Oprah Winfrey’s favorite politician,U.S. senator Barak Obama, is the new fashionable public figure to grace the cover of Men’s Vogue. Following previous cover stars, Tiger Woods and George Clooney, Senator Obama, whose name means ‘blessed’ in Swahili, at first thought seems an unlikely candidate for the cover of a fashion magazine. Since he was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois on Nov. 2, 2004 in the biggest landslide in state history and became the only African-American currently serving in the U.S. Senate, the fifth in U.S. history, Obama has continued to charm the American public. Senator Obama is currently using his star power to draw attention to Africa’s needs, on a 5-nation tour this week. He touched down in his fathers home, Kenya, yesterday, where he is seen as an inspiration for all Kenyans. Having visited Kenya a few years ago, Senator Obama, rediscovered his roots and made a commitment to the country. With others talking of him running for the U.S. presidency, Seneator Obama is certainly the right candidate to put Africa in the spotlight. To learn more about the Barak Obama’s connection with Africa, read his book, Dreams From My Father.
Can hip hop change Africa?
While many hip-hop fans in the US have started feeling that hip hop is dead, it’s becoming clearer that there is a totally different sentiment in other countries. A major reason for the pessimistic feeling of the US hip hop fans is the commercialization of hip hop culture and the preference for rap which, without the other hip hop elements (graffiti, breakdancing, dj-ing etc), loses all reference and meaning. Gone are the days when there was a balanced view of urban life through hip hop. As major media outlets have welcomed/accepted the art form many US artists have have become comfortable and have lost their focus. The hijacking of the rap element of hip-hop culture has resulted in corporations like Viacom (MTV, VH1) creating a rap culture which has no purpose and looks outside of itself for direction.
But take a trip to any major African country like Senegal and Kenya and you’ll find the music as it once was in the USA. Because of the newness of the music form to Africa and the growing accessibility of it, hip hop is now the voice of the new generation of Africans. What is amazing about the music is how the youth have begun to adapt and use it as a vehicle to change the world around them. More than an entertainment form hip hop is now the standard among young people and as they become more empowered, they put it in song. The accessibility of technologies like video, internet and mobile phones have provided them with the resources they need to connect to one another in real time and develop a unified voice. With all the problems that ail the continent the youth are attempting to make the much needed changes themselves.
I attended a forum last week at The Rotunda Gallery (Brooklyn, NY) put together by my friend Ben of Nomadic Wax records about this particular subject. The conversation was an excellent one with a panel featuring MC’s Chosan (Sierra Leone), Saba Saba aka Krazy Native (Uganda) and poet and activist Toni Blackman. What became evident through the discussion was that the African hip hop movement is a potent one which sees community and social issues as it’s focal point. African hip hop artists are taking the blueprint of US groups like Public Enemy, Eric B. and Rakim, and even Tupac Shakur mixing it with national pride and using it to push their community forward. A recent Reuters article discusses how Senegalese rappers have been able to influence government in the past. Whether by inspiring others or taking the reigns themselves, the artists are hopeful for a new Africa. But the question is will the art form survive the corporate and governmental assaults? I would hope so
Info:Spine Magazine
Virtual game teaches African history to MTV generation
Though it is part of our history many young Africans (myself included) cringe at being characterized by drums, spears, and war paint. But one innovative company is hoping to change the implications of those descriptions. With their creation of a virtual Africa circa 1200 AD, Rapid Reality is hoping their game Africa MMO, a multiplayer online video game, sheds light on the misunderstood continent. The brains behind the Africa MMO game are John Sarpong, grandson of Ashanti king Prampeh of Ghana who runs Africast Global Media, Inc., a company that acquires and distributes a variety of Africa-focused media content, Adam Ghetti, a 19-year-old creative director at Rapid Reality, and Tracy Spaight, a 35-year-old lead designer who studied history at the PhD program at Cornell University and taught world history for five years, to include African cultures. Due to be released in December 2006, the game has already received the Most Innovative Concept Award at the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo). To add to the draw of the game the developers are making the game accessible to Africans on the continent as well. “Africa,” which will be distributed via the Internet, will be designed to run well even on the less powerful computers frequented by Africans in their countries’ cybercafes. While I’m not familiar with online gaming (I stopped playing video games at Super Mario Bros.) I am quite optimistic about the game.
Here are some quotes from the game’s developers:
“We’ll take African mythology, folklore and legend and take all the bits that are somewhat familiar – we want it to be new so that people experience something they’ve never encountered before any MMO before and it’s rich and deep and fun.”
“We felt very strongly that video games can help increase understanding and education about Africa and get the unmotivated public fired up about what is going on with Africa”
“The African mythology back from 1200 to 1400 A.D. is thousands of times richer than the J.R.R. Tolkien series of novels. Don’t get me wrong, he was an amazing individual with brilliant ideas. But that’s been milked for 80 years now.”
Branding Africa for 2010
Before the 2006 World Cup was over, many people had already shifted their focus to the 2010 World Cup which will be held in South Africa. With Puma sponsoring the African teams this year and Ghana making a great attempt to reach the finals, no-one can deny Africa’s shift to the spotlight. In 2010 the world will be watching as our leaders try are-branding of Africa. Long looked at as the “dark continent” the upcoming World Cup has forced Africa’s leaders to consider the immense opportunities which come with such an international event. Whatever happens 2010 will be a defining moment for the continent.
Creating an African film experience
Chadian filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun is dedicated to his craft. Like many African born filmmakers he is intent of furthering the African experience through film. Using his country, Chad, as a backdrop he is currently at work on another film that puts a face on the people who experience the challenges of living on the continent. A recent Washington Post article talks about the lengths to which he and his crew are going to make his movie Dry Season authentic. To some extent his filmmaking style is more documentary than entertainment. His previous films Bye Bye Africa and Abouna similarly put a face on the 30-year Chadian civil war.
Mr. Haroun is one of many filmmakers who are creating great films without the support or existence of a native filmmaking industry. Besides the virtual nonexistence of a film community and ongoing political repression, many African filmmakers also face the challenge of seeking funding abroad with “many international donors viewing the arts as a luxury in times of food shortages, health crises and other emergencies”. Fueled by their travels and a new access to resources not available in their countries, more and more Africans are using their artistic vision to tell stories of Africa as they have experienced it. Last November in New York City, I got a chance to see one of the movies cited in the Post article, Hip Hop Colony, sweep the H20 (Hip-Hop Odyssey) International Film Festival Odyssey awards, winning the Best Feature Documentary award and the Heineken Emerging Filmmaker Award. Along with Bling: Consequences and Repercussions, Hip Hop Colony was a highlight at the festival, bringing Africa-themed films to the forefront. South African film Tsotsi’s win (Best Foreign Language Film of the Year) at February’s Academy Awards has given African film a new life and with more structure they will stand a better chance of getting funding and distribution to the world.
“Africa has such a terrible image,” said Issa Traoré de Brahima, a filmmaker from Burkina Faso who was working on the Chadian film. “And at the same time, we have so many talented people with artists’ souls. We just wish they didn’t have to leave the continent to earn a living. But in some places that is slowly changing.”
When in Seattle do like the Ethiopians do
Gridskipper suggests a good Ethiopian restaurant located in Seattle called Adey Abeba. When it comes to restaurants Ethiopians put together great establishments and the food is very tasteful. If you are in Seattle check it out.
African Film Festival returns to New York
The African Film Festival returns to New York for it’s 13th installment. This year’s theme, Africa in Transition Today, explores contemporary African issues like the effects of war, personal tales of displacement, the HIV/AIDS plague, and the search for reconciliation The Festival will spotlight a wide array of U.S. premieres of internationally-acclaimed films, including Drum starring Taye Diggs from South African director Zola Maseko, which screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, and the U.S. premiere of U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, an exquisite adaptation of Bizet’s opera “Carmen†that won the Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear Award. Other highlights include the first-ever section spotlighting filmmakers from the Maghreb and a program of short films from South Africa that explores issues of sexuality and gender. The month-long event is co-presented by the African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) and the Film Society at Lincoln Center.
13th Annual New York African Film Festival
When: Wed 4.26 – Mon 5.29
Where: Various locations
Price: $5-10
Schedule: http://www.africanfilmny.org
Making Mali Music
The NY Times recently published an excellent article on the Malian music scene and it’s growth beyond it’s borders.
“A Malian music boom that began in the 1990’s, when the soulful vocalist Salif Keita and the singer-guitarist Ali Farka Touré achieved international stardom, has brought an influx of tourists, record producers and aspiring musicians seeking to emulate the stars’ successes. (The news of Mr. Touré’s death on March 6 from cancer resonated around the world.) As a result, Bamako has become a meeting place and incubator for West African talent, and one of the best places on the planet to hear live music.”
This year’s Grammy Awards featured two Malian albums in the Best Traditional World Music Album category. Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabate’s win against fellow Malian Mamadou Diabate for their album In the Heart of the Moon,” goes on to re-enforce the worldwide appeal of the distinct sound and culture Mali continues to produce.
Link courtesy of The In Crowd
Western movies get African treatment
The Christian Science Monitor writes about the emergence of video jockeys (veejays) in Uganda. Emerging out of the phenomenon of homegrown video hall, the veejays act as cultural translators, providing colorful “voiceovers” of Western Movies for the native population. The veejays have gained such popularity as to become local celebrities. The unique way each veejay translates the films have even spawned genre specialists, with some being known for action movies and others for romantic comedies. This veejaying method lends creative license tot the “interpreter” with many choosing entertainment of their audience over accuracy. It’s an interesting article about how some African communities are customizing foreign movies for their market allowing them to earn a living and tap into their creative spirit.
Duro Olowu site launches (sort of)
For serious fashionistas owning a Duro Olowu dress is a true status symbol. Since winning the British Fashion Awards in November and being “discovered” by Vogue’s Sally Singer and Julie Gilhart, of Barneys, the Nigerian designer can’t seem to keep his dresses on the racks at Barneys and other high-end retailers. Models, actresses, and socialites can’t seem to get enough of his Empire-waisted, kimono-sleeved dresses. Offered in various limited edition combinations of vintage and modern ethnic prints, the 1970’s Nigerian and Jamaican-inspired dresses are ultra wearable and highly original. If you can’t get to his shop OG2 on Portobello Road in London,, check out the new site for stockists and get yours before it sells out again.