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Freaknik is back in Atlanta

By Marissa Mitchell
Published  June 21, 2019 11:29pm EDT
Entertainment
FOX 5 Atlanta

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ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Freaknik is back.

But the Atlanta tradition will be different this weekend from the way many remember the spring break party from the 80s and 90s.

Carlos Neal and Tony Wizard with After 9 Partners are holding a multi-hour "Freaknik Fest" Saturday at the Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood. They described it to FOX 5 News as a concert festival.

"With me bringing this name back I was able to take advantage of the nostalgia that people have. But I also inherited the negative connotations, everybody being fearful." Neal said. "It has taken a Herculean effort to rebrand this and repackage it in a way to let people know this is not the Freaknik of the 90's."

The event first started out small but grew into a massive party all over the city of Atlanta in the nineties. Officials eventually shut it down after complaints of crime and thousands of people drinking and partying in the streets, blocking traffic.

"[We] are taking all the best parts and removing all the negative parts," Neal added.

Neal told FOX 5's Marissa Mitchell, as of Friday, more than 15,000 tickets were sold. He added the event will be sold out if it reaches close to 20,000 in sales.

"Love and Hip Hop" reality TV star and rapper Lil' Scrappy is one of the artists scheduled to perform during the event. The Atlanta native spoke with Mitchell ahead of the festival.

"I used to see the traffic from Freaknik come all the way down here," Scrappy said while at the Amphitheatre. "I'm proud to be a part of this because I am still too young to be a part of it. But just to be on stage with people I used to hear on the radio.... just to be a part of that, is just amazing."

Kilo Ali and Playa Poncho also spoke with FOX 5 News. Other big acts include Uncle Luke, Foxy Brown, Trina, Da Brat and Bun B.

Health screenings, a blood drive and a voter registration drive will also take place at the festival. And on Sunday, organizers are planning a community cleanup event surrounding the Amphitheatre.

  • More details on the festival and related events click here
  • Freaknik Fest ticket information click here