Chance the Rapper will take the next edition of the traveling Black Star Line Festival to Jamaica for its Caribbean appearance, the Chicago-based rapper announced on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Co-organized by fellow Chicago rapper, VIC Mensa, in partnership with Revolt, the festival’s name was inspired by Marcus Garvey’s iconic Black Star Line speech, which was founded in 1919 and run by Black people, and connected America, the Caribbean, and Africa to global shipping and tourism opportunities. The festival aims to connect black artists from around the world with the continent of Africa and promises a stimulating day of music, art, food, and education.
The Caribbean Edition is slated for January 2024 and will provide an opportunity for concert attendees to participate in events, lectures, and panels centered around education, enrichment, and cultural diffusion during the week leading up to the music showcase night.
The inaugural Black Star Line festival was held at the historic Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana. Recording over 50,000 attendees, the night featured top-tier performances from local artistes and international performers such as VIC Mensa himself, CHANCE THE RAPPER, Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Sarkodie, Tobie Nwigwe, Stonebwoy, Asakaa Boys, and M.anifest.
Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa want the festival to catalyze the decolonization of the traveling movements of black people. Another one of the festival’s partners, United Airlines, is offering a 5–10% discount on airfares to Ghana up to January 17, 2023, using a discount code.
