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VIDEO:Watch Buraka Som Sistema’s Explosive ‘Vuvuzela (Carnaval)’ Video
Global club hitmakers and Portugal’s own, Buraka Som Sistema released their first major label album Buraka earlier this month on Universal. The first single off the album, “Stoopid” came out in early May and continued showing off Buraka’s signature taste of dance music across the cultural gradient. The second track, “Vuvuzela (Carnaval),” was released earlier this summer and was supported almost immediately in DJ sets from the likes of Diplo,Toy Selectah, and Crooker‘s. Linking up once more with director João Pedro Moreira, who also directed the crew’s documentary Off the Beaten Path along with Buraka’s “Hangover (BaBaBa)” and “Stoopid” videos, the zouk bass innovators have now dropped the visual for “Vuvuzela (Carnaval).”
Set in the crew’s hometown of Lisbon, the video begins with what seems like a calm before the explosive Buraka storm. Residents grin, as if in on a secret, while a group of people in the neighborhood craft masks out of paper and tape. What happens next is what we’ve come to expect from Buraka, and also the secret to their electrifying videos. In lieu of the street, the group takes it to the roof, where they erupt into kuduro dance soundtracked by the song’s screwed electronic and bass heavy sounds. Without missing a beat, they’re suddenly transported inside an 18-wheeler truck where the masked party continues and the Buraka crew appears with Andro Carvalho aka (Conductor) imaginatively blowing a vuvazela. Watch the video for Buraka Som Sistema’s pulsating “Vuvuzela (Carnaval)” above
WATCH:South Africa’s Motswako Originator Khuli Chana Spends A Day Out In NYC With Okayafrica TV
South Africa’s Khuli Chana (a.k.a. Khulane Morule) is the “Originator” of Mostwako, a clan of proudly Mzansi rappers that rhyme in a mixture of Setswana, English and a number of other vernaculars. The Mafikeng born and bred emcee recently set out on a trip to the US to collect his first international award (for Best Male Southern Africa) at the African Muzik Magazine Awards in Dallas. When we found out he’d be making a stop in NYC we knew we’d have to document the Maftown King’s New York minute. Thankfully Okayafrica TV had the chance to spend a day out with Chana as he embarked on a cross-borough photo shoot with NY-based photographer Gugu Lethu. It was a day filled with firsts– from his first time in an American diner (where he shared his New York dreams, like meeting Jay Z), to his very first encounter with Times Square (you can’t even compare it to a “Joburg on steroids,” he says). The cameras were also rolling when Chana opened up for the first time about his “situation” with South African police last October. Watch this and more in a Day Out With South Africa’s Khuli Chana on Okayafrica TV below.WATCH:South Africa’s Motswako Originator Khuli Chana Spends A Day Out In NYC With Okayafrica TV above.
VIDEO:Introducing French Afro-Cuban Twin Sisters Ibeyi & Their Yoruba Doom Soul
Ibeyi, made up of Cuban-born, Paris-based twin sisters NaomiandLisa-Kaindé Díaz, is an electronic doom soul duo who are forging a new spiritual sound with their debut EP Oya. The 19-year-old musicians are XL Recordings‘ newest signees, and their introductory singles “Oya” and “River” possess a hypnotic blend of hip-hop, electronica, and blues infused with Yoruba prayers and folk songs that will transport you to a higher realm upon first listen.
Singing in French, English, Spanish and Yoruba, Ibeyi count among their primary influences Nina Simone,Meshell Ndegeocello, James Blake and their late father, the celebrated Cuban jazz percussionist Miguel “Anga” Diaz. Ibeyi’s vocal range, which wavers from the raspy and wraith-like to the sonorous and divine, is ideal for their sonic palette which revels in the phantasmagorical groove of liturgical Yoruba songs. Besides singing in Yoruba–which was brought to Cuba by West African slaves–Ibeyi honor their father’s legacy and Afro-Cuban heritage through their percussive production and use of live instruments. Beatsmith Naomi plays both the cajón and the batá while Lisa-Kaindé remains more in tune with the musical mythos of Ibeyi’s sound by weaving Yoruba lore deeply into their lyrics. “River” is dedicated to the goddess Oshun (the mother of the Ibeyi, and their first single and EP are both named for Oya (the benevolent orisha who took the Ibeyi in after Oshun was accused of witchcraft for birthing twins and kicked them out).
In a recent interview produced by NOWNESS, the sisters revealed that the underlying theme of their forthcoming debut effort, which they worked on closely with XL‘s label head Richard Russell, is family and prayer. Though no further details have been released, expect more of Ibeyi’s haunting diasporic spirituals sometime soon. Watch the video for “River” above, and the video for “Oya” here. Oya is out now via XL Recordings. Stay caught up with news from the duo on Facebook andTwitter
Lalesso Unveils Resort Collection 2015
Lalesso recently showcased their first ever resort collection Sultan’s Parade atCape Town Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015.The exclusively summer label, which was recently nominated for this year’s Kenya Fashion Awards as Established Designer of the Year, describes itself as a luxury fashion & lifestyle brand that “supports transparent, sustainable, eco and ethical fashion.” Inspired by the East African khanga cloth of Kenya, co-foundersAlice HeusserandOlivia Kennaway launched Lalesso in Cape Town in 2007 by releasing 100 of their trademark Lalesso skirts. Now having expanded into a resort collection, Lalesso unveils more of Kenya’s vibrant prints and patterns in easy, free-flowing silhouettes. From kaftan dresses and rompers to two-piece beach-ready ensembles, looks from the Lalesso resort collection retain an elevated sophistication even when paired with summer’s most comfortable outdoor footwear. Take a look for yourselves in the above gallery, featuring South African model Aluad Deng Anei in Lalesso.
Photographer: Kope|Figgins
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GALLERY:The World War I In Africa Project
On August 7, 1914, the first shot fired by British troops in World War I took place in Togoland (the German colonial protectorate now know as Togo) and is commonly attributed to sergeant-major Alhaji Grunshi of the Gold Coast regiment. Grunshi’s act showcases rather clearly how the European dispute played out in its colonial territories abroad as well as the active involvement of Africans in the Great War. Yet despite this history, the story of WWI and how it has been popularly remembered has been one void of an African presence.
An estimated two million Africans from Algeria to South Africa were pulled into the conflict serving as workers, soldiers and porters in order to defend the interest of foreign powers. Dragged into the dispute by the yoke of colonialism, battles between French, Belgium, British, German and Portuguese colonial empires played out on African soil, setting Africans against each other for reasons unbeknownst to them. WWI’s impact on the continent was massive. Tens of thousands of African lives were lost. Borders were redefined, economies transformed and people displaced. The consequences of WWI in Africa extended far beyond the four-year span of the war. Yet little is known about this history outside the realm of academia.
As the world embarks on centenary commemorations for the Great War, the World War I In Africa Project hopes to lift the euro-centric veil that clouds memories of the war by re-framing understandings of WWI to include the many diverse people who the war effected and the forgotten spaces it seeped into. Described as a citizens’ initiative by its creators, Tanzanian cultural activist Kathleen Bomaniand French geographer and cartographer Jacques Enaudeau, the project seeks to unite people throughout the globe in a collective exhuming and re-learning of a prolific history. Through utilizing the wide-reaching power of the internet and social media platforms, the World War I In Africa Project looks to engage Africans and Europeans alike through the dissemenation of photos, propaganda posters, maps and other visuals from former colonial powers that reveal a more complex history then the one that is remembered in popular imagination. In the words of the creators themselves,
“The task we’ve given ourselves is not to commemorate the passing of the war, but to restore its meaning. The next four years represent a window of opportunity to connect the dots and discuss the knots, to challenge the boilerplate narrative and change the usual narrators.”
Visit the World War I In Africa Project on their website,facebookandtwitter for frequent updates with media commemorating historic events that took place during WWI from an African perspective.
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GALLERY:Kunlé Adeyemi’s Makoko Floating School On Al Jazeera’s ‘Rebel Architecture
TheMakoko Floating School,a multifunctional schoolhouse and community center located in the Lagos waterfront settlement of Makoko, is the brainchild of Kunlé Adeyemi. The Nigerian architect and urbanist set out to create the floating structure as a solution to overcrowded living conditions, seasonal infrastructural damage from tidal flooding, and the recurring state-sanctioned demolitions frequently experienced by the community’s residents under the guise of progressive development. In June 2012, Makoko’s population of almost 86,000 was given 72 hours to evacuate their homes by the Nigerian federal government with no offer of compensation or transient housing made to residents. Such forceful evictions–often executed without warning–are indicative of the larger social justice and human rights violations carried out by government officials who seek to capitalize on prime waterfront property with no regard for the lives and livelihoods of those who call these coastal communities home.
Though the Makoko Floating School was initially classified as an illegal structure by government authorities, the decision was rescinded soon after Adeyemi and his project were nominated for the prestigious Design Of The Year award from London’s Design Museum. An exercise in human ingenuity, Adeyemi’s prototype is buoyed by floating barrels and locally sourced materials making it an inexpensive, sustainable and easy-to-build structure that has the potential to be implemented in a myriad of waterfront communities the world over. The vision behind Adeyemi’s groundbreaking architectural activism is a simple one: to develop an ecologically friendly urban blueprint that would bridge the infrastructural gaps of shoreline settlements in the global south while appeasing government needs for modern and attractive tourist hubs.Adeyemi’s vision will be featured as part of Al Jazeera English‘s forthcoming documentary series Rebel Architecture, premiering August 18th. The six-episode television series aims to put a spotlight on architects from around the world “who are shunning the glamour of ‘starchitecture’ and using design to tackle the world’s urban, environmental and social crises,” according to an official press release. Adeyemi’s episode, titled Working on Water, will focus primarily on his efforts with the floating school in Makoko as well as his involvement in the development and construction of a floating radio station in the Chicoco waterfront settlement of Port Harcourt, whose residents have also seen their homes and histories razed down by bulldozers time and again. Directed by South African filmmaker Riaan Hendricks(The Devil’s Lair),Working on Water is scheduled to air on September 15th.
Other individuals and projects profiled in the series include the guerrilla architecture of Santiago Cirugedain Spain; Yasmeen Lari‘s disaster relief shelters in Pakistan; and Brazil’s Ricardo de Olivera, a self-taught architect who has constructed over 150 houses in his hometown of Rocinha. Learn more about the Makoko Floating School here.
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WATCH: South Africa’s Toya Delazy Performs An Acoustic Rendition of ‘Pump It On’
Toya Delazy sits atop South Africa’s electro-pop throne as the founder and reigning queen of J.E.H.P. (the term she coined for her fusion of jazz-electro-hop-pop). But back before she was the South African Music Award‘s newcomer of 2013 for her high energy solo debut, the KwaZulu-Natal-born music and streetwear icon was a young pianist/vocalist by the name of Latoya Buthelezi. Toya got her start in the music industry, she told us, playing acoustic music for the punks around Durban’s pub scene. And so when we caught a glimpse of this acoustic footage, we knew we’d have to get Toya behind a piano on her most recent trip to New York City. “Pump It On,” she explained, is the song that “liberated” her. It was her very first single and its video remains her most viewed clip to date. Where Toya is from, “music is not seen as a career,” she told us. That all changed with “Pump It On,” and OkayafricaTV was very fortunate to sit down with Toya as she performed her breakthrough song as a piano ballad for the latest installment of our Okay Acoustic series. Watch Toya Delazy’s live acoustic performance of “Pump It On” above.
WATCH: Benjamin Clementine’s Soul-Stirring Visuals For ‘Condolence’
Benjamin Clementine — the Ghanaian/British crooner with a soul-stirring voice that sounds like it belongs to Nina Simone’s lost son — is out with the mesmerizing visuals for “Condolence,” the first track of his forthcoming Glorious You EP.The four-track EP will be Clementine’s first project since signing with Virgin EMI Records this past January. The road to major record label status has not been an easy one for the Edmonton native who left home at 17 and decided to head to Paris on a whim at the age of 20 without knowing anyone or having a place to stay. While in Paris, Clementine honed his craft singing on trains to anyone who would listen (watch him performing his take of Nina Simone’s “Ain’t Got No, I Got Life” on a Parisian metro) until he caught the attention of French electronica producers Lionel Bensemoun and Matthieu Gazier who released Clementine’s debut EP Cornerstone. During his 5-year stay in the city, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist gathered quite a following acquiring the title “la revelation anglaise des Fancos” (“the English revelation of the Francofolies Festival”), but returned to the UK in 2013 to make his TV debut on BBC2’s Later With Jools Holland. Check out the chilling performance of “Nemesis” that he gave on the show.
Riding high after a year of selling out shows and supporting such acts as Cat Power, Woodkid, and Tune-Yards, Clementine is prepping the release of his next project by giving us the first visual taste off his Glorious You EP. The Zack Spiger-directed video for “Condolence” follows Clementine as he journeys bare-foot through the dry, desolate planes of Ireland’s west coast. The singer’s past struggles and resilient spirit are captured in a black-and-white video that shows the deep-voiced crooner overcoming obstacle after obstacle that stands in the way of him and his destination. Clementine’s unapologetically raw, unrefined voice swells over a pacing piano and howling background vocals as he sings in poetic proses of sending his condolences to fear & insecurities in order to live his life freely and courageously.
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GALLERY: The Iconic Album Art of Ghariokwu Lemi
Nigerian graphic designer, fine artist and illustrator Ghariokwu Lemi occupies a unique position as the creative genius behind twenty-six of Fela‘s iconic album covers. Christened ‘The Artist’ by Kuti himself, the vivid social realism of Lemi’s works created between 1974 and 1993 provided a fitting visual accompaniment to the singer’s derisive anti-establishment lyrics with its cross of distorted collage, illustration and caricature.
After a chance meeting in 1974 with veteran Nigerian journalist Babatunde Harrison who was friends with Fela, a then-18 year old Ghariokwu was given the opportunity to design his first album cover for the musician. This inaugural assignment, for the authority-bashing Alagbon Close, came after Kuti’s mistreatment at the hands of the Nigerian police and depicted a larger-than-life Fela breaking free from the titular jailhouse while defending his Kalakuta Republic from baton-wielding policemen. The whirlwind success of this cover placed the young self-taught artist squarely within the afrobeat legend’s inner circle.
Lemi’s cartoonish renderings of Kuti’s lyrical indictments featured commentary on the social ills plaguing Africans due to media brainwashing and highlighted oppressive policies from corrupt governments. As the foremost visual translator of one of most outspoken musicians the world has seen, Lemi’s illustrated sociocultural critiques were as confrontational as the songs they depicted. His pictorial narratives lambasted political greed, police brutality, skin bleaching, lack of basic utilities as well as scathing takedowns of those with political power.
In an interview with Okayafrica last year, Lemi shed some light on one of his most famous sleeve designs — for Fela’s Beasts Of No Nation — which featured several world leaders as bloodsucking beasts with fangs and horns adding, “I have never received a negative response to date, 25 years on. I just think the art speaks for itself; one can never run away from the truth.” Besides his work with Fela, the highly prolific Lemi has designed over 2000 album covers for a wide range of artists including Bob Marley, Antibalas, E.T. Mensah and Gilles Peterson and has seen his work exhibited all over the world. Click through the gallery here for a sampling of the artist’s most famous sleeve designs for Fela Kuti.
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Okayafrica & Okayplayer are excited to host the premiere of Finding Fela this Friday at 7PM at the IFC Center, with a special Q&A afterward featuring Femi Kuti.Finding Fela, the new Fela Kuti documentary from Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney, begins its North American theatrical run this Friday with a weeklong engagement (8/1-8/7) at the IFC Center in NYC before the film expands to over 20+ cities. Stay caught up on all things Finding Fela via the film’s facebook,twitter, and official site.
For other showtimes and screenings of Finding Fela at the IFC Center in NYC, head here. The film runs August 1st-7th with showtimes at 11:20am, 1:40pm, 4:20pm, 7:00pm, and 9:35pm.
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Our first introduction to Liberian-Italian rapper, singer, dancer and beatsmith Karima (full name Karima Gehnyei aka Miss Annie) comes from her “Bunga Bunga” video lampooning Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Pulling double duty as the vocalist for indie afrohouse duo PepeSoup,Karima struck out to pursue her solo career after a trip to Liberia late last year propelled her to speak out against Italy’s overtly racist attitudes towards immigrants, particularly those of African descent.
Her debut album 2G, which stands for “Second Generation,” takes its name from the popular catchphrase used in the public discourse surrounding Italy’s exclusionary immigration policy, otherwise known as jus sanguinis. The album can best be described as a no-holds-barred indictment of Italian racism as well as a call for Africans on the continent and throughout the diaspora to remain connected to their roots. Following in the vein of her satirical take on Berlusconi’s sex party scandal,2G‘s centerpiece track “Orangutan” is a synth-driven 8-bit tune which makes direct reference to Italian politician Roberto Calderoli‘schurlishly racist comparison of Italy’s first black minister Cécile Kyenge to an orangutan. Clocking in at just under 25 minutes, the ten-track LP also peppers vocal samples from Fela Kuti,The Last PoetsandQuentin Tarantino‘sDjango Unchained.
Karima’s fiery brand of social and political commentary delivered in Pidgin English is backed by beats that draw from a complex patchwork of musical elements, including electronica, reggae, hip-hop, bass, grime and afrobeat. This has led to the inevitable comparison between her and fellow artist/activist with a staunch anti-oppression stance, M.I.A.. It’s comparison that Karima does not shy away from addressing in an interview with Vogue Italia:
“In my opinion, M.I.A is a great artist, she has been one of my sources of inspiration. It’s an honor for me to be compared to such a giant. Unlike Italy, there are many female producers and beatmakers abroad who have certainly served as inspiration during my artistic path. It is obviously natural to take inspiration from other artists, but I really care about my identity, and I try to do my best to express my uniqueness.”
Karima’s debut album 2G is out now via Soupu Music. Watch the video for “Bunga Bunga” above.
WATCH: Wizkid -‘Show You The Money’
Nigeria’s prince of pop Wizkid turned 24 a few days ago and sneakily came through with a surprise birthday drop. The Starboy’s new single is the aftermath of a collaboration with Naija hitmaker Shizzi, the producer behind Davido‘s massive “Skelewu” and Wizkid’s “Love My Baby.” On “Show You The Money,” Shizzi and Wizzy team up once more to recreate some heat on a heavy bass synth beat blended with accents of infectious keys with complimentary light drums in the background. The starbirthdayboy’s savory vocals fashion the track a festive, high energy banger as he sings about money, women and the places he’s traveled.
In keeping with the song’s celebratory theme, just hours after the audio for the track debuted, its Patrick Elis-directed video hit the web as a joint production from Banky W‘sEME and Wizkid’s Starboy Entertainment. The visuals see Wizkid head back to his roots in Surulere Lagos, the “exact same hood that Wiz grew up in,” according to a description on the official video. And in other Wizkid news, the starboy is alleged to have confirmed he recently recorded a duet with Rihanna to be featured on his forthcoming album. Fingers crossed his much anticipated sophomore effort Chosen comes to proper light soon. Until then, watch the latest (potential) single off the release above.
WATCH/LISTEN: Shabazz Palaces’ ‘Forerunner Foray’
Palaceer LazaroandBaba Maraire‘sShabazz Palaces come through with some psychedelic, .gif-style visuals for “Forerunner Foray” off their soon-coming Lese Majesty LP. The new single boasts a myriad of cosmic synthesizer arpeggios, guest vocal work from THEESatisfaction‘sCatand a sample off Lightnin’ Rod‘s Hustler’s Convention. Watch/stream Shabazz’ “Forerunner Foray” above and look out for Lese Majesty dropping July 29 on Sub Pop.
Nigeria’sYemi Alade has picked up massive steam since the release of her “Bust Your Windows”-esque anti-cheaters dance anthem “Johnny.” Linking with Triple MG producer Selebobo once more, Alade’s latest hip shaker “Tangerine” serves as the follow-up to her viral breakthrough. In a new offering from Naija video vet Clarence Peters, the “King of Queens” struts her stuff as she sings of that fresh, sweet, zangy “tangerine” type love. Alade’s debut album King of Queens is set to arrive later this year. Until then watch the video for the LP’s second single above.
WATCH: Y'akoto - ‘Perfect Timing’
German-Ghanaian afro-folk singer Y’akoto has a deeply soulful voice tinged with echoes of Billie Holiday,Nina SimoneandAmy Winehouse that shines through on her latest offering “Perfect Timing.” Serving as the lead single off her forthcoming album Moody Blues, “Perfect Timing” is a bittersweet admission of lost love and missed opportunities. The track’s accompanying video casts the 26-year old vocalist as the Pied Piper of Accra as she rides through the city assembling a motley crew to join the ranks of her bike gang (comprised of none other than the crazy talented Flat Land Boys, a local BMX crew that previously showed off their skills in Blitz The Ambassador‘s“Make You No Forget” video). The impromptu vibe of the visuals helmed by South African director Lukas Kuhne also highlights Y’Akoto’s vision behind the track: “I wrote ‘Perfect Timing’ for all the folks who believe in being and living in the moment. I missed the perfect timing a lot of times in my life but I chose to let go and enjoy the sweetness of being here.” Watch the video above and pre-order Moody Blues available August 22nd on iTunes.
WHATS GOING ON IN WEST PAPUA ⓦ〽️
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#FreeWestPapua⠀
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For almost 60 years West Papua has been under colonial rule by Indonesia. Indonesia is committing ecocide and genocide in West Papua; because they have barred human rights organizations, researchers and diplomats from entering West Papua they have been able to hide the rampant anti-Blackness, barbaric executions, police and military terrorism, and structural elimination that West Papuans face. But the tide is changing. ⠀
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Over 500,000 West Papuans have been killed under Indonesian rule and hundreds of thousands have been displaced and/or structurally eliminated via employment discrimination, inequitable health care, forced sterilization, lack of educational opportunities and rampant anti-Blackness. West Papuans are largely restricted in their speech and freedom of expression being arrested for protesting peacefully and intense sentencing just for raising their West Papuan Morning Star flag. ⠀
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Indonesia and its western exploitative partners have put the environment in jeopardy due to anti-Black and anti-Indigenous capitalist ventures. While Indonesia makes the majority of its GDP from these endeavors, West Papua sees none of this money and remains the poorest “province” of Indonesia. Mines, illegal logging as well as oil exploration pollute the terrain and estuaries with dumping and waste. ⠀
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Please follow our family @freewestpapua to learn more about the West Papuan struggle for liberation. Please also stay tuned here @onediasporacoalition as we will continue to amplify the voices and fight of our West Papuan family until freedom comes. As African peoples no one is free until we are all free; thus, it is our duty to support our siblings in their quest for self-determination and independence. Via: @onediasporacoalition
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#whatshappeninginWestPapua #FreeWestPapua #PapuaMerdeka #referendumnow #blacklivesmatter #SOSWestPapua #wewantjustice #powertothepeople #hearthevoiceofwestpapua #justiceinwestpapua #westpapuaisbleeding #blm #okayafrica #landback #indigenouspride #indigenousresistance #stolenland #decolonize ⠀ (at West Papua)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CROxmW0pey-/?utm_medium=tumblr
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SVA BLOG (Festival de Cannes)
http://filmandanimation.sva.edu/abdul-ndadi/
Going to the Cannes Film Festival was amazing! From screening my film “Orisha’s Journey” 8 times at their Short Film Corner (which is basically a short film festival within the Festival de Cannes), meeting and speaking with Director Guillermo del Toro, and having the pleasure to watch many wonderful films it was an experience of a lifetime! Sorry for taking so long to share some of my experience on Tumblr here’s a blog below for more details on my trip:) Thanks y’all! -Abdul
Okayafrica interview on my process and why I made my film “Orisha’s Journey”
https://www.okayafrica.com/cinema-africa-orishas-journey-abdul-ndadi/
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