AFRIPOP + DJ SARAH LOVE

Just before her set for soulful London club night, Pause at Market Place, AfriPOP! catches up with BBC 1Xtra’s flyest b-girl, Mobo-nominated DJ Sarah Love.

A multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and MTV Base presenter, here the lovely Sarah talks about her relationship with Miriam Makeba, her South African heritage, her DJ influences and what constitutes a good look.

WYCLEF JEAN AT THE MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS 2009 PRESS CONFERENCE

It’s a bit 2009 but still a fun throw-back. Wyclef, a lively addition to the MAMAs 2009 revelry in Nairobi, has all but made a home of Africa. What with numerous trips there over the last couple years, and his past and pending collaborations with various artists on the contintent.

As he fields questions from African journalists, he practically gushes over South African Motswako MC Hip hop Pantsula, relays his matatu adventures and explains why a career in politics is not for him.

AFRIPOP + JAMHURI WEAR (PART 2)

For the second part of this insert, Kimathi surveys the possibility of Jamhuri Wear as an iconic global lifestyle brand with Kenya as the literal and symbolic heart. He compares the scene he left to the diverse and bustling one he returns to. Present on both is Fundi Frank, a veteran Kenyan street fashion designer, and a major influence for Kimathi, who drops in to show some love. There’s no way Karl Kani could have known in aspiring to become the ‘Ralph Lauren of the streets’, that his dream would lead to this.

AFRIPOP + JAMHURI WEAR (PART 1)

From a simple tusker t-shirt, Jeffrey Kimathi has grown Jamhuri Wear into Africa’s premier global street wear label.
The Kenyan entrepreneur and designer meets AfriPOP! in the backyard of his South B suburb home in Nairobi, where he has returned for the first time since he left ten years ago.
He describes the formative years, sketching the outline of the Kenyan urban landscape back then and narrating his own personal growth and experiences as he hopped cities enroute to New York City – the extended stop-over where new born Jamhuri Wear would catch the eye of and earn favour with pop culture consumers, tastemakers and icons such as Akon, Jay Z and Ludacris.
The journey comes full circle as the brand touches home ground for the first time in its fully fledged form.
This is the first in an inspiring two-part story of self-discovery, achievement and celebration of young Africa.

AFRIPOP + ZAKI IBRAHIM
Since we’ve taken it upon ourselves to introduce you to the dynamic crop of young diasporic Africans making moves, be it in music, literature or visual artist, we couldn’t help but fall in love with this Canadian/South African singer, Zaki Ibrahim. A soul singer with an emcee’s heart, Zaki’s has performed with the likes of The Roots and South African hip hop group Tumi and the Volume. AfriPOP! recently caught up with her at Joe’s Pub in NYC. Check her out and feel good ya’ll. More to come…

AFRIPOP + MALIKA ZARRA
New Africa Live is a bimonthly showcase highlighting the best in new music, film and art from the continent. Held in NYC’s Zipper Factory Theater the concept was put together by Rwandes-Ugandan singer/songwriter Somi. This month’s showcase featured Ugandan emcee Krukid and Morrocan jazz vocalist, Malika Zarra. We caught up with the two pre-performance. Check out our interviews and meet Afripop’s girl-about-town, Mawuse Ziegbe who’s family hails from Ghana.

AFRIPOP + KRUKID
Part two of our Zipper Factory interviews. Ugandan emcee Krukid was recently tapped for the Rawkus 50, a list of the hottest underground emcee’s. Here he speaks on his first encounters with hip hop, being an African in America, and child soldiers.