ThisDay Africa Rising Festival in Washington DC

Written by Shirlene Alusa-Brown | August 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The ThisDay Africa Rising Festival in Washington DC was a great affair. With appearances by Youssou N’dour, John Legend, and Jay-Z, and the wonderful fashions by Deola Sagoe, Momo, and Chris Aire, it was a night to remember.

The show started about 45 minutes late due to some technical difficulties. Emcees Washington Post columnist and Associate Editor, Eugene Robinson, and newscaster Paula Zahn, kept the flow going between performances. My only peeve was that, although this was called Thisday Africa Rising Festival, the emphasis was on Jay-Z and John Legend. I thought the idea was to present the talent that is rampant in Africa. I was surprised to note that the people seated around me (press, no less), were unaware of the fame and respect the African performers on the roster command. It appears that Eugene Robinson and Paula Zahn weren’t completely aware either. I wasn’t the only one who thought so. » Read more…

Tags: , Chris Aire, Deola Sagoe, Eugene Robinson, Momo, Paula Zahn, Thisday Festival Africa Rising, Youssou Ndour