Rapper and record exec Rick Ross will join Baltimore-born legends Dru Hill, R&B maven Sevyn Streeter and new jack swing pioneers Wreckx-n-Effect and Guy as headliners for this year’s AFRAM Festival on Aug. 10 and 11.
The 43rd annual event returns to Druid Hill Park—a change made by former mayor Catherine Pugh two years ago, when she also controversially shortened the event to one day—with a two-day lineup celebrating black music, art, community and culture in Baltimore.
The Department of Recreation and Parks announced the headliners this morning. The Miami correctional officer-turned-artist known as Ricky Rozay (whose stage name derives from a former drug kingpin actually named Rick Ross) will headline Saturday with Sevyn Streeter, who performed with R&B quartets Tom Gurl Four and RichGirl before going solo in 2012.
While Saturday is about the new(ish) school (Ross’ fans are still waiting for “Port of Miami 2” to drop), Sunday is for the old heads. The lineup includes multi-platinum producer Teddy Riley and Harlem soul group Guy, which Riley co-founded with Aaron Hall and Timmy Gatling in 1987, as well as Wreckx-n-Effect, which gifted the world “Rump Shaker” in 1992. Plus, beloved local crooners Dru Hill are returning as a headliner from last year, rounding out day two.
Rec and Parks Executive Director Reginald Moore said in a statement that the 2018 festival was “truly magical” and this year’s will be no different. “We are constantly thinking of ways to make this festival bigger and better and we can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store.”
AFRAM is free and open to all. In a statement, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young invited “not just Baltimoreans but everyone, young and old, to come experience a jam-packed weekend that honors the unique experience of African-Americans in Baltimore.”
An earlier version of this post misstated the days of the festival as Friday and Saturday; it’s actually Saturday and Sunday. Baltimore Fishbowl regrets the error.
