All production, aside from a few jacked beats, comes courtesy of the artist himself. Collaborating with Selasi throughout the project are Raekwon, Gucci Mane, Jagged Edge, Young Dro, Killer Mike, Cyhi Da Prince and more! Download Mixtape

Selasi – Coming to America Tracklist

01. Skit

02. Intro

03. Police

04. Keep On (ft. Raekwon)

05. Skit

06. Beat It Up (ft. T-Man & Young Dro)

07. Ghetto Girls Remix (ft. Rasheeda)

08. Soulja (ft. Cyhi Da Prince)

09. Skit

10. Way Ova Here (ft. Gucci Mane)

11. Last Call (Remix) (ft. Jagged Edge, Selasi & 2tymes)

12. Skit

13. Dreamer feat. Tommy Nova

14. Always Strapped

15. Woke Up (Remix) (ft. Killa Mike)

16. Skit

17. Buy Me A Round (ft. Tommy Nova)

18. Skit

19. Money (ft. Big Duke) (Boyz n Da Hood)

20. Ghetto Girls (ft. Rasheeda)

Mirash stepped into the spotlight when she won a runner-up position in the second season of M-net Face of Africa, in 2006. She was also a contestant on the third season of the reality modeling competition Revlon Supermodel, which aired on SABC3 from November to December, 2007. Before that, she had some previous modeling experience in Model of the Universe Ghana 2005 and Model of West Africa 2005.

Since moving to Sweden with her beloved Fredrik, Mirash has been working with a Swedish agency in Stockholm. She took a short break in her career during her pregnancy and is now back on the modeling scene in Sweden and the rest of Europe. Her most recent works were for a major German clothing line and an internationally renowned Swedish designer brand. She also recently hit the runway in South Africa for the 2010 African Fashion Week.

She is currently preparing to go to London for another fashion week in September but this time perhaps as Mirash Westlund. “I love my work and am thrilled to be able to combine it with being a mother”, comments Mirash.

Red Carpet Appearances
JIM IYKE
JERRY AMILO
MONALISSA CHINDA
OGE OKOYE
EMMANUEL EHUMADU (TOTOLOS)
BOBBY OGOLOMA
GANIU UMORU (TRYBSON DUDUKOKO)

FOR TICKETS TO ATTEND ANY OF THESE EVENTS GIVE OUR TEAM A CALL

07882766294/ 07931664111/ 07538600301 / 07529722128

VIVACITY PR

COMEDY:
- JULIUS AGWU, – I GO DIE
- SEYI LAW, – PRINCESS
- WALE GATES, – TEJU BABYFACE
- SENATOR,- HELEN PAUL
- TUNDE EDNUT, – DAN D HUMOUROUS
- FUNNY BONE

MUSIC:
KC PRESH, ANOGIRI, JAYWON

DEEJAYS:

DJ ABASS, OSA JATT

Special Guest Appearance by – FUNKE ‘Jenifa’ AKINDELE

TIME: Doors Open 7pm, Show starts 7.30pm prompt

TICKETS:
Standard – £25 (Downstairs Seating), Standard: £35 (Upstairs Seating), VIP: £50 (Upstairs Balcony Table Seating). VVIP: £75 (Front of Stage Table Seating – Pls call 07946811253)

ONLINE TICKET BOOKINGS: www.ticketmania.co.uk.

Labor of Love

This year he promises to provide an event so big and exciting, that  the only venue that could hold it is the well known Club Love.  This joint venture is being promoted by some of the hottest promoters on the African diaspora scene including DJ Chick and Friends, Mdosi, Rob Defination and Soso Selective Entertainment, TMI Entertainment, All African Promotions, Mambo Jambo, S&S Promotions, Groove Entertainment, and DMK Entertainment, to name a few.

The crowd promises to be an eclectic crowd representing all four corners of the African continent.  Music will be on five floors so you are welcome to go to the different floors and sample each style of music.  Genge, high life, zouk, soukous, and benga are some of the sounds that you are sure to be introduced to.

To get your party on, call 202-905-9570, 443-413-4808, or 301-943-5005.  You can also visit any one of the websites linked above and reserve your tables.  Labor of Love will be this Saturday, September 4 at Club Love, 1350 Okie Street, NE, Washington DC 20002.  Doors open at 9 p.m.

Lonzo Nzekwe

Jamati: “Anchor Baby” addresses illegal immigration and the babies that are born in this situation. What is the message you hope to send with this movie?

‘Anchor Baby’ is a term mostly used for babies born by illegal immigrants and other non- citizens in the United State. The movie is a highly emotional story of a Nigerian illegal immigrant couple on a daring journey to achieve the American Dream for their unborn child.

A lot of times, people forget that these illegal immigrants are humans who want the same good things in life, just like everyone else. This movie will help humanize it and also show the struggles they go through and what motivates someone to take such drastic steps to achieve that goal. It also paints a vivid picture of the kids, who are the actual victims under these circumstances. Hopefully, it will raise discussions to address the main reasons why someone will leave their home country to [go to] another, and then go through that struggle in order to give their child a better life.

Jamati: It is impressive that a first-time director could attract such heavyweight talent (Omoni Oboli, a darling of Nollywood; Sam Sarpong, a heavyweight on several fronts in Hollywood; and Terri Oliver, a singer with a huge following). How difficult or easy was it to get them to buy-in to the idea of the movie with a relatively unknown writer/producer/director?

First of all, I’ll say it was the script. It is a very strong story that resonated with almost everyone that read it. Sam was the first person I sent the script to, to see if he’d like to do the movie. He told me that he’ll get back to me in two weeks. So, I thought to myself, “He’s gonna give me that Hollywood treatment.” Then, in about one week, he calls me back and was very excited. He said he read the script and felt the pain in it. He connected with the character Paul right away and also said that the story was unlike anything he’s ever done in the past.

As per Omoni, I told a friend of mine about my intentions to get a strong female for the role of Joyce and he suggested Omoni Oboli to me. At that time, I didn’t know who she was because she wasn’t in a lot of Nollywood movies. I got my hands on a few of her movies on DVD and when I watched them, I saw in her, a woman with a great talent. We spoke and I sent her a script and I intentionally removed the climax. I did that to see how interested she’ll be. As soon as she read it, she called me back and was very excited too. She wanted to know what happened from where I cut the script. I told her, she’ll have to do the movie if she wants to know what happened. After she agreed to do the film, I sent her the final script and it blew her mind.

I booked Terri Oliver through the audition we had in Toronto. I was actually gonna use another brilliant actress for the role of Susan in the movie, but as soon as Terri came into the audition room, she took over the character. She had the look, the charisma and she convinced everyone in the room that she was that character. I had no choice but to pick her for the role of Susan. Though I was a relatively unknown writer, director and producer, it wasn’t too difficult to convince them because the script was very strong with twists and turns that they all loved. The story, and my being new in the game was never an issue. As a matter of fact, “Anchor Baby” is my first time writing, directing and producing a movie. I had never been on a film set prior to making “Anchor Baby“.

Jamati:  So how did you learn filmmaking.

I am a self-taught filmmaker. I taught myself how to write a script by buying the software and playing with it till I figured it out. I bought a DVD called “2 Day Film School” by DOV Simmens and studied it religiously.  I also read books and watched a lot of movies and their “behind the scenes” which shows how the movie was made. That’s how I learned how to direct and produce movies.

Jamati: That’s interesting. What were some of the challenges you faced in making the movie?

I would have to say financing the movie was a major challenge because I didn’t have any track record to show any financier, so I had to use personal funds and also got some help from close family members. Another big challenge was bringing my two leading stars (Omoni Oboli and Sam Sarpong) from Nigeria and the USA to Canada for the movie. Due to delays in travel arrangements, Omoni and Sam came in just a few days before we started principal photography.

Lonzo Nzekwe

I was a bit worried with the whole situation, but everything worked out fine in the end. They arrived at the airport the same day and almost at the same time. To tell you how serious and professional they are, as I picked them up at the airport they brought out their scripts and started rehearsing right there in the car. I’m talking about serious
rehearsal; not a regular read through. I had to stop them after a few minutes. They just got off a very long flight from Nigeria and Los Angeles respectively and still got the strength to rehearse. That moment, was when I had my first insight on how passionate they feel about their work and the project.

Jamati:  Copyright issues and bootleg distributions seem to plague independent producers/publishers, especially in Africa. What measures would you recommend that people take to ensure that they get paid for their work?

That’s a tough one because it is a major problem all over the world. The only thing I can think of is that the government should set up a strong body to tackle the problem to reduce piracy. I don’t think the problem can be completely eradicated, but I believe it can be controlled to a certain level. That’s the more reason why Nigerians, and Africans as a whole, should support the Cinema industry. It’s making a comeback now, especially in Nollywood. If a producer can screen their movies in the theater prior to the DVD release, chances  are that he’ll recoup some, if not [a] majority of his budget before going to DVD release when everything gets out of control. That’s how it’s generally done all over the world and the earlier we embrace that culture the better for everyone.

Jamati: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future? Any new projects that our audience can anticipate?

I was writing a treatment to another movie prior to getting the idea for Anchor Baby; so I placed it on hold. Now that Anchor Baby is done, I’m now focused on finishing that script. I am looking forward to working with more talented actors in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. I also hope to work with more established actors in Hollywood as I advance in this career. One thing I love the most is working with a talented underdog actor/actress because I can relate to that easily.

Jamati: Thank you for such great insight into what promises to be a very interesting movie experience for our audience.

You are welcome.  Please visit our website or the Facebook page to learn more about the movie, the actors, and the release date.

Kuf Sweet Mother Shirt

“Africa is the Future”, “I Wear African” “DRC Clothing ” etc are just a few of the African inspired clothing lines that have allowed Africans (especially in the diaspora) to show their African pride. For two years, Ghanian clothing line “Kayobi” has been taking it a step further with its politically-charged-meets sometimes -humorous statements such as “Make Fufu not War” (which happens to be one of its bestselling tshirts). Founder and creator of the line, Kwabena Boateng spoke to Jamati Online about the beginnings of the brand, its unique selling points, and the future.

Jamati: When was Kayobi started and why?

Kwabena: Kayobi has always been an idea I had when growing up, being in a big family of seven boys, clothing was an important part of my life. In high school, I inscribed my initials KOB (Kwabena Oppong Boateng) on everything from folders, books, and shoes, and even got a silver dog tag custom-made with that inscription. It was when my little brother who had the same initials stole the dog tag from me that I realized I was onto something special. Fast forward to Accra Ghana on 08.08.08[August 8, 2008] when all the years of ideas and planning finally led to the printing of our first design ‘piece in Africa’.

Jamati: What does Kayobi mean?

Kwabena: The word ‘Kayobi’ translates from Japanese as ‘Tuesday’, this is in reference to my name Kwabena Oppong Boateng. Kwabena is the Twi name given to a child born on a Tuesday in the Akan Tribes of Ghana, coincidentally ‘Kayobi’ sounded phonetically similar to my initials ‘KOB’. Why a Japanese word? I have always had a love for the Japanese design and art aesthetic. ‘Kayobi’ therefore was the perfect play on words.

What it means personally to me is to chase one’s passion, and to never give up on a dream or idea however crazy or hard it may seem.

Jamati: As you know,there are many tshirt brands relating to africa such as “Africa is The Future” ,”I Am Africa” and ‘Jamhuri Wear” etc..how does Kayobi differ?

Kwabena: I think all the brands have something to bring to the table and Jamhuri Wear and Africa is the Future have been around for a while and have a large following. I think what differentiates Kayobi from these brands is mainly the fact that are brand is mainly image driven and have strong socio – political and cultural underpinnings. Despite these serious messages there is always a lighthearted aspect to our clothing.

Kayobi is also probably the only Africa streetwear brand which has dabbled in Accessories (bags and iphone/ipod cases 09 collection) and Canvas Art.

All our designs are available are limited edition hand screen printed art. We will also be releasing protective phone and laptop skins very soon so keep your fingers crossed.

Fufu Billboard

Jamati: We see  that you have an interest in politics and sociology. Did that help shape the message of your shirts? I have noticed that they are like political statements/slogans especially the “Make Fufu not war” and “Weapons of Mass Destruction”.

Kwabena: I studied politics and sociology at the University of London, I have worked in the UK Parliament, Civil Service and briefly at the Foreign Service of Ghana. I strongly believe everyone should have a profession and a passion. My profession is in public policy and research and my passion is in fashion. Some are lucky and have a profession that is their passion. I simply decided to teach myself photoshop and illustrator whilst learning everything about fashion. Kayobi believes in chasing dreams and seeking eternity.

I guess unconsciously allot of my our designs have a political slant but our intention was not to create a political clothing line but rather one that will provoke thought, questions or discourse about the positive aspects of Africa and its people. Each Kayobi shirt is not only a piece of art but a billboard for the United States of Africa Brand. We have purposely kept our brand name ‘Kayobi’ and logos hidden from the focal images of our designs to make the message ‘king’ and not the brand name. Everyone who purchases our t-shirts officially becomes an ambassador of Brand USA.

We believe we can make a lasting change through our clothing and hope to start donating a portion of our profits towards African or Diaspora related charities in the near future.

Jamati: Describe Kayobi in three words.

Kwabena: African, Inspired, Dopeness

Jamati:Would you say that virally promoting your brand with the videos we have seen on the Kayobi group  facebook page is part of your marketing strategy?

Kwabena: The Kayobi Marketing strategy is very people-based. As much as possible I try to have a personal connection with all my customers. This starts with all our shirts being hand-printed (sometimes by myself), print our packaging, and there is a hand written personal thank you message added to every order. Due to this attention to detail, our customers are our biggest marketing tool. The company is mainly an online-based entity, hence the reliance on viral marketing and social media tools such videos and blogs. We hope to bring more entertaining and thought provoking content to our facebook and twitter followers very soon .

Jamati: Why do you think the “Make Fufu Not War” shirt  is one of your biggest sellers?

Kwabena: I think it’s a biggest seller because most people are amused, confused or shocked when they see it. People are used to t-shirts with saying ‘Make Love Not War’ or the Johnny Cupcakes shirt,  ‘Make Cupcakes Not War’ which I based our shirt on, but no one expected FUFU to join the equation. Its just hilarious;  fufu sounds like a funny word and I am certain many Africans who grew up in the West in the eighties were teased about eating fufu. We simply made fufu cool for Africans and accessible to none Africans with a reference to a hippie pop culture saying.

Jamati: Tell us about the summer collection. How does it differ from the previous one?

Kwabena: Our summer collection does not differ greatly from our previous 2009 collection because most of the designs were created just before I moved from Ghana to the UK in the  summer of 2009. Hence the designs were only available to friends and family. We spent most of 2009 setting up the brand in the UK and decided to introduce the brand to the West by adding new color ways and a handful of new designs that were not previously available such as the “Make EBA Not War” t-shirts. There is a greater emphasis on quality in our summer collection, we introduced our 100% Turkish cotton shirts for women, introduced seam tags and printed tags with hidden messages that only customers that have purchased from us in 2010 will know about.

Jamati: Where do you see the brand expanding in the next few years?

In the next five years we hope to introduce our men’s cut and sew line which I predict will turn African menswear on it beer belly. On a more serious note, we hope to have a greater presence in Nigeria and South Africa and introduce more accessories to the Kayobi brand. Kayobi celebrated 2 years as a brand on the 8^th of August and, by our 7^th anniversary,  we hope the brand will have grown into a Classic African Brand and a story of triumph for young Africans with a dream.

Get your tshirt at the website. We will definitely be rocking ours soon!

This powerful sound was not just from the quality of the voices that were showcased on the night but the quality of the sound that came from the speakers, microphones, guitars and indeed all the instruments on display. As the two complimented each other so beautifully, all that patrons could do was to savour in the delightful experience.

The Decibels experience started with a simple melody to a poetic recital by Crystal Tetteh, accompanied by her mother and some nomadic strings. Soon after the pair left, it was time for Diva number one on the night. With her big ‘Afro’ and model-figure, the swanky and slinky Gena West stepped into the light and opened her live session with a powerful rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’. Although difficult to believe, judging by looks, the foxy singer is a gospel singer. Yes, indeed most of the songs she performed on the night gave the audience something to enjoy and swing to, as well as something to think about!

Throughout her performances to an audience that was mostly unfamiliar with her music, Gena impressed in spite of almost rushing through her act to catch a plane out of the country. Nothing says diva more than having a singer say that she has a plane to catch in between performances. Certainly, while on the flight out she could look back and smile about leaving a good impression on the people of a country that she has chosen to call her home.

As Gena West rushed out to catch her flight, in came Bibie Brew with her Pocahontas hairdo. She had nothing to do with an aeroplane on the night but she could not resist telling the audience about living in both France and Ghana – Diva! She came in with a more jazzy and soulful music that celebrated love and humanity. With her rendition of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Natural Woman’, it was clear that a strong and independent-minded woman was in the building; and it even reflected in the way she controlled her band and got the audience involved in her performance. She taught the crowd a few lines to one of her songs and before long; she had the audience singing in chorus with her. As if that was not enough star-power, Bibie had a young man from the crowd on stage to dance with her, and before the close of her session another white woman was up on stage dancing out of tune.

Only a few people can sing in French on a Ghanaian stage and get away with it, and Bibie Brew is one of them. She made way for the delectable, delightful and vivacious Efya. Although Efya’s name as an artist has gone through several changes one thing that remains constant is her talent. And yes, even her talent too has evolved as she has become ‘the consummate’ live performer miles ahead of her contemporaries. With no outstanding hairdo and no mention of her travelling experiences, Efya staked her claim to ‘Divadom’ with a roller-coaster of rollicking performances comparable to any female Grammy Award winner of old or present.

With her ‘journey of love’ themed session, Efya took the crowd through the ups and downs of relationships with a song to reflect each of the several stages in a relationship; from the moment you meet that special person, to the things you love about that special person; as well as the heartbreaks and troubles you get from the one you love. Of course she wouldn’t be a diva without singing about how women should move on from a bad relationship. The energy with which she sang “…If you don’t want me, make you commot…” clearly showed that she had indeed arrived!

After exciting the crowd with amazing performances of her yet to be released songs, Efya exited the stage for the next diva to rock the show. However, as Gena West made her way to the airport, Nneka and her band were rather making their way to the National Theatre from the airport. So the audience had to chill to the sounds of the Mastermix Band while waiting for the arrival of Nneka.

Finally Nneka appeared on stage with her signature big hair and an electric guitar. Without showing any signs of fatigue or jetlag she went straight into her performances with so much energy, proving why she has been the toast of concerts all over the world. The conscious diva asked the audience to make a difference in their various communities in her interactions with them. Some of the patrons got up to dance and sing along when Nneka performed ‘I Hope She Makes You Happy’, and clearly she made them very happy.

After a few more performances, Nneka brought the ‘Power of Sound’ experience to an end when she exclaimed, “…See you next year!’ Maybe Nneka knew something that the rest of the audience didn’t know or perhaps she was just being a diva and signing out as such. But if ‘Decibels’ returns next year, it would certainly be a great experience to repeat and for those who missed out, it would be a-must to attend.

The End!

Here is a sharing of Terry’s new L’oreal photo looking as stunning and even more radiant as ever…

The anticipation is over, TAKERS will premiere this Friday August 27th in theatres near you.

For more on the movie log on to: www.takersmovies.com