This dynamic within the city not only shows in entertainment and business but also is visible in politics and in their communities. I may be going too deep, but I saw all these elements present in this year’s One Music Fest at Old 4th Wards Central Park, Renaissance Park, and Atlanta Civic Center.
Of course, there were a sea of people, mainly Black folks young and old enjoying the music from the several acts performed throughout the two-day event.
I will have a full recap of the event with videos and photos coming soon. For now, I’m going to talk about the significance of seeing Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens backstage chilling with the people. I got a chance to meet Mayor Dickens, he declined an interview but was kind enough to take this photo for the site.
Being in Chicago, it’s kind of rare to see our mayor past or present hanging out at an urban festival. Likewise, it is also not normal here in Illinois for a political candidate to come out on stage during a Hip Hop star’s performance and use their song as a segue to outline their political agenda. Well, that’s what Stacey Abrams did during Jeezy’s One Music Fest performance. The Georgia gubernatorial candidate arrived on stage after Jeezy performed Soul Survivor and used it as the theme to tell the crowd why they should vote for her.
In addition to the politicians, entertainment, and people, there were a ton of food trucks and vendors out selling their products and promoting their brands.
I’m not sure if there are many other cities in the country with the level of Black excellence as Atlanta.
