Afro Saxons co-directed by Rachel Wang Celebrating women of African descent on screen and behind the scenes, the fifth annual Images of Black Women Festival runs between 27 – 29 March 2009 at the Tri-cycle theatre. See the full programme here. Directors and screen writers making really significant contributions to today’s film industry will be on hand to host screenings of their various pictures: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire (Johnny Mad Dog), Ayoka [...]
Almost forgot to say we’re going to this when the tour comes to London on Monday 9 March. It’s one of the more consistently produced large scale Afrocentric live music events. I developed a whole new appreciation for Tony Allen last year when he played with Salif Keita and Awadi on the same tour. (Check Music Beyond Mainstream’s site for more date Always a pleasure to see Tuku and I [...]
TROUBADOUR (A&M/Octone) Rating: 4/5 Watching the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) awards in 2007 I distinctly remember turning my nose up at the sponsor, Western Union. All that horrible yellow branding, I thought, was some of what was so wrong with that shambolic event. Just not sexy. I realize now that I was missing the point. When you need cash sent in a quick hurry from elsewhere outside banking hours [...]
Graphic, gritty, gruesome… gorgeous. At a time when the BBC could be forgiven for playing it safe and trying not to offend sensibilities, Moses Jones boldly bops down the middle of Monday nights’ prime-time slot on BBC 2. Shaun Parkes and Matt Smith (the new Dr Who) allegedly star as two police detectives in Joe Penhall’s unraveling plot of Ugandans living in the United Kingdom as they cope with the [...]
Check out this vid by BBC reporter Louis Theroux. Not sure how I feel about this one but I’m sure it serves a purpose for many people out there. I’m always amazed when British people come to Africa to marvel at all the corruption and crime. I’m equally amazed by white South Africans who are in shock at the current state of South Africa . It’s a shame they weren’t [...]
Here’s an interesting read on the growing (do we still even need to say that?) industry that is Nollywood and it’s connection to Africa’s middle class. “With more than 120-million people, the middle-class market in Nigeria is potentially Africa’s biggest. World Bank estimates indicate that sub-Saharan Africa’s middle class will top more than 40-million by 2030, and Nigeria is certain to contribute significantly to this figure. Source: Mail and Guardian [...]
This should be good. Africa is getting it’s own version of Tyra Bank’s hit show, America’s Next Top Model. Hosted by supermodel Oluchi Onweagba (pictured), the show will be scouting beautiful girls from Liberia, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal and Liberia, among others. Though it is meant for the whole continent, the first installment of the show will take place in West Africa. The winner will score a “lucrative international modeling [...]
This Day media group (they, of the celeb-studded Africa Rising concerts in the UK, US and Nigeria) are launching an African fashion and pop culture mag called Arise. We caught a sneak peek of the launch issue over at Bella Naija. With so many mags folding over on this side, congrats to This Day. The images look stunning. Let’s hope the mission is the same.
We didn’t on this side, but do tell if you did. A few highlights: D’banj won best both the artist of the year award and the best male award. Kenyan singer Wahu (pictured) won for best female Naeto C won best new act. 9ice won the best Hip-hop award. Nigerian duo P-Square won best group South African hip hop group Jozi won for the best live performers. I would have [...]
Our London massive is already up on this online mag dedicated to black arts and culture started by Alice Gbelia, a sister originally from Cote d’Ivoire. She calls it the “black Time Out.” “We pick the events we list, and favour “conscious” events that give a positive image of Africa, the Caribbean and the diaspora. We are not “urban” (I hate that word). We also have features and film, music [...]
