Songbird Uru Makes Sweet Music and Gives Back
Uru, short for Uruaku is one bad mama jama! This Nigerian beauty’s lyrics sneak up on you and deliver message after message in a sweet yet profound way. Her song, “Wrap Up” is catchy but carries a strong message about protecting yourself from HIV. This self determined African superwoman told us all about how she got started in music, her hidden talents, and what she is looking for in that perfect man. » Read more…
Chris DeShield - Poised to take BET’s 106 & Park by Storm
Chris DeShield is a mild mannered man with a disarming sense of humor. Born to Liberian parents in a musically inclined family (his brother, Cyrus DeShield, sings with Metro City), Chris DeShield can play the piano and always knew he wanted to be a singer. This multitalented singer has penned songs for Jennifer Hudson and written with Mario. He has opened up for Snoop Dog, B2K, MC Lyte, and Jesse Powell, to name a few, and has even had a cameo as the boyfriend of the woman that played Eddie Murphy’s wife in the movie, ‘Dreamgirls‘. » Read more…
Assane Ndiaye Rocks the House in Washington DC
Roxana Bangura had an opportunity to speak to Senegal’s singing sensation Assane N’diaye during his US tour. » Read more…
Gerald Barclay - Wu: The story of the Wu Tang Clan
Gerald Barclay has been making music videos for Snoop Dog, Master P, and Nona Hendrix, to name a few. He has also made a great award-winning documentary about Liberia that is still hailed as monumental in the telling of the war that ravaged that nation. He has also produced and directed a movie, Bloody Streetz, that can be found in DVD stores around the nation. His crowning achievement, though, might just be the documentary of one of the most talented hip-hop pioneer groups from the 90’s, the Wu-Tang Clan. The group’s first album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) propelled the legendary group to infamy and clinched their position as a strong hip-hop group from the east coast of the United States. They basically shifted the balance of power that had been dominated by west coast rappers, and changed the way the game was played. » Read more…
“We Have Internalized the Projections of Racist Europe” – Ade Bantu
Ade Bantu is the front man of the musical collective known as Bantu (also known as Brotherhood Alliance Navigating Towards Unity). His music is an eclectic fusion of the rich cultural heritage of the Yorubas and the sounds of the African Diaspora. His debut album “Bantu” featured Senegalese Hip-hop veterans P.B.S; and his collaboration with the Nigerian Fuji star Adewale Ayuba titled “Fuji Satisfaction”, earned him two nods at the 2005 edition of the prestigious Kora Award. Bantu’s positive lyrics address social, personal and political issues and his work with the Afro-German NGO and musical group, Brothers Keepers, topped the German Pop Charts through their uncompromising stance against racism. Bantu now performs with his Afrobeat Academy Band, an ensemble that celebrates Fela Kuti’s musical vision in a unique and exciting way. Their live performances have been described as a soundtrack to the Pan African Renaissance Movement. Bantu, a BSc Electronic Engineering holder, has toured Nigeria, Sweden, England, Germany, Uganda, Ghana, Denmark and France. He has shared the stage with several musical greats such as Tony Allen, Dede Mabiaku, Seun Kuti and the legendary Egypt 80 band; and has collaborated with UB40, Gentleman, Xavier Naidoo, Sly Dunbar and Patrice. Jamati had the chance to have the following interview with Ade Bantu.
How would you describe Bantu as an artiste?
Bantu is a grenzgaenger. He is a pan Africanist. I am an “Afropean”, Yoruba-Prussian musician, producer, singer/songwriter and activist, who uses music to explore and celebrate his urban African musical and cultural heritage. » Read more…
Bamboo - East Africa’s Hiphop King
Bamboo is recognized as one of the most talented rappers on the African hiphop circuit. His song, ‘Bumaye’, highlights the life of Muhammed Ali, and another song made it into the soundtrack of the movie, ‘Primeval’. » Read more…
David Mensah - Crooning into the big time
Jamati: You have shared a stage with Beverly Knight, Alexander O’Neal, Jimmy Cliff, Damage, and Teish O’Day. What was it like to share the stage with such musical heavyweights? Did any of them help improve your style and make it what it is today? » Read more…
9ice - Raising the bar on Afro-hiphop
9ice (pronounced NICE) is blazing the trail with hot dance songs in the Nigerian club scene. His latest track Ganja Man is definitely a hit. But who is this man? He was born Abolore Akande and he started his music career in 1994 with a music demo called “Risi de Alagbaja”. He went on to form a group called the Mysterious Boyz but they disbanded a year later. In 2002 he released two hit songs–‘Ma gbe keke e lo’ and ‘Sayo’—with his newly formed group, Abinibi. ‘Sayo’ was a huge hit and the band members decided to pursue independent careers.
Chosan speaks out!
Jamati: You have a new project with G. Kofi Annan called ‘Bling Is Dead’ which is trying to influence people’s ideas of how they view diamonds. How is that project going and what are the plans for 2008? » Read more…
Drum Beat With Wayna
Ethiopian born DC raised Wayna Wondwossen is a singer/songwriter taking the Indie music world by storm. She released her debut album Moments of Clarity - Book 1 in 2004 and received critical acclaim from major publications Billboard and Essence magazine. She went on to open for a number of internationally recognized artists on the DC leg of their respective tours including Fantasia, Amerie, Common, Bobby Valentino, Jaguar Wright, Kindred, and Chuck Brown. She’s performed and headlined at renowned venues such as the White House (DC), the Temple Bar (CA), the Apollo Theater (NY), the Lincoln Theater (DC), Joe’s Pub (NY), Dream Nightclub (DC), the Black Cat (DC), the 9:30 club (DC), Bohemian Caverns (DC), Takoma Station (DC), the Ashford and Simpson Sugar Bar (NY), and the George Dome (GA). » Read more…
African Events Calendar
Upcoming Events
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February 22, 2009
Race Across The World (RAW Africa) : Sossusvlei, Namibia
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January 20, 2009
2009 Inaugural Events: President-Elect Barack Obama
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January 8, 2009
Capetown Jazzathon 2009: Capetown, South Africa
South Africa
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December 27, 2008
1st Annual Homecoming Jumpoff: Accra, Ghana
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