For all my issues with it, when i went years ago, I did enjoy the vibe. But i also saw some of this facade creeping in.
It was kinda cool to see all types of blk ppl there being themselves, without other ppl saying anything about it. There were "weirdos" of course, but it was all love. i had hope for my former borough. I didn't even go for a specific artist, hell i was hoping to find and follow an upcoming group in reality. it was just reaffirming what i knew, that we can definately get together and enjoy each other's company, backed up by some good, cheap music.
This wave of stunting combined with the increasing "other" prescance , destroyed what could have been something really good for our ppl.
i think the corny thing is that nowadays, folks are more into being zombies where everyone is trying to be the same instead of embracing individuality. NYC used to be a place which reflected it's diversity. different neighborhoods, different cultures, different places, different stores for everyone even if someone claimed to be "unique".
with all this gentrification and zombie'ing going on, you got folks literally moving to the same areas in brooklyn, queens and etc on the same shyt, same interests, and basically being clones, supporting clone shyt and it doesn't help that that "be a follower, be a clone, don't feel exclude, peer pressure" shyt is a huge business. this is why there's so much monotony in brooklyn now. the CRAZY part about it is that these transplants where they come from have the SAME shyt. it's just in a suburban setting. if you go to where these very same people are coming from, you'll see the same yoga studios, craft beer spots, art galleries, dog parks and the same shyt that's in gentrified brooklyn. yet these same people are moving into brooklyn because they are tired of the monotony of what they see in their suburb.
so with that said, leading back to the main point, you would think that there would be all these different venues catering to different crowds where people can see and explore things that appeal to them and things that don't appeal to them. it's the same business model used for gentrification and the prepackaged culture associated with it (the hipster lifestyle) that leads to afropunk becoming anything as a venue but for black punk rock artists. you would see separate venues for the artists. something for the weirdos and etc but naw, they take afropunk and turn it into a place for all these groups without focusing on the main one.

and all these folks who don't see what's going on are willing to pay all this money to live in bk where it becomes unaffordable where only the rich and those with money can control shyt. you'll see people tossing money for afropunk tickets and not enough to these different venues and etc that made NYC diverse to begin with so those main spots go out of business. that's why CBGB is gone. that's why fat beats is gone. All these cultural spots that are historical in NYC are gone because of that shyt. all these small outlets can't get support because the big business model is around and it's supporters are shutting them down by supporting the bullshyt.
I know this afropunk thing is bullshyt when they got r&b singers headlining. I also think it's wack that folks are trying to market the whole alternative look, get a tattoo, get a septic ring, get their hair dyed, live an edgy lifestyle, be an activist which is counterculture and all of a sudden they are different when they are just doing the same shyt everyone else is doing. It's wack.
Im not even deep into punk like that and i know Afropunk has nothing to do with punk.