Arts Beat: A party that invites Memphians to be ‘unapologetically themselves’
More than a birthday party, the Aug. 16 event is an experiment of what an Unapologetic Festival could look like.
The theme for the free event is “How you can you be?”
Dukes explains: “I want everybody to come through dressed as if they’re the artists. It’s a festival, a small festival, a block party. It’s encouraging people to come, not just as you are, but challenge ‘as you are.’ Like, ‘How are you stepping into you every day?’ Turn that up when you walk in here.”
Dukes said the first half of the event will have a carnival atmosphere, with fair games, beer, beverages, food trucks and CxffeeBlack coffee.
Kid Maestro (Keynan Harden) will DJ, as well as Duke’s dad, known as DJ Toby Lane.
“My love for music comes from his love (of music),” Dukes added.
The second half will feature performances in a reverse chronological order of Unapologetic’s history. Performances will begin with the newest act, multidisciplinary artist Nubia Yasin, and close with the first, Dukes, a musician and producer.