Kenya’s Christine Kamau to play Festival Afropolitain Nomade in Kigali
Christine Kamau will play at the 2020 edition of Festival Afropolitain Nomade.
Kamau will be one of 40 acts from the music, visual and digital art disciplines taking part in the roving pan-African event.
Rwandan acts set to perform include Ange Kagaju, I Am Blameless, Salim Idibia, Paccy, Charly na Nina, Sintex and Babou.
Artists from the rest of Africa and around the world include Ndabott Family (Cameroon), Fanie Fayar (Congo-Brazzaville), Sultan Guy (Chad), TK Russel (DRC), Mariaa Siga (Senegal), Sage Soldat (Niger), Koudy Fagbemi (Benin), Emde (Mali), Tyrane (Ivory Coast), Sarab (Tunisia), Manu Militari (Canada), Nicole Musoni (Canada), Joël Akoustik (France) and Ekinoxx (Belgium), among others.
Kamau told Music In Africa that she was looking forward to creating new connections with artists and cultural practitioners from the 20-plus countries represented at the festival.
“What appeals to me most about Afropolitan Festival is its multidisciplinary approach with strong artists both in music and the visual arts, which makes it a great platform for unique collaborations and innovative artistic expression,” she said.
“I think there is a lot to be gained from this approach because the African continent has vibrant and diverse cultural expression across the various art forms.”
Festival Afropolitain Nomade is held in a different African city to develop and support initiatives that foster intercultural exchange, promote education and use art as a platform for action.
Apart from the performances, Festival Afropolitain Nomade 2020 will also host panel discussions and workshops facilitated by arts professionals from the DRC, Benin, Chad and Senegal.
“The festival intends to pursue its objective of fostering intercultural rapprochement between artists from the north and the south, touring the major African cultural capitals,” the festival said.
“For the past five years, several artists, 85% from diverse backgrounds, have taken part in the project and emerged from it growing and strongly transformed in their art ‒ their way of getting involved socially as well.”
Festival Afropolitain Nomade was founded in Montreal, Canada, in 2011 by Cameroonian singer Vanessa Kanga. The 2019 edition was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
13-year-old founder of Books N Bros aims to inspire kids to read
When kids teased Sidney Keys III about his stutter, he would pick up a book and got lost in its pages.
“Reading was kind of my escape from my stutter because in my head, I was able to visualize things — and play out all the events clearly,” Keys told Good Morning America. He wanted to encourage other boys to read, and at age 10, Keys and his mom, Winnie Caldwell, launched Books N Bros. This book club focuses on African American culture and literature, and now has more than 250 members, ages 7 to 13, in the United States and Canada.
Keys, 13, lives in St. Louis, and loves finding interesting books and then sharing them with club members. “There is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into Books N Bros,” he said. “It just benefits so many people that it keeps me going.” Keys wants to keep growing Books N Bros, and makes sure everyone is included; people can “adopt a bro,” covering the cost for a member who can’t afford it. Keys’ story impressed the people behind the Disney+ series Marvel’s Hero Project, and he was turned into a superhero for the show. “I always wanted to read books that had characters that looked like me, but I never thought that I’d see a comic book with me in it,” he said.
Source: TheWeekMagazine.com
Black History Month events, poster winners announced
Winners of the Black History Month poster contest receive recognition at the event on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
More than one-hundred years ago, Dr. Carter G. Woodson became the second black man to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. Often regarded as the “Father of Black History,” Woodson developed a career in not only history, but also education and journalism. Today, Marshall University celebrates his teachings with The Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lyceum and at a press conference on Jan. 20, The Lyceum and Marshall officially kicked-off Black History Month.
Professor Burnis Morris, the director of the lyceum and the Woodson Professor of journalism at Marshall said Black History Month is important for everyone to understand their own history.
“African Americans have been left out of so many history books and many people are hearing about this for the first time,” he said. “They don’t know about Woodson; they don’t know about other important events for African Americans. This is a way to reconnect people with the history they wouldn’t learn otherwise.”
Multiple events were introduced for the month of February at the conference, including speeches from Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, the first African American chair of the History Department at Harvard University, and the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams.
Shaunte Polk, sponsor program administrator for the Office of Intercultural Affairs said these events help students to become aware of the people who helped shape American history.
“Making sure our students are always aware of the magnificent men and women who have done a lot for this country over the many years,” Polk said. “This is something that we never need to lose sight of. Sometimes minorities, in general, their achievements are diminished over time or belittled or never measured up to their Caucasian counterparts.”
Polk is in charge of a different events including The Ebony Ball on Feb. 15. Polk said she hopes people use Black History Month events to celebrate and immerse in their own and different cultures.
“When we do this, especially as an institution and celebrate Black History month it gives a sense of respect and unity and embracing cultural diversity,” she said.
Along with the announcement of events Professor Sandra Reed from the School of Art and Design announced the winner of the annual Black History Month Poster Contest.
Kelly Cattler, a Fine Arts student at Marshall was named the winner of the contest. Cattler said she hopes her poster helps inspire and educate more people.
“I just wanted to enter the contest to help raise awareness for both Black History Month and bringing focus to equality,” Cattler said.
Actors focus too much on looks than roles in movies – Veteran Nigerian actor
Veteran Nigerian actor, Steve Eboh, is of the opinion that actors these days focus a lot more on their looks than their characters in movies.
According to him, some screen stars are more concerned about their makeup rather than the roles they’ve been paid to execute.
In an interview with Doreen Avio, the actor stated the problem is one reason for his absence on screens today.
Steve Eboh said actors should be seen celebrating their beauty and culture but most actors are rather seen these days celebrating foreign culture and colour because a lot of people want to be fair in complexion.
“Everyone wants to be fair so the makeup takes a lot of time and I don’t have the patience waiting for an actress to make up for one hour, and I’m waiting for what? To do one or two scenes? The girls want to look pretty that when you see them on an ordinary day, you won’t even recognise them,” he said.
The ‘Love & Politics’ actor noted that in the quest to imitate the white man’s culture, the African storylines, the African culture and the love for African movies, have been negatively affected.
“You know Africans are the highest sustainer of human grace but with what I seeing these days, it shows we are more self-centered. It’s all about me and its all the fault of social media, Instagram, WhatsApp and others,” he added.
Steve Eboh also advised that makeup time for actors should be at least two to three minutes so that actors can be on set early.
He said some of his favourite Ghanaian actors include Majid Michelle, whom he described as one of the best in Africa due to his passion and discipline, Jackie Appiah, whom he says has an emotional attachment to her scripts and Eddie Watson.
Steve Eboh is usually seen playing the role of a father, a titled chief, a caring husband alongside popular Nollywood actors like Ngozi Ezeonu, Eucharia Anunobi, Patience Ozorkwor, Kenneth Okonkwo, Zack Orji and others.
He has featured in about 150 Nollywood movies which include Honest Deceiver, Measure Love and others.
Source: myjoyonline.com
Martell Nigeria promised a Superb Beach Party and Delivered Nothing Less at “Rendezvous With Martell”
On Sunday 5th, 2020, Cognac giant Martell Nigeria ushered in the new year in grand style at the recent All White Beach Party-Rendezvous With Martell. The annual event witnessed a pull of the Lagos crowd, consisting of Nightlife fanatics, Cognac lovers and a pack of beautiful socials- who teemed the atmosphere with vibrancy and excitement.
The exclusive party which was held at the striking new Skyfall Beach front Lekki presented for an amazing ambience with a rare mix of lifestyle and nature at its finest. In attendance were, Media personalities; Ehiz, Moet Abebe, Uti Nwachukwu, Taymesan, Ex BBN stars- Venita, Ike, Top socialites; Sophia Momodu, Bizzle Osikoya, Fashion Stylists; Moses Ebite and Jennifer Oseh amongst other notable personalities.
Hosted by DMW “HypeMan” Special Spesh, the all-white beach affair featured appearances from DJs- Consequence, Paranormal and Last Don, Guest artistes; L.A.X, SettUp and a few others, who thrilled the crowd to riveting music and sounds.
With all the markings of richness in experiences, plush settings and aesthetics, Martell Nigeria has indeed set the tone for a year of all-round audacious statement-making.
Source: bellanaija.com
Alicia Keys is Back & her Album “ALICIA” is On the Way
Alicia Keys is getting ready to blow our minds!
The music icon announced her highly anticipated return to the stage with her Alicia – The World Tour, which will feature in iconic venues across North America and Europe, including Radio City Music Hall in Alicia Keys’ hometown New York City.
The singer also tickled her fans with an exciting news about her forthcoming seventh studio album “Alicia” which is set to be released on March 20, under RCA Records.
She unveiled the album’s artwork and it’s too beautiful.
Check on it!
Source: bellanaija.com
Check out the Awesome Shots From Kunle Afolayan’s Forthcoming Movie “Citation”
Kunle Afolayan’s forthcoming movie “Citation” is in the making and from the behind the scenes photos, we are certain the film will be a hit.
“Citation” will star Haitian-born Hollywood actor, Jimmy Jean Louis, Sadiq Daba Gabriel Afolayan, The Okan twins, Ini Edo, Lola Maja, Temi Otedola among others.
The film, written by Tunde Babalola, is a university drama surrounding a female postgraduate student who has to find a way of dealing with the awkward situation of sexual harassment from a popular male lecturer.
