Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa’s inaugural Black Star Line Festival draws more than 52,000 fans

Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa‘s Black Star Line Festival proved to be a success, drawing more than 52,000 fans to Accra, Ghana.

The festival — a combination of music, art and culture — kicked off with a jam-packed week of events that included barbecues, panels, parties and skate sessions and culminated with a concert that featured the likes of Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Tobie Nwigwe and more.

All events took place at the Black Star Square, a monument that pays homage to the political freedom Ghanaians won in 1957 and that continues to be a global bridge between Black people, artists of the diaspora and people of the continent.

“The Black Star Line Festival is more than just a celebration of Black culture and music, it’s a chance for the Diaspora to come together as a community and remind ourselves of the power that lies within us,” says Chance in a statement. “It’s an opportunity to honor the legacy of those who came before us, and to inspire and uplift each other. It’s a historic event and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Black Star Line Festival.”

Chance and Vic’s festival was named after Marcus Garvey‘s Black Star Line, which connected America, the Caribbean and Africa to global shipping and tourism opportunities. Inspired by the line, Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, chose that name for the country’s fleet and added a black star to their new flag.

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