{"673636":{"#nid":"673636","#data":{"type":"news","title":"30 Years Later, Story of Freaknik Gets Told ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat started as a picnic for \u003Cspan\u003EB\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Elack college students in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E1983\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E turned into a national \u2014 even international \u2014 party that filled the parks and streets of Atlanta. It turned into \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eit\u2019s\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E now the subject of a Hulu documentary.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/joycelyn-wilson\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJoycelyn Wilson\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, says the release of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/press.hulu.com\/shows\/freaknik-the-wildest-party-never-told\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E: The Wildest Party Never Told\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E continues to raise the profile of Atlanta\u2019s role in hip-hop overall, not just in the South.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt was \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EB\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Elack college weekend, and it attracted folks from all over. It grew into a big weekend for \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EB\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Elack youth and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eartists \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eto come together and enjoy the weekend and each other,\u201d she said.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilson, who grew up in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAtlanta \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eis \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ea Black \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Emedia \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Estudies and hip-hop scholar, has been familiar with \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EF\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ereaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Esince she was in middle school\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u2014 although, the first time she was there, she \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ed\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eidn\u2019t\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eeven realize it\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI was with my cousin, and he told me to sit in the car while he talked to his friends,\u201d she said.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe documentary\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, produced by Lu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ether \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECampbell, Jermaine Dupri,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand 21 Savage,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;highlights \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E in 1994, which Wilson says was a \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Epivotal\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E year for hip-hop. It brought the release of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOutKast\u2019s\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Edebut album, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESouthernplayalisticadillacmuzik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ealong with albums from \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENas\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E and Biggie Smalls. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E was a platform for them to perform and really expanded how hip-hop came together,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAs \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E grew, so did its problems. Amid \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ereported \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Esexual assault\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Es\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, traffic, and safety concerns, Atlanta police \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eattempted\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E to shut it down in 1999. Wilson covered the decline of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E as a journalist for \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERap Pages\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E at the time with her article, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThey Don\u2019t Freak No Mo\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2019\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u201cVisitors were welcomed \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eonly \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eto \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ethe Sweet Auburn Fest, while downtown was filled with nothing more than ghosts of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreakniks\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E past,\u201d she wrote\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E in the August 1999 issue\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStill, the essence of the original \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreaknik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E fellowship lives on elsewhere in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBlack\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E culture\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E at HBCU events such as Homecoming and music festivals. Wilson \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Erecalled \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ethe One Music Festival in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAtlanta\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPiedmont Park last year, where\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E as Kendrick Lamar performed,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E she felt a similar feeling \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eto wh\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eat \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFreak\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Enik\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E once evoked. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOthers have \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eattempted\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E to revive the event in the past. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhether the documentary\u2019s release could spur a\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Enother attempt\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eremains\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E to be see\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003En \u2014 but, as Wilson said, \u201ci\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et could get a remix\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u0022\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJoycelyn Wilson, assistant professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, says the release of \u003Cem\u003EFreaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told\u003C\/em\u003E continues to raise the profile of Atlanta\u2019s role in hip-hop overall, not just in the South.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joycelyn Wilson, assistant professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, says the release of \u0027Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told\u0027 continues to raise the profile of Atlanta\u2019s role in hip-hop overall, not just in the South."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2024-03-21 00:31:10","changed_gmt":"2024-03-21 13:12:48","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"618452":{"id":"618452","type":"image","title":"Joycelyn Wilson","body":null,"created":"1551189983","gmt_created":"2019-02-26 14:06:23","changed":"1551189983","gmt_changed":"2019-02-26 14:06:23","alt":"Joycelyn Wilson","file":{"fid":"235401","name":"19c10302-p76-100.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19c10302-p76-100.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19c10302-p76-100.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":479729,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/19c10302-p76-100.jpg?itok=9TurU-7_"}}},"media_ids":["618452"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2023\/07\/hip-hop-influences-everything","title":"Hip-Hop Influences Everything"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kristen.bailey@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKristen Bailey\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}