The Afropunk Festival is returning to Brooklyn’s Commodore Barry Park for the 8th Annual Afropunk Festival on August 25-26. The 2012 festival brings together its most stellar musical line-up yet, featuring a diverse mix of performers including  Erykah Badu featuring the Cannibanoids, TV on the Radio, Gym Class Heroes, Alice Smith, Janelle Monae, Das Racist, Skindred, Toro Y Moi, Sinkane, Reggie Watts, Spank Rock, Ninjasonik, Toshi Reagon, Straight Line Stitch, The Memorials, Bad Rabbits, Gordon Voidwell, Cerebral Ballzy, Phony Ppl, Body Language, Sinkane, Flatbush Zombies, Radkey, Joe Jordan Experiment (JJX), Purple Ferdinand,  and DJs The Supasonics, Grits and Biscuits, DJ Pete Smoke Les, Roofeo and VENUS X GHE20GOTH1K. In addition to the stellar musical line up – the fest will feature over a dozen of NYC’s hottest food trucks for the Bites & Beats Food Truck Festival, bringing cuisine from around the world and the 5 boroughs.  The line up includes: Rickshaw Dumpling, Mexicue, Eddie’s Pizza, Green Pirate Juice, Korilla BBQ, Kelvin Natural Sushi Co., Valducci’s Pizza, Bian Dang Taiwanese, Fishing Shrimp, Frites N Meats, Snap, Gorilla Cheese Truck, Morris Grilled Cheese, Jamaican Dutchy, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Wooly’s Ice, Taim Falafel, Desi Food Truck, Cupcake Crew, plus more!The AFROPUNK SPINTHRIFT MARKET will feature over 80 local artists and artisans offering fashion, crafts and art with a fresh alternative perspective. Come ready to support the DIY community at the hottest market of the summer showcasing the dynamic talent and energy of the Afro-Punk family. Vendors include Junkprints, Biddies & Blokes Secondhand Garb, Funkydada, Martine's Dream, Nakimuli, Made By Toti, The Meat Market, Wonder Lee, Noir A-Go Go, Kings Rule Together, BKLYN BOIHOOD, Dallas & Dynasty, Kelly Horrigan Handmade, Shawng Original, Candid Art, Robin's All Natural, Melody's Addiction + More!Adding to the fun is a custom bike show with some of the best motorcycles around!  Gentleman’s Shop and Denim and Chrome will present a custom motorcycle show at the festival that will include bikes by Chaos Cycle, Indian Larry Legacy, M & D Performance, Industry Customs, Steve Iacona, and many others! In addition, Nike Battle For the Streets Skate Competition will feature the nation’s best amateur skaters in a competition to be judged by top professionals and hosted by Alex Corporan and Billy Rohan. Described by the New York Times as putting “rock and rebellion squarely in the category of African-American music,” the Afropunk Fest has become a Brooklyn institution and the focal point for the burgeoning Afropunk movement. Over the past eight years, the festival has presented new artists before they hit it big, such as Grammy-nominated Santigold, The Noisettes and Janelle Monae.  Afropunk mainstays such as Mos Def, Bad Brains, Saul Williams, The Dirtbombs, and TV on the Radio have also graced AFROPUNK’s stages.  In addition, the festival is renowned for its pioneering lifestyle sports competition in the heart of Brooklyn. Regrettably, last year’s festival was cancelled due to Hurricane Irene. The storm almost put an end to the Afropunk Festival, but through the organizations’ dedication and hard work, and the support of this year’s sponsors which include Nike, vitaminwater, Kind Snacks, and media sponsors The Fader, WNYC, and Yelp, the festival is back delivering the best music, food, culture and sports—and still free to the public! Afropunk was founded in 2002 wås on giving a voice to thousands of multicultural kids considered outsiders in their communities.  Today, the notion of Afropunk has evolved and comprises a particular force within greater youth culture.  Afropunkers are creative, expressive people who speak through music, art, film, sports, fashion, photography and more.