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Flying Lotus, Janelle Monáe, Kelela to Play at Afropunk 2016

Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder imprint and LA collective Soulection will both host stages at the Brooklyn festival.
Photo by Simon Fernandez, courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Brooklyn countercultural music festival, Afropunk, has announced the lineup for its 2016 edition, marking 12 years of celebrating black music and culture. Los Angeles jazz-influenced beatsmith Flying Lotus, LA-based vocalist and songwriter Kelela, renaissance woman and Wondaland Records boss Janelle Monáe, and more will headline. It will take place on the weekend of August 27-28 at Brooklyn's Commodore Barry Park in the neighborhood of Fort Greene.

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Among the other artists to feature are indie band TV On The Radio, Odd Future-affiliated project The Internet, funk legend George Clinton, and experimental hip-hop duo Shabazz Places. Two electronic-focused labels will host stages at the event for the first time: Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder imprint and LA collective Soulection.

The theme of this year's festival is "POWER TO THE PARTY," which the festival elaborated in a statement: "Power, it's a feeling, it's an energy, it's the undisputed connection between cause and effect - the best of us give it away, the worst usurp it, but living modern life to the fullest, means either mastering your relationship to it or walking in its shadow. We are not blind … Join the party and feel its power." Read the full thing on their website.

Fans can purchase tickets via the festival's website, or they can do a minimum of eight hours of volunteer work as part of the AFROPUNK Army program in exchange for admittance.

Last year, VICE interviewed the festival co-founder Matthew Morgan and co-organizer Jocelyn Cooper about how the festival has changed over its lifespan, and whether it's been for better or worse.

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