London Event: Asilia and Afri-Love Present a Tropical Christmas
Creative agency Asilia and the Afri-love blog are hosting A Tropical Christmas: a celebration of creativity and good company. Be there!
'Microphone' Film Trailer + Director Khaled Abol Naga Talks Egypt Post-Revolution
Khaled Abol Naga is a 360 media man. Actor, director, producer, activist, broadcaster he does it all. And with such optimistic energy. His multi-award winning film ‘Microphone’ opens the Film Africa festival next month, where he will be in attendance to give a special presentation. Read our q&a with him and watch trailers for ‘Microphone’.
AfriPOP! video: DJ Sarah Love interview
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 Hiphop DJ Sarah Love. A multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and MTV 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. Sarah Love spins on 7th Feb at the J Dilla Changed My Life […]
Get to know: Tinashe
We’re in love with this geek-chic styled singer/songwriter and producer from London via Zimbabwe. By his own assertion, he proudly makes guitar music but he also thumbs a mean mbira. Like on this rendition of Zambezi.
Afrika.am Movie Of The Week: Osuofia in London
We’re kicking off our weekly online movie series with Nollywood site Afrika.am with Osuofia in London. Here’s a description from Afrika.am founder Chukwuma: One of the most popular Nollywood home videos to date and is amongst the highest grossing and best selling. Nkem Owoh plays Osuofia, married with five daughters he is a deer-hunter in his village. Indebted to many in his local community, and increasingly harassed by his creditors. […]
Mama Africa: Celebrating Miriam Makeba at the Barbican
Finally London steps up to the plate with a fittingly stellar tribute for Africa’s first lady of song. No less than Angelique Kidjo curates a show at the Barbican in memory of the late Miriam Makeba this Saturday 21 November. The line up is a generational mix of legends now and in the making: Veterans Baaba Maal andVusi Mahlasela will share the stage with Barbican first-timers Nigerian pop-soul singer Asa, Guinean singer Sayon Bamba and Ivorian […]
Film preview: Heart of Fire (Feuerherz
Heart of Fire, the widely contested biography of Eritrean/Ethiopian singer and author based in Germany, Senait G Mehari, inspires Heart of Fire (Feuerherz), a film about 10-year-old Awet, girl child-soldier for the Eritrean Liberation Front during the Eritrean civil war. From what we’re told Letekidan Micael kills it in the starring role. Cath Clarke gives a round-up in the Guardian’s First Sight. Shows at London’s ICA on September 25- October 8, […]
Box N Locks video
And now here’s Mpho Skeef’s video for the single Box N Locks. We only hope this means that there really is an album on the way after all these years. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDfLBY6PJrQ]
Mpho Skeef's new heat
Always one to fight the stereotype, “Friday night in Brixton sounds like Friday night in Leeds” to South African via South African pop+soul+electro+whatever-she-feels-like-singer Mpho Skeef. Here’s a first listen for her new joint Box N Locks. Thoughts? [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlcLj5mk4o]
Fela Kuti uncovered
Everyone knows here at Afripopmag we are proper Fela stans. So for us, this blog run by Punch records (the good folk who also bring us the annual Bass music festival) is required reading. It’s got a ton of inside-info from Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu, ‘inventor of Lagos Afro pop art’, friend to Fela Kuti and credited with amongst other things, designing 26 of his album covers over 19 years. From […]
The Listening
AfriPOP! shares tunes with two of music’s most revered crate diggers – Bobbito Garcia and Rich Medina Arriving in South Africa in 2000 was a trip for Bobbito Garcia. (He even tells the folks at friends we love so). Hosting his legendary WCKR Hip-hop radio show with Stretch Armstrong he had some idea about its global reach. But touring with fellow New Yorkers, DJ/producer Mr. Len (Company Flow) and Jean Grae […]
Singing My Song: Loyiso Bala
South African R&B Singer eyes UK success If, like Loyiso Bala, my brother had masterminded one of the most successful Kwaito groups in South Africa, and I had the chance to be part of it, then that would have been my career path made. Much easier than carving an R&B niche out of the local music landscape, which is what he did instead. Just because it’s one of those genres […]
Images of Black Women Film Festival
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 […]
Moses Jones
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 […]
London calling
I’ll admit I’m a sucker for a great graphic featuring some beautiful folk so I almost fell out when I stumbled upon this great feature in last week’s Time Out London, highlighting the best African food, music, fashion and art the city has to offer. If only Time Out New York were so inventive. Then again, that’s where Afripop steps in. Watch this space… _yolanda s.