Tag: pop-culture

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Djimon Hounsou finds Blood Diamond in December

Djimon HousouThe word is Warner Bros. has finally set a December 15 release date for the highly anticipated movie ” Blood Diamond”. This comes as a surprise for me considering the pressure they’ve been getting from the Diamond industry about how the movie will hurt holiday sales of diamonds. The movie has been talked about for at least the past year, with people on all sides jockeying for position on the issue conflict diamonds. Though the movie stars Djimon Housou, one of my favorite actors, I’m skeptical about the portrayal of Africans. Having read an early script myself, I am not sure if the movie will do justice to the topic of conflict diamonds nor will it help the image of Africans in the public eye. At first reading the movie seems to be another attempt at hollywood to dumb down an important topic, but I’m reminded by a movie industry expert that scripts can be changed during production. By sticking to their original plans to release the movie during the holidays and not pushing it to the diamond industry proposed release date of January 2007, Warner Bros. is obviously confident about the star power – Leonardo Dicaprio plays the lead character – , pr controversy, and possible academy award nominations to push box office sales. The diamond industry in hopes of saving face have also got some star power of their own, partnering with Nelson Mandela to lend credibility to their efforts to change their business tactics. Despite my pessimism about the movie itself, I’m interested to see how this will play out in the coming months. Check back here for updates.

DiCaprio Housou Blood Diamond

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Trend Alert: Celebrities “help” Africans

Lindsey Lohan at One.org event with African childrenA couple of posts ago I commented on Gwyneth Paltrow’s recent ad for the Keep a Child Alive organization. Though there was a lot of talk going around about the sincereity of the ad and even some good parodies, it seems the New York Times, in true hype fashion, has taken the ball and run with it. This weekend the Times ran an article titled “Into Africa” speculating on the trendy-ness of Americans’ – celebrity and otherwise – interest in Africa. The article was a dis-jointed analysis of why “saving” Africa is suddenly a new trend. While I feel the interest in the continent can be a good thing, I know that this particular type of interest can only hurt efforts to change the continent’s problems. Yet again, those who have a warped sense of self and belonging, have turned to the poor Africans to validate their existence. Lindsey Lohan? Madonna? Alyssa Milano? Give me a break!!! When issues relating to Africa are sensationalized without follow-up or perspective, the result can cause more harm than good. Africa has a lot of problems but none of these “celebrities” are able to put it in the perspective it needs. What’s the sense in installing an irrigation system in Ethiopia on your summer break if there’s no one to maintain it when you leave for your freshman year at Harvard? I’m not against celebrities lending their voice where needed, but anyone who will develop an interest in “helping” Africa because Lindsey Lohan says so is only going to make things worse. Africa may need a lot of things, but random acts of blindness is not one of them.

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Gwyneth Paltrow declares “I am African like David Bowie”.

Gwyneth Paltrow As I was perusing the new Fashion Rocks Magazine during my lunch the other day. I stumbled upon this ad of Gwyneth Paltrow, actress/wife of Bono’s humanitarian heir Chris Martin. I must say I was quite shocked. I still haven’t decided if it was a good or bad shock but a shock nevertheless. As someone who actually is African, I am excited to see Alicia Keys’ Keep A Child Alive organization doing whatever it takes to push the envelope and make people realize the seriousness of the African AIDS epidemic. On the other hand I get the feeling there is the usual subconscious pandering which comes from many “humanitarians” who see themselves as saviors of poor helpless Africans. On the previous page of the magazine is a similar ad with David Bowie which seems to be less offensive on sight. The mixed feelings which the Gwyneth Paltrow ad is sure to get will no doubt come because she has been quite private causing the media to create an image of her as an All-American girl to satisfy the public’s need for more information. Paired with her marriage to Chris Martin of Cold Play, her public image becomes even more confusing. While Ms Paltrow might genuinely have a humanitarian streak the ad ends up getting the wrong reactions by the confused American public. We all know David Bowie to be a cause conscious celebrity and the fact that he is married to another humanitarian , supermodel Iman, solidifies his African-ness in our eyes. This should be a lesson to Gwyneth Paltrow and all other celebrities who want to keep their private lives private. You can’t rely on your celebrity to validate your cause if we don’t know who you really are. Thanks for trying though.

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Diamonds are not Africa’s best friend

Kareem_Edouard_Bling: Consequences and RepercussionsFor the past year and a half the issue effort to stop the trade of conflict or blood diamonds has been kicked into overdrive. With mounting pressure from the UN and many humanitarian organizations especially Amnesty International, diamond manufacturers and retailers have been under severe pressure to clean up their act. Having lived off the sweat and blood of exploited miners for years, the issue was recently exposed when hip-hop artist Kanye West released “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” from his album Late Registration. With an intro from Sierra Leonean hip hop artist Chosan, the video was a powerful one which used images such as a woman’s hand turning to blood when her suitor placed an engagement ring on it.

With many grassroots organizations doing their part to force diamond manufacturers to stop making a profit off of wars in places like Sierra Leone and Liberia, the controversy is about to be thrust into the spotlight yet again with the December release of Warner Bros.’ “The Blood Diamond” starring Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Aviator) and Djimon Hounsou (Amistad, The Island). While films such as Kareem Edouard’s Bling: Consequences and Repercussions do a good job on highlighting the diamond manufacturers’ reliance on consumer ignorance, “The Blood Diamond” is a fictional Hollywood-style movie which could either help or hurt the international effort to make DeBeers and others accountable. All reports, though, point to the movie glossing over the issue altogether. We’ll see in December.

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Darfur: Who needs the UN when you have MTV

MTV Darfur is Dying video gameEvery so often African issues grow beyond the continent and makes it’s way into pop culture. In a capitalist society, social consciousness is a commodity and Africa’s problems are not exempt. As with Somalia (Black Hawk Down), and Sierra Leone (Diamonds from Sierra Leone) the problems in Darfur, Sudan has begun to hit the mass media. What has been a problem for years is peaking everyone’s interest. After Anna Nicole Smith and the Lakers, Darfur is becoming the latest trendy cause. First actor George Clooney speaks out and now everyone’s favorite peddlers of pop culture MTV, is playing it’s part in a way only they can, through a video game: Darfur is Dying. Could it be possible that a simple game of side and seek is enough to inform regular people about the situation at hand? With some questioning the rational behind creating such a game you can only imagine the impression “players” get of the situation and Africans as a whole. Forget guns and diplomacy, you too can save the Africans from themselves. Enjoy.

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Ghanaian Twins get Rising Star Award nomination after feature in Black Enterprise Magazine

Roadstarr Motorsports in Black Enterprise MagazineI must give props to Black Enterprise Magazine. For as long as I can remember they have continued to deliver timely and in depth stories about issues relating to black business. The January 2006 issue was no exception. On first glance the cover story, “Great opportunities for young entrepreneurs”, was the usual feature but upon reading it I soon found that it highlighted three African entrepreneurs who are making an impact in the business world.

One of those entrepreneurs, Roadstarr Motorsports, has made such an impact as to be nominated for a Black Enterprise Magazine Rising Star Award. Started in 2001 by Ghanaian twins Hassan and Hussein Iddrissu (28) and cousin John Spio , Roadstarr Motorsports has been making a flashy impact in the car customization culture. As the popularity of MTV’ Pimp My Ride has shown, car customization is really taking off in the mainstream. Not ones to fall into line the Ghanaian boys have taken the trend to another level by targeting only the very high-end luxury cars like Porches, Lamborghini’s, and Mercedes Benz. Their hard work is certainly paying off. RoadStarr MotorSports, located in Los Angeles, California, generated 3.8 million in revenue in 2005 and appearing on the cover of January’s Black Enterprise and now the award nomination, their stock can only go up. Get the new issue of Black Enterprise to see the other nominees.

Congratulations to Roadstarr Motorsports.

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Indie Rock group and Nigerian frontman begin tour

TV on the RadioHaving won the Short List with his band TV on the Radio in 2004, Nigerian renaissance man Tunde Adebimpe is about to have another great year. His 2004 album, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, earned his band praise from artists as diverse as Morrissey, Mos Def and Trent Reznor. But this was not Adebimpe’s first time in the spotlight. His first brush with fame came with his lead role in the 2001 romantic comedy Jump Tomorrow. Jump Tomorrow starred Adebimpe as George, a young Nigerian man on the verge of being in an arranged marriage who suddenly questions his situation after an encounter with a stunning Latin woman, who is also about to be married. The film won several awards and was a critics’ favorite. Following Jump Tomorrow, the NYU film school graduate landed himself a stint at MTV (Celebrity Deathmatch) and got directorial accolades for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ debut video “Pin”TV”. His friendship with roommate Dave Sitek, who was also producing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the time, led to the formation of TV on the Radio. In 2001 they released their debut cd titled Young Liars on the Touch and Go label. But it was 2004’s Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes that catapulted the trio (with band mate Kyp Malone as an addition) to stardom.

Since their debut, Adebimpe and TV on the Radio have left indie label Touch and Go for the majors at Interscope (also home of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs). Their new cd, tentatively titled Return to Cookie Mountain, is “a collection of hypnotic, shape-shifting tunes” that has already earned raves from David Bowie whom they have also been collaborating with. You can see the Nigerian Brooklynite on tour in the US as he promotes the new TV on the Radio album due out this summer.

Check out Tunde Adebimpe with TV on the Radio in the video for their song “Staring at the Sun” from their album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.

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Nokia picks the Face of Africa for 2006

Oluchi OnweagbaOn April 22 the Nokia Face of Africa 2006 contest will have its final casting in Johannesburg, South Africa. Having covered 12 cities since February, the contest is in its eighth year of selecting a unique model who will reign as the Face of Africa. In countries such as Ghana, Rwanda, Namibia and Nigeria, a scouting team has already chosen a semi-finalist. The winner of the continent-wide search will be chosen on August 13 in Sun City in Johannesburg.

Though the contest has been long running, with Nokia backing the efforts, the winner of the contest will gain more exposure than the winners of the past. Only one model so far has turned her win into an international modeling career, though others continue to work as models. Since winning the contest in 1998 at the age of seventeen, Nigerian model Oluchi Onweagba was awarded a three-year contract by Elite Models Management. Oluchi (as she’s known in the modeling world) has since graced the covers of Italian Vogue, I-D, Elle, Untold, and Surface and has been featured in Nylon, Marie Claire, Allure, and Vogue while working with the who’s-who of the fashion world.

The Nokia Face of Africa 2006 contest is being filmed by South Africa’s M-Net channel for its African lifestyle program Studio 53 and will dedicate three programs in July to the search for Nokia Face of Africa 2006.

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African style in a snap

Nontsikelelo The International Center of Photography currently has a great exhibit of contemporary African photography called “Snap Judgments: New Positions in Contemporary African Photography”.

Curated by Okwui Enwezor, “Snap Judgments brings together some of the most forceful propositions by contemporary artists and photographers on how to look at Africa”. With themes such as local responses to the international media, framing the African body, identity and postcolonial memory, urban sites, and the machines and institutions of modernity, the exhibit highlights conceptual art, documentary, and fashion photography; most of which have been shot in recent years. Through the colorful images we are able to appreciate how African people combine styles and themes and create the looks which are our own.

Snap Judgments: New Positions in Contemporary African Photography
March 10–May 28, 2006

International Center of Photography
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
212-857-0000
Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm
Friday: 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10 am – 6 pm
Closed Mondays

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New issue of CLAM Magazine at newstands

CLAM Magazine Spring/Summer 2006The Spring/Summer 2006 issue of my new favorite international magazine, CLAM, has hit the stands in the USA.

CLAM is a lifestyle and trends magazine whose goal is to “promote creativity, concepts and ideas in fashion, architecture, music, design, the arts, free-time, travels and African design”. CLAM brings a level of experimentation which is very refreshing. From high fashion photographs of bustling African markets to multilingual reader submitted stories and art, each issue is an exploration of creativity and inspiration primarily from an African perspective. Though the magazine is based in Paris, you get the feeling that the identity is global. Published by Andy Okoroafor, and featuring contributions from Haitian photographer Marc Baptiste (Intimate) and Nigerian photographer Andrew Dosunmu (The African Game), the photographic appeal is CLAM’s signature. The two issues I’ve purchased are certainly collectors items. Go get yours.