Freak de l'Afrique and the African diaspora in Berlin

The African diaspora in Berlin is significant, with thousands of people of African descent forming a vibrant and diverse community. It is estimated that around 45,000 people from African countries will be living in Berlin by 2025, with notable populations from countries such as Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon and Libya. For instance, Berlin is home to around 20,000 Ghanaians (although the number of official Ghanaian citizens is lower, as many have German citizenship or dual nationality). The African diaspora is an integral part of Berlin's multicultural fabric, alongside other diasporas such as the Turkish, Arab and Asian communities.

The story of African music in Berlin is closely linked to the growing African diaspora and the city's status as a cultural melting pot. African musicians and diaspora groups have brought their unique sounds to the city's vibrant music scene, fusing traditional African rhythms with modern electronic, hip-hop and club music styles. Many Africans arrived in Berlin as students, refugees or economic migrants, and it is through music that they maintain cultural ties while forming new hybrid identities.

In 2012, a group of DJs, MCs, dancers and event managers in Berlin, united by a shared passion for modern African club music, formed a collective called Freak de l'Afrique. They were motivated to create their own events by their early experiences of significant discrimination due to their skin colour at club doors, and by the lack of modern African music on club playlists in Berlin’s nightlife scene. In response, they held their first event, "Afro Heat", at the renowned Cookies nightclub in Friedrichstraße, attracting 700 guests and achieving great success.

Aziz Sarr is one of the key founders and organisers behind Freak de l’Afrique. He has worked as an organiser and DJ for over a decade to spread modern African sounds in Germany. He founded the Afro Heat party series in 2011 and, in 2016, launched the Freak de l’Afrique label, under which several successful party series were established, including Cirque de l’Afrique, Black Paper, Bantu’s Diary and The Afro House Xperience. He is also known by the DJ names Wallizz and DJ Walter Griot.

Since then, Freak de l’Afrique has grown significantly and now hosts some of the biggest African music and club nights in Germany, including Cirque de l’Afrique, Black Paper, Bantu’s Diary and The Afro House Xperience. Spanning diverse genres including Afrobeats, Afro-House, Gqom, and Kuduro, their music intentionally goes beyond popular hits to showcase the rich variety of African electronic music.

They have successfully taken their events to cities beyond Berlin, such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Luanda (Angola) and Nairobi (Kenya), receiving media coverage and facilitating cultural exchange between local and Berlin-based African artists. Freak de l’Afrique also has a strong presence at Berlin’s Carnival of Cultures, where they host major club events that attract thousands of visitors from across Europe.

Their artistic work includes a stage production called "Wena! A Journey through Afropolitan Musical Encounters", which combines DJs, dancers and visual art to create an immersive urban and modern audiovisual experience that celebrates Africa's contemporary music scene.

The show features music from a variety of African countries, including Ghana, Congo, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Angola and South Africa. 'Wena' means 'you' in Zulu, and the production invites the audience to join them on a journey through modern urban African music styles. Club rhythms are blended with cutting-edge visual art and projection mapping to create a futuristic and dynamic experience.

The concept aims to move away from traditional or stereotypical portrayals of African music, highlighting its diversity and innovation by powerfully fusing dancers, music, and audiovisual content. This reflects Freak de l’Afrique’s wider mission to introduce modern African music to the global club scene, showcasing Africa’s cultural richness and progressive lifestyle through music, events, and fashion.

“Wena!” premiered in Berlin and is accompanied by other projects, such as a documentary titled “Afro Beats Berlin”, which reflects on the city’s role in promoting African music culture. The production has received support from Berlin's cultural funding programmes and remains a defining piece of the collective's artistic vision.