This past weekend, over 20,000 attendees packed the 7th annual ONE Musicfest in Atlanta at the Lakewood Amphitheater on September 10, 2016. The audience erupted as they witnessed the historic performance of the entire Dungeon Family featuring: Andre 3000, Big Boi, CeeLo Green, Rico Wade, Big Gipp, T-Mo, Killer Mike, Cool Breeze, Witchdoctor, Backbone, Big Rube, Sleepy Brown, Ray Murray, Slimm, Calhoun and surprise guests Bone Crushers and T.I. Also gracing the stages were captivating performances by Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak, Busta Rhymes, Gary Clark Jr., Ice Cube, Jazmine Sullivan, Andra Day, A$AP Ferg and BJ The Chicago Kid.
While attendees enjoyed the diverse range of artistry on display, this writer interviewed festival goers and some performers on social justice, Black Lives Matter and what music can do to heal.
We Have a Responsibility To Speak Up
Grammy-nominated R&B star Andra Day said, “injustice is going on in our community. Sometimes the problem is perception. When you are dealing with people whose reality is different, they must be willing to understand that police brutality is systemic and is institutional. You can’t speak to people who aren’t wiling to listen. As an artist I know that love is important. I am soulful, candid, open and spiritual. Love is freedom and love is needed for social injustices to be resolved.”
“I think that as artists we have a responsibility to speak up. When I see things going on that are wrong, I try to voice my opinion,” added Jazmine Sullivan.
Every Movement Had a Soundtrack
“ONE Musicfest plays a part in activism in an eclectic and creative way,” said J Carter, ONE Musicfest Producer. “We are pushing positive messaging and the progressive landscape of the creative community. Every movement had a soundtrack. Whether it was Marvin Gaye, Billie Holiday or NWA. Ice Cube is here still advocating for the rights of black bodies. When you are influential there is a lot of responsibility that comes with the power you wield. No one should turn a blind eye,” Carter concluded.
F-Tha Police is Still Fair Game
“I came all the way from the west side to be with y’all,” Ice Cube said as he emerged on stage. After performing hits, “Why We Thugs,” N.W.A.’s “F- Tha Police” and “Straight Outta Compton,” [Cube] thanked the audience for making the biopic, chronicling the group’s rise to fame, a box office success.
Nearly 30 year after F-Tha Police was released, the country is still in a sad state of affairs when it comes to racism and officer-involved violence. To that end, Ice Cube said he won’t shy away from declaring “Fuck Tha Police.” In a recent TMZ interview he declared that he will keep the song in his live sets due to the ongoing strained relationship between communities of color and the police.
Positive Music Empowers
Drea Jackson, 25, of Baton Rouge said music moves [her] emotionally and spiritually. “Positive music empowers. We are the most viral culture and when messaging is produced by those who are influential it spreads very fast. These artists at ONE Musicfest like Anderson Paak and Jasmine Sullivan speak about self love and other facets that can move Black people forward.”
Atlanta native, Kenneth Harris, II, feels that music is another form of sharing and expression. “Music is one thing that you don’t have to speak a certain language to understand. As an artist, I understand that musicians are expressing where they are during a certain moment in time. Whether it’s the Dungeon Family, Ice Cube or James Weldon Johnson’s Lift Every Voice and Sing, from the perspective of justice we have the power to control and spread impact-messages.”
Music is Church
“As a black man, I am constantly thinking about the condition that this country is in. I have a son. So what’s going on with violence is always on my mind,” said singer, Gary Clark, Jr. “Music is church. It is a place of healing and enlightenment. As an artist I reflect on whats happening and I try to get the word out through my music to make some change and help bring about peace.”
All Politics is Local
Noted Hip-hop executive, Shanti Das, who played an integral role in the emergence of southern hip-hop, gave a shout-out to the Dungeon Family’s Killer Mike for his role in community engagement and economic empowerment.
“The entertainment community has done a great job in stepping up in the Black Lives Matter movement,” Das said. “Personally I want to help galvanize artists to become more politically active on the local level. While this upcoming presidential election is critical, we need to also contribute to changing laws and determining who our state representatives are, our police chiefs, our district attorneys.”
For Das, ONE Musicfest was a full-circle moment allowing her to witness a reunion of artists whose brands she helped shape through the years. The Dungeon Family did not disappoint and J. Carter’s vision of bringing music lovers the best and the brightest acts in a hospitable setting was realized once again.
- Dr. Dionne Mahaffey is an Atlanta-based writer, business psychologist and founder of The WhereU app. Follow her on Twitter @ATLcelebrity @WhereUCameFrom