Houston, get ready!
Tribeville, the dynamic music festival celebrating Black music from across the globe, is returning for its second annual edition. This year, the festivities land on Friday, July 5, at The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall. The event promises a day filled with infectious rhythms, electrifying performances and a celebration of Black culture, headlined by the one and only Afrobeats superstar Davido.
Osita Ugeh, the mastermind behind Duke Concept, heads the acclaimed event production company. Tribeville unites music lovers under one roof and is dedicated to bringing the best of African and Caribbean music to U.S. audiences.
The lineup boasts a stellar roster of artists, including fellow Nigerian powerhouses Wande Coal and Young John, the captivating vocals of Grenadian singer V’ghn, Trinidadian soca artist Preedy, and the electrifying energy of South African rapper Focalistic.
Tribeville was born from a vision to bridge the gap in the U.S. concert scene. Ugeh noticed a glaring disparity: major venues readily welcomed pop artists, while Afrobeats acts were relegated to warehouses and clubs.
Determined to showcase the genre’s undeniable talent on a deserving platform, Duke Concept began its mission. Their commitment and hustle paid off, cultivating a loyal following and fostering a thriving community around African and Caribbean music in the U.S.
The Defender spoke to Ugeh about the inspiration behind Tribeville and what attendees can expect from this year’s event.
Defender: Why was Houston the best place to host this festival?
Ugeh : Tribeville is particularly unique. Houston is significant to the vision of Tribeville. Houston is a historic Black city that has a lot of immigrants who deserve to be able to celebrate one another and build some unique activities from our culture to our music. After carefully thinking about the branding and our aim, I realized Houston was the best place. If we go to Miami, for example, it will be like every other festival. That’s not what we’re trying to create. If you look at the lineup, you see Afrobeats, Dancehall, Soca and we continue to expand.
Defender: What made Davido the perfect fit as this year’s headliner?
Ugeh : This year, we wanted to go a little bigger. Who else should we put on the lineup that could cut across Africa, the Caribbean and Black America like Davido? He’d be the first person that comes to mind. He plays an important role in the advancement and popularity of Afrobeats. He opened the doors for many of the breakthroughs in Africa. This music has helped unite Black Americans and Africans in the diaspora. We’ve also worked with Davido for a long time, so we knew he would be a good fit to headline this edition.
Defender: What lessons learned from the first edition will make this year’s more unforgettable?
Ugeh : Last year was a learning curve for us. We had to change the venue at the last minute. This year, we are keeping it outdoors. We’re going to have lots of games and vendors. The space allows us to be more creative. We learned that many people flew out of state to attend, so we’re working hard to give them the best experience. We are also expanding to three stages. Besides the artists on the main stage, we have the Obi’s House experience. We have two DJs from Nigeria who have established something unique. We have the Amapiano stage as well. These activities are happening at the same time.
Defender: What advice do you have for Houston’s massive number of independent artists who want to one day be on a stage like this with well-established artists?
Ugeh: BILS is the only returning artist from Houston on the lineup. This year, we considered having an artist called Demola, which we’ll feature next year, but if he’s unavailable, it’s because he has a show coming up. What we need is for them to be consistent. They would come to our radar. A lot of them have pitched themselves to us. We don’t want an artist that shows up when it’s time to be at the festival. Be consistent from the beginning to the end of the year. We want to see continuous growth in your craft. We don’t want attendees to be bored.
We want them to have their money’s worth. Anyone who wants to be on stage has to be visible when marketing their craft. Music is a business. If you make music, you have to push it. Be in the right rooms. If you have great music and you’re not pushing your work, the audience might be unable to connect with you. We’re also looking at stage presence. How much on-stage training have you invested your time in? We don’t want our stage to only be for established artists. We want to be a part of the story for upcoming artists as being one of the first major festivals they’ve performed in. We look out for young talent, but there needs to be a unique selling point.
