As "Conjunto Antibalas", the group first performed on May 26, 1998, at St. Nick's Pub in Harlem at a poetry night organized by visual artist Xaviera Simmons.

For the first year of the group's existence, they performed exclusively at non-commercial venues such as block parties, lofts, and public parks, before securing a Friday-night residency at the now-defunct NoMoore in August 1999.

Called Africalia!, the residency lasted from August 1999 till April 2001, when the club was shut down by fire officials during the Giuliani administration's crackdown on nightclubs and cabarets.

Of the album, Pitchfork writes, "Indeed, where Antibalas' previous works were abridged for accessibility, here they've clearly become more comfortable with their staying power, and more confident with their voice.

Antibalas's album Security, produced by McEntire and released on the ANTI- label in 2007, was "a clear turning point for the band," and Spin notes "they've practically become their own genre.

"[3] Antibalas has performed in 35 countries, including Japan and Australia, and throughout New York City, from Carnegie Hall to Central Park Summerstage to the Rikers Island prison facility.

On August 24, 2012, Antibalas made their national television debut, performing their single "Dirty Money" on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

In May of the same year Antibalas visited Mexico for first time, performing in Puebla "Festival 5 de Mayo" joined by original member Victor Axelrod on bass.

Former vocalist Amayo told NPR's Morning Edition, "Since I was a kid, I was always studying martial arts and kung fu was very central [to] everything I did.