Akon is gearing up to introduce Atlanta’s first annual Jollof Music and Food Festival in partnership with the racial justice organization Color of Change.
The family-friendly cultural celebration takes place on Saturday, July 23, at Piedmont Park featuring Afrobeat and Caribbean DJs alongside live music performances, food, art, dance, and more. Akon will judge a Jollof contest on the day with a team of notable chefs.
As explained by festival organizers, “Jollof is a one-pot rice dish that continues to be an ongoing rivalry between West African countries such as Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.”
A portion of the festival’s proceeds will benefit Akon Lighting Africa, a project he launched in 2014 to provide electricity by solar energy in Africa. Tickets for the Jollof festival are available here.
The inaugural Jollof and Music Festival will feature entertainment from some top names in the music industry. Akon shared a trailer for the event teasing some of the day’s performers. They include Rotimi, “Drogba (Joanna)” hitmaker Afro B, Amapiano viral hitmaker Nektunez Nana Hofi, Focalisti, Salma Slims, and more.
Akon will also host an Afrobeat bootcamp, while Color of Change will produce a Black Men’s 3×3 basketball tournament.
“I am happy to join my partners on bringing diverse culinary cuisines from the continent of Africa to Atlanta as well as highlighting Afro Beats, a genre of music that is dominating the charts,” said Jacob York, the festival’s co-founder.
Akon Explains Why He’s Launched The Jollof Festival In Atlanta
“We wanted to highlight the power of the West African culture through the Atlanta Jollof and Music Festival,” said Akon. “Now more than ever, our food and music has reached mainstream, and our influence can be felt globally. My partners and I wanted to bring a piece of this to Atlanta.”
When launching Lighting Africa, Akon revealed, “We’re targeting strictly solar energy for the rural areas of Africa. Solar is the future so why not, if you’re gonna rebuild Africa, rebuild it for the future. It doesn’t make sense to go back and do what everyone’s trying to upgrade.”
