We’re a week away from Afropunk London 2017. This iconic arts and culture festival celebrates diversity, community and activism in all it’s forms, and the two day festival sports an impressive line-up of DJs, producers and musicians this year.

To celebrate Afropunk’s return, GIGsoup asked a few of the bands on the line-up this year to provide a list of eight tracks that really symbolise what Afropunk means to them. Today our list comes from psychedelic rocksters Black Orchids, who bring a soulful Patti Smith-esque vocal style into a heavier stoner backdrop.

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Bad Brains – ‘I and I Survive’  (2002)

Black Orchid: Bad Brains. An awesome band from back in the day that for me represent the AFROPUNK movement to the max. When I discovered them as a teen it allowed me to realise I wasn’t alone in this! 

 

Rage Against the Machine – ‘Freedom 1991’

BO: This song speaks for itself, always about what’s happening, pushing the boundaries; freedom. 

 

Death – ‘Politicians In My Eyes’ (1974/2009)

BO: Old school and rediscoverd, how cool is that!?

 

Wax Poetic – ‘Time (Jungle) (Temple Of Soul Mix) Feat- Saul Williams’ (2003)

BO: He’s featuring at AFROPUNK London this year! I love his poetry in this track, existential and truth telling. 

 

Miles Davis – ‘Spanish Key’ (1970)

BO: Afrocentric Miles from the album ‘Bitches Brew’. Love this whole album and love the artwork on it too; quite the soundtrack to a movement not unlike AFROPUNK. 

 

Noisettes –  ‘Atticus’ (2009) 

BO: Awesome London band that’s both soulful and heavy and have featured at AFROPUNK in the past. Shingai’s voice on this track is just so beautiful.  

 

Sabatta – ‘Go And Be Damned’ (2015)

BO: It’s through Yinka and his band Sabatta that I’ve gotten to know AFROPUNK in the way I do. He’s been featured at AFROPUNK Brooklyn, so here’s a lil shout out to him.

 

Jimi Hendrix – ‘Freedom’

BO: Again back to the old school heavy that never dies, another shout out to freedom and this time by Jimi, didn’t think I could leave him out.

 

Afropunk London takes place on the 22-23rd of July in Printworks London. Check out our Short History of Afropunk here. Photo Credit : Austeja Gudziunaite Photography