Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has criticised the organisation of the ongoing Afro+ Fest in Maryland, revealing that he came close to pulling out of his scheduled performance at the festival.
The rapper made the disclosure on X after taking the stage at the three-day Afro-Caribbean and hip-hop festival, which is being held at the Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland, over the US Labor Day weekend.
According to Sarkodie, the level of disorganisation surrounding the event left him questioning whether he should perform. He said it took considerable mental preparation for him to eventually go on stage.
“Almost cancelled my performance at Afro fest tonight but the fans always a good reason not to … literally had to psych myself to get on that stage… reminded me reasons why I barely accept to perform on these platforms… extremely disorganized but glad at least the fans had a good time … y’all get your sh*t together.”
Despite his frustration with the event’s organisation, Sarkodie acknowledged that the presence of his fans ultimately convinced him to perform.
The rapper was among the high-profile artistes billed for the 2026 edition of Afro+ Fest, which brought together some of the biggest names in Afrobeats, hip-hop and Caribbean music.
The festival, which began on September 4 and ends on September 6, has featured performances from international stars including Wizkid, Davido, Tems, Ayra Starr, Alkaline, Lil Baby, Latto, Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Adekunle Gold and Chief Keef, among others.
Sarkodie took his turn on Saturday, September 5, performing on the Legacy Stage at about 3:30 p.m., according to available event listings.
He shared the day’s lineup with several notable acts, including Tems, Ayra Starr, Spice, Latto and Sexyy Red.
While Sarkodie did not provide specific details about the problems he encountered, his post made clear that the experience left him deeply dissatisfied with the way the event was handled.
See his post below.
Almost cancelled my performance at Afro fest tonight but the fans always a good reason not to … literally had to psych myself to get on that stage… reminded me reasons why I barely accept to perform on these platforms… extremely disorganized but glad at least the fans had a…
— Sarkodie (@sarkodie) September 6, 2026
