.
The inaugural UK event at Milton Keynes National Bowl welcomed over 35,000 fans with a programme spanning time, space and genre, from Afrobeats to R&B to reggae to UK rap.
PHOTO CREDIT: @themancphotographer
Ms. Lauryn Hill Onstage with Erykah Badu, Wyclef Jean and the Marleys
The Fugees celebrated the 30th anniversary of their landmark album The Score; Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean brought the energy for “Ready or Not” and “Fu-Gee-La.”
The stage got busy when Erykah Badu – who had performed hit after hit earlier in the evening – joined in for “Ex-Factor,” “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “To Zion.” Brothers YG Marley and Zion Marley also joined in later on.
PHOTO CREDIT: @thepinkrosephoto
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Calder Taylor
Kano Makes Surprise Appearance with Giggs
Two of the biggest names in British rap linked up on stage when Kano surprised the crowd by popping up beside Giggs for “P’s & Q’s” and “Rudeboy”.
Fireboy DML brought out the Afrobeats, and the legacy of Bob Marley lived on through Zion Marley, who performed his grandfather’s “Three Little Birds”.
PHOTO CREDIT: @i2i.imagery
Gunna Among Those Spotted Backstage
The big names weren’t just on stage. Gunna, Common, Rapsody, Tiwa Savage, Little Simz, Stonebwoy and Sabrina Elba were among those spotted on the grounds.
We have Ms. Lauryn Hill to thank for Diaspora Calling!, a multidisciplinary platform she conceived of in 2016 to bridge generations of Black music and culture while celebrating what has travelled between Africa, the Caribbean, the UK, the US and communities across the global diaspora.
