The months keep flying by, don’t they? Personally, I’m glad its May because this means graduation and a whole new journey which I’m excited about. Plus, memorial weekend is always fun. However, it’s time to recap some #Haute #African #Events I attended in the month of April. Due to school, I wasn’t able to attend as many events as I usually would, so I’ve added some events I didn’t personally attend, but know people who did.
African Economic Forum (CUAEF)
Colombia University had it’s annual Africa Economic Forum and I attended for the second year in a row. There were exciting panels on music, fashion, traditional medicine and more. Heritage 1960 had a pop-up shop, so Marie and I helped with that. I only managed to attend one panel which was the one on fashion. I tweeted via the Heritage account and my tweets even ended up being spotlighted on blogger Terrence Sambo’s One Nigerian Boy site Photographer Shako Oteka did a style round-up of the fashionable people at the conference for Afripop Mag which you can check out.
New York African Film Festival
I was really excited about the line-up for the 19th edition of the New York African Film Festival. Last year, I caught ‘Restless City’ at the conclusion of the festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This year, I missed out on seeing ‘Stock Town Africa’, ‘How to Steal 2mln rand’ and ‘Mama Africa’ because the festival ran around the same time as the Colombia event. The festival is still running, so maybe I’ll see if I can make one or two films.The folks over at Africa Is A Country provided lots of reviews which you can check out here.
Africans In The Media and Creative Industry
AMCI is a new initiative by Peter Jalloh of the Daily Beast and Newsweek. A launch event was held organized by MUI PR in NYC which I couldn’t attend unfortunately. However, here’s a review from the event and I hope it is held again soon.
Events to Look forward to this Month (May)
We’re almost halfway through May, but there are some exciting events lined up like BAM Dance Africa which celebrates its 35 anniversary this memorial weekend in Brooklyn, NYC. Check the site for more info.
My friend Ger Duany has an event coming up at Lucky Strike in Manhattan, NY. He’ll be talking about the situation in Sudan.
I’m speaking at an event for ‘Empower Zambia‘ this weekend in Dallas, Texas. If you’re in the area, stop by.
Young African Visionariesmagazine is supporting our cover girl from our first issue at a fundraising event for South Sudan.
Nigerian artist Bez, whose song ‘That Stupid Love’ song is a new fave of mine and has played on BET’s 106 and Park will be in NYC for a couple of performances including one at an Apple Store in Soho, one in Brooklyn via Society Hae and more. Do check him out.
And last but not least, some shameless promo. I was interviewed by George of ‘The Afropolitan Experience’ a few weeks ago and the video interview is now live. You can watch it below. Let me know what you think (other than telling me I say ‘Like’ way more than is acceptable.lol) Also, check out my tribute article to the 1993 Zambian National soccer team that died in Gabon and the current Africa Nations Champions via isthisafrica.com.
Any #Haute #African #Events you’re looking forward to attending this May? Do share
A while ago, my friend Shako Oteka decided that it would be a great idea to shoot me the next time he was in New York. I know Shako is an amazing photographer, but I was really hesitant at first because I’m not a model, nor do I ever plan on being one. I’m a behind-the-scenes kinda girl who thinks my clients are the ones who should be in front of the camera. However, after much encouragement, I decided to go ahead and shoot with Shako, under the condition that Marie was in the shoot as well, so I could feel more comfortable.
We shot on an unusually hot day in Brooklyn and it was HARD! (In my opinion). Shako had us do all these breathing exercises and open our eyes ‘gracefully’ and ‘relax our lips’ and did all these crazy things to make me smile. I thought I did horrible, but lo and behold, the pics came out great! Here they are. Oh, sidenote, I shaved both sides of my head at the end of March. Remember my ‘Fashion Resolutions‘ post where I said I wanted to do something different with my hair? What do you think of the pics + my hair? Let me know in the comments!
PS: If you would like to reblog the pics, Note that the photo credit is Shako Oteka. You can check out his blog +tumblr. Thanks!
This post is inspired by the countless hours I spent during the easter weekend watching re-runs of long running South African soap ‘Generations‘. Southern Africans may be familiar with the show which can be compared to the ‘Bold and Beautiful’ ie rich powerful family being the center of the show. (Generations had the Mokora’s while Bold had the Forresters). Even though I had already watched those episodes many years ago, I didn’t mind re-watching because they reminded me of home (Africa) and seeing people of my color on TV, which American TV doesn’t really have. So I thought I’d share some new and old African centered TV shows in case anyone is as nostalgic as me
SHORTS
WHATS UP AFRICA
Funny man Ikenna Azuike hosts ‘Whats Up Africa’, a weekly video blog offering commentary on current affairs on the African continent mixed in with latest African music videos and a blog of the week. It’s great for laughs so tune in. Watch the latest episode below:
THE AMERICAN DREAM: AN AFRICAN TALE
I first heard about this show via Africa is A Country, then saw it on Clutch magazine . It’s something I can definitely relate to. ie people messing up my name (i’ve been called Monique Kapamawe and so many other things), the whole ‘Do you speak African thing’ etc. The best part is that you can email the show’s creators and have your own story told.
REALITY TV
BIG BROTHER AFRICA
BBA is back for another season next month. My sisters kept me updated on every season since I hardly watch it anymore. Speaking of which, did you know Karen just got engaged? Cherise won the very first BBA. She’s Zambian and everyone fell in love with her famous ‘Tumba Dance’. I will definitely be tuning in this season because contestants enter as pairs, so it will be double the drama. I used to have dreams of being on BBA. Till I realized my parents would probably disown me for drinking, swearing or something.lol
TOP SHAYELA
This show which is broadcast on South African channel Vuzu Tv can be called ‘The African Version of CRIBS’ which was on MTV. South African socialities and celebrities give you sneak peeks into their fabulous houses, lives, shoes etc. Check out an episode featuring radio personality, reality tv star, tv host and fashionista Bonang Matheba. I WANT her entire wardrobe!lol
STUDIO 53/ 53 extra
I used to LOVE studio 53. As in I wanted a job as a host of that show which was hosted by Gateano from Big Brother Africa and Rosie. Each week, one of their reporters would explore a new african country, attend an event etc and report on it. The original show no longer airs except on the Africa Channel and was replaced by 53 extra which is dominated by Nigerian events. To be honest, I’m not sure why it’s stilled called S 53 if they only focus on one country, but maybe that’s just me. Eku Edewor who I featured in the ‘Seeing Double’ article hosts with Mercy Dolapo.
BEDAZZLED
Bonang Matheba who you watched in the ‘Top Shayela’ video has her own show called ‘Bedazzled’ which has her camera team follow her around as she hosts different events, poses for the covers of magazines etc. She’s living my dream life (*sigh)
MTV BASE MEETS
MTV Base meets gets young Africans together to ask burning questions to people they admire. The episode below features Africa’s richest man Aliko Dagnote.
BUARI VILLE
Nollywood actress Nadia Buari of ‘Beyonce’ fame apparently has a reality show lined up which she stars in with her family. The pilot has been out for a while, but I’m not sure if it’s been picked up yet though.
MANDELA’S DAUGHTERS REALITY SHOW
When Nelson Mandela’s grand daughters announced that they would have a reality TV show, I was kind of shocked. Mandela is known as being quite reclusive, so this show will be interesting (it will not feature him though). The women have insisted that it won’t be a ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashian’ type show. US networks were interested in the show, but I haven’t heard word about it’s air dates yet.
SCRIPTED
SHUGA
I have raved about this show enough and have even written about it for Young African Visionaries Magazine in an article titled ‘Shuga and Sex: Changing the way African Youth deal with Sex’, but in case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s about the love triangles among a group of Kenyan college students. Check out an episode below. I cannot wait for next season!
RUSH
While I impatiently wait for Shuga to return, I’m looking forward to this new ‘set- in Kenya show’ which Marie introduced me to a few days ago. I checked out the pilot and it looks so juicy. Definitely one to watch.
JACOB’S CROSS
I’ve heard about this show for years, but I’ve never actually watched it. However, from what I hear, its a brilliantly written . According to tvsa, the premise is as follows “Jacob’s Cross is a South African television drama series made by M-Net Original Productions, about powerful oil magnates battling for Africa’s rich off-shore oil resources.Set in both South Africa and Nigeria, the story centres around businessman Jacob Makhubu and his quest to build the next great South African empire.” It stars popular South African actor Hlomla Dandala or ‘Derek Nyati’ from Isidigo.
MEET THE ADEBANJOS
Looking for an African version of the ‘Cosby Show?’ ‘Meet the Adebanjo’s may be the answer. It offers a glimpse into the life of a Nigerian family in London and it’s pretty relatable for Africans raised in the diaspora.
NO 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY
Think Africa’s version of Nancy Drew. Initially based on a series of books by Botswana born Alexander McCall Smith which my childhood best friend was obsessed with, the book became an HBO show starring singer/actress Jill Scott Anika Noni Rose. I really wish there could have been a second season. There was a movement to revive the show, but I’m not sure what happened after.
FASHION GHANA
This is Africa’s version of ‘Fashion Police’ meets ‘What not to Wear’. Panelists rate looks worn by mostly Ghanaian celebrities to events in the first half of the show. The second half features a makeover.
So there does it! Of course there are tons more shows, so maybe I’ll do a part 2, but based off the ones above, which ones are your faves? Any new one’s you’re excited to see? Any tips on shows I should check out? PS: I omitted soapies, but you can youtube Isidingo, Generations etc. Please let me know in the comment section below. Oh, and one last thing: Anyone have an uncle/aunt/ relative that owns an African TV show? Because I do want my own show please
I spent four years of my life in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and one of my most vivid memories is seeing hundreds of Ethiopian men, women and youth training for long distance running, which is a sport that Ethiopians dominate at the Olympics and major marathons. Heard of Haile,Gebrselassie Kenenisa Bekele or Deratu Tulu? They all hail from Ethiopia. Kenyan’s also dominate long distance running as well. Inspired by the fact that I’ve been seeing a couple of documentaries focused on African long distance runners, plus the fact that it’s spring aka time to ‘get those summer bodies in check’, I’ve decided to spotlight African athletic brands that may be giving Nike a run for their money. The title says ‘Run Naawa Run’ because that’s my cousin’s name.
KOURAGE RUNNING (KENYA)
I first heard about this Kenyan brand via their twitter page, and a few weeks later, they were profiled on CNN! Kourage Athletics produces athletic wear in a factory located in the Rift Valley, which is home to some of Kenya’s greatest athletes.
*Pics via Kourage Athletics
SAWA SHOES
Sawa has one of the most interesting ‘About US’pages of a brand I have ever read. They state “We are told here and there that the climate of the planet is going crazy……when the snow falls in Africa, we will be ready to produce the best ski boots….and snowboards!”. In the meantime, they produce some pretty cool shoes. I love the fact that the bottom of the shoe has the map of Africa. I’m not sure exactly where in Africa they are produced unfortunately.
OLIBERTE (Ethiopia, Liberia, Kenya)
My friend Marketing Extraordinaire Cynthia Tabe wrote a solid article via Africa Fashion Guide on ‘Oliberte’ which is made in Ethiopia, Liberia and Kenya with plans to expand in Cameroon, Congo, Zambia and Uganda in the future. They also plan on producing womens boots for this fall, and sandals for Spring 2013 season. A collection of laptop cases is in the works as well. There’s an interesting article titled ‘How Oliberte, the Anti Toms makes shoes and jobs in Africa’
SOLE REBELS (Ethiopia)
Sole Rebels are the kind of shoes athletes would wear off the field, court, pitch etc. They look really comfy , eco- friendly and made in Ethiopia. They have a large selection of products that can be viewed here.
SCHIER SHOES (NAMIBIA)
I found out about this brand in an issue of Arise magazine. Apparently, it has been around since 1938 and currently employs about eight Damaran artisans to produce the ‘vellies’ as they are called in Swakopmund, Namibia. Schier are also big on being eco-friendly as they used vegetable dyed Kudu leather to create their shows.
Town of Runners
I started the post talking about Ethiopian runners, so I thought I’d mention a new documentary called ‘Town of Runners’ about two young girls Hawii and Alemi from the Oromia region of Ethiopia who aspire to be world class runners. Its showing at the Tribeca Film Festival this month so I hope to check it out. Meanwhile, Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba will be making waves at the upcoming Olympics.
The Athlete
Abebe Bikila is arguably the most famous long distance Ethiopian runner. He was known for running barefoot and was a two time Olympic champion. He’s also the subject of a recent movie called ‘The Athlete’.
PS: This post is in memory of my cousin Naawa Simakoloyi who passed away exactly two months ago and was a rising soccer star.
It’s time for yet another edition of #Haute #African #Events wrap-up. March was a busy month for #teamafrosocialites. We attended everything from galas to parties (including my bday) and more. Check out my review below.
1. YAL Symposium
Marie and I attended the ‘Africans in the Diaspora‘ townhall meeting in New York city in early March. This was right after the whole #KONY2012 hoopla, so we thought it would be an interesting discussion. The opening speech was by the founder of Sahara Reporters and he gave an honest and controversial speech on Africans leading revolutions. For the rest of the evening, we were broken into different groups and discussed various topics like education and more.
2. SPOEK MATHAMBO CONCERT
For some reason, my professor scheduled an exam the same day as Spoek Mathambo’s album release concert at SOBS for his album ‘Father Creeper’. To say I was gutted was an understatement. I felt better when Spoek told me that he would be back in July so I could get an interview with him then. Anyway, my good friend and photographer extraordinaire Shako Oteka was there and captured these AMAZING pics.
3. MY BDAY
Of course my 23rd bday was a #Haute #African #Event. lol. Well except from the Dj who wasn’t ‘current’ in his music selection. I celebrated at the ‘Made in Africa’ party with my friends. I have to thank the organizers for taking care of me and my friends that nite, and my lovely friends for the gifts,cards, their presence and the surprise bday cake.
4. FACE AFRICA GALA
I couldn’t attend the Gala due to school, but Marie went and said it was a great event. Face Africa is an organization that works to provide clean water in Liberia and was founded by the lovely Saran Kabba Jones. Here are more pics via Afrikanspot.
5. WASHINGTON ROBERTS A/W 2012 PRESENTATION
Washington Roberts is one of my dear friends. Love him! He presented his new collection at the Cellar Bar at the Bryant Park hotel last weekend, so I had to go and support him. I saw some of the outfits before the presentation (privileges of having a designer friend) so I knew it would be awesome, but I was still blown away by the lovely gowns. I can see myself in every one of them! What do you think?The pics are by Kris Lau.
6. FACE 2 FACE AFRICA MAG LAUNCH.
Face 2 Face Africa launched their new print mag last Friday, so after Washington’s presentation, we (Marie, Angie and I) afrosocialited our way to the event. It was great catching up with all our Afropolitan friends. The Dj’s were on point as well because we were some of the last people to leave.lol. For more pics, check here. In case you were wondering about my outfit, I was wearing a skirt by H and M, tank top and Motorcyle jacket by forever 21, necklaces by Heritage 1960 X Naija and clutch by Clutch Culture.
So that does it. What #Haute #African #Events did you attend in the month of March, and what events are you looking forward to attending this April? Let me know in the COMMENT section. And don’t forget to tune into Radio Afro Australia every single Thursday from 7 to 9am nyc time, 1-3 Central African Time and 7-9pm Perth time to listen in to my #Haute #African #Events segment.
A few weeks ago, i was mindlessly flipping channels to see what I could watch and ‘Parent Trap’ was on, so that’s the inspiration behind this post.
Here’s a spotlight on 11 African sets of twins in the African fashion and entertainment industry. Enjoy
1. Peter and Paul Okoye(P Square)
If you’re an African music lover, you’ve heard and seen videos of Nigerian super star duo P Square. I first heard their songs on Channel O years ago and since them,they’ve gone on to headline sold out concerts, appear on BET and in future, they will perform at my wedding. Seriously. Check out this video where they mention how they differ ie one is more laid back and chilled out etc.
2. Fola and Fela of Alex Fozi
Nigerian born twins Fela and Fola are a perfect example of turning a hobby into a business. After moving to Canada for university, they launched a briefcase line called Alex Folzi which has eye popping colors perfect for the spring. They collaborated with Evelyn Ojo last year to launch a t shirt line, and they are dapper dudes. (Based on their individual facebook accounts which I may or may not stalk occasionally.lol) I need that royal blue briefcase in my life pronto! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next and they are setting the bar high for the African luggage market, which I think more designers need to consider entering.
3. Danielle and Chantelle Piper of Kastle Designs/ Treasure Chest
Danielle and Chantelle are a design duo who have shown at various fashion weeks, including Arise Magazine Fashion Week 2011 and 2012. I believe they are from Ghana. I like some of their outfits, but I always wonder why they wear the same clothes all the time? I’m not a twin, but if I was, I highly doubt I would do that past 5, but to each his own I guess. They are also occasional models on the ‘Today Show’. The video below is of their recent Arise show collection.
4. The Lidaju Sisters.
I love Fader Magazine because it has led me to discover such gems like Alec Lomami (shameless plug) and the Lidaju sisters. Taiwo and Kehinde were a popular music duo in Nigeria between the 1960s to 1980s. They mixed jazz, afrobeat, reaggae and other sounds successfully.One of their highlights is performing at the 1972 Munich Olympic games. The New York Times described them as “smiling free spirits” who mixed “sisterly banter and flirtatiousness”. They have since retired and now live in Harlem.Fader Mag captured their style in an interview which you can see below.
5. Christian Rich
Initially, I thought it was an interesting coincidence that the boys of Christian Rich happen to be named Taiwo and Kehinde as well, but I remembered reading something about Nigerian twins and upon further research, I discovered that Taiwo and Kehinde are typically given to Yoruba twins.The Yourba tribe of Nigeria have the highest twin birth rate in the WORLD! “The first of the twins to be born is traditionally named Taiyewo or Tayewo, which means ‘the first to taste the world’, this is often shortened to Taiwo, Taiye or Taye. Kehinde, or Kehin for short, is the name of the last born twin”. (Good old Wikipedia)
The 29 year olds are a song writing, dj, artist duo based in NYC. I first heard about them via Arise mag. They are under Pharrel’s company and have worked with him, Lil Kim, Chris Brown, Diddy, the Noisettes and more. They released their first EP ‘The Decadence 2′ last summer. Here’s one of their tracks ‘Famous Girl’.
6. BOWBI LADAWA + Sister
I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on Congo DR in the 1970s and while I was refreshing my knowledge on Mobutu Sese Seko who succeeded Patrice Lumumba, I read about his wife Bowbi Ladawa. She was considered one of the most fashionable first ladies of Africa at the time and she had ‘expensive’ taste , spending lots of money on shopping trips to Europe. Ladawa had a twin sister who Mobutu allegedly took as a mistress. DRAMA!
7. Cassi and Nicki
I first saw pictures of Cassi as a muse and model for Gold Coast Trading clothing company, then I saw her participating in an artist talk at the Dandy Lion exhibit curated by Shantrelle P Lewis. Nicki is a tea consultant and charity organizer (I’d love to be a coffee and tea consultant too!!). They are from Mozambique but I would call them global Afropolitans based on the fact that they seem to always be travelling and have lived in Kenya, Dominican Republic and many more places. Check this video via Madewell where they talk about their personal style.
8. OKUNOREN TWINS
Seems like twins are into fashion, huh? According to an interview on the blog Fari Boudoir, Taiwo and his brother Kehinde started selling t shirts from retail outlets to friends in university at 19, then decided to start their own brand. Many years later, they have a vast clientele including Naeto C, D banj and more. They showed at Arise 2011 and 2012. A video is below and pictures from the show can be accessed via Terrence Sambo’s One Nigerian Boy.
9. MATAANO
Somalian sisters Ayaan and Idyl have a line i’m sure every African fashion obsessed person has heard about. After they appeared on Oprah, they gained a huge following and have gone on to show at New York Fashion Week and Arise Magazine Fashion Week. I had the pleasure of meeting them at Helen Jennings book launch for ‘New African Fashion’ and they were super sweet. They insisted that Hannah Pool from Essence take a pic of me which ended up on the street style site. Check out their AMFW collection below for 2011.
10.NYANE AND MPHO
These 17 year old bloggers, models and designers have style for dayzz! I featured their blog in my Afropunk’d post and my friend Linda reminded me they are twins, so I had to spotlight them again. Very fashion forward ladies they are,innit?
11.EKU EDEWOR AND KESSIANA EDEWOR
If you watch Studio 53 extra (the new version), you may recognize Eku Georgie Edewor as a host. She’s also a model as she walked in the 2011 and 2012 Arise Mag fashion weeks, and on further digging, I see that she was a contestant on Britain’s Next Top Model. So Im guessing she’s half British? She has a twin sister called Kessiana who I wasn’t able to find much gist about. Thanks to Ese of Allen and Fifth for the tip!
Know of any interesting twins you’d like to share?
In one of my first posts on the blog titled ‘Fashion Resolutions’, I mentioned a few style changes I’m working on this year, including changing up my hair more often. I’m proud to say that I’ll be revealing a new hairstyle soon and will update when I do.
Speaking of hair, there’s so much talk about the ‘natural hair movement‘ which was documented in the NY Times. Celebrities like Solange are providing hairinspiration by documenting their journeys.
Let’s put an African inspired spin on things. J D Okhai Ojeikere is a Nigerian photographer whose most famous work was the ‘Hairstyles‘, which featured about a 1000 different Nigerian women and their creative hairstyles.
I found the pics below in a post titled ‘Vintage Coiffure’ via Kiffe Coco and they were taken in Nigeria and Senegal.
JOANNE PIEF
The first time I saw Haitian Joanne Pief’s work was at an event called ‘The Reawakening series’ at a gallery in NYC last summer where my friend Iyadede performed. A few days ago, she was featured on Vogue Black in an article titled ‘Redressing the Crown‘. There were a couple of other people who displayed their art that day, but noone stood out to me more than Pief’s pictures. By the way, did you know Haiti is the newest member of the African Union?
I didn’t’ forget about the gents this time. One of my favorite menswear sitesStreet Etiquetterecently posted a series called ‘Crowned’. According to the site, the ”There is no question that the inspiration runs parallel to many of the hair styles that came from individuals like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, ASWAD, BDK. the Native Tongues collective ( A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Jungle Brothers) and a little bit of everything in between.”Fun Fact: Joshua and Travis went to my old college WCC and Travis was actually in my Marketing Management class where we worked on a Starbucks project.
Township Barbershop series.
I remember when I lived in Lusaka, Zambia and at the local Olympia market, I would be fascinated by the wall paintings advertising men’s haircuts. It seems like in South Africa and other African nations, similar paintings are posted. I found this series via Another Africa.
Here’s an interesting story; In the capital city of my country Lusaka, Zambia Masai men from Kenya and Tanzania are apparently the best hair braiders. My sisters had their hair done with them in 2010 and they are super quick.
SHAMELESS PLUG: My friend Elton whose an upcoming photographer recently spent a day at a local baber shop in Albany, NY and took some pretty cool pictures which you can check out here .
PS: The title of the post was inspired by this India Arie song ‘I am Not My Hair’.
So that’s it folks. Would you try any of the styles shown above?
Happy new month! I love March because it’s my birthday month! As you may know, every Thursday on Radio AFRO Autsralia, I share the Haute African Events happening across the globe. I make it a point to actually attend these exciting events (the ones in NYC at least). Here’s two events I attended in the month of February. I’m looking forward to events in March. There are SO MANY!
FASHION 4 DEVELOPMENT
New York fashion week is every February. I was invited to a few shows and to help backstage at one but my school schedule wasn’t too flexible, so the one fashion related event I attended was the Fashion 4 Development event honoring Vogue Italia editor in Chief Franca Sozzani. Did you know Vogue Italia is doing an African themed issue to be released in the summer? Fashion insiders will remember Cameroonian photographer Mario Epanya pitching his idea of what a Vogue Africa should look like to Conde Nast, who ultimately rejected it. Guess they were already working on their own idea? They showcased african designers work in a curation and I got to meet and chat with Nigerian designers Tiffany Amber and Lanre Da Silva. Speaking of Nigeria, Lagos plays host to Arise Magazine Fashion Week next week. 77 designers are showing. Wow. Heritage 1960 will be there so follow @heritage1960 on twitter for updates.
Model Georgie Badiel was super sweet as well and made my day by saying she’s been to the Victoria falls (the Zambian side) and loved it! I practiced my french which i am slowly forgetting with her. Georgie has a line called Georgies Garden which makes beautiful scarves and she founded Models 4 Water which is a great initiative. My skirt is from the ‘J Label’ by Jewel By Lisa which you can shop here.
SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK
Social Media Week NY runs concurrently with NYFW. There were some exciting seminars I looked forward to attending, but only managed to catch one which was hosted by Society HAE called ‘Meet the Afropolitans’. The guest speakers were Kathleen Bomami of Okay Africa, Yolanda Sangweni of Afripop and Essence and Chief Boima. It was a busy day for me which started running errands for Heritage 1960, checking into the office, dinner, then Marie and I headed over to the event a few minutes before it ended Thankfully, we managed to check out tweets from the event afterwards and were able to watch video, which you can catch here.
Thaii food before the event. Yummy!
I chatted it up with good friend/ designer Washington Roberts and founder of Applause magazine Debo, and Aina. I didn’t “dress up” for the event because I had been doing errands as I mentioned, so comfort was key.
WHAT I WORE: I wore an H and M black romper which was $24.95, my sequin forever 21 shoes (about $20), tights and a blue forever 21 blazer ($19.80). I’ve worn the romper only at night with heels, so it was a nice day switchup. The blazer is perfect for layering and for a pop of color. And i love those shoes. Super fashionable and comfy!
As you can tell, most of my everyday wardrobe comes from those two stores. What are your favorite stores to shop for every day wear? What are your ‘comfort outfits’?.Do tell!
EXTRA LINKS: I didn’t attend NYFW this season, but I did last September and guest wrote for Giant magazine on the shows I attended like Mimi Plange and Fashion Night Out, so feel free to check them out if interested.
The infamous D banj concert that Enyinne had bought tickets for way back in December finally took place last Sunday (February 19) and it was a fun night. (Even though we skipped for the after party to work so we could work on launching H1960 which is live now). After the D banj show, I reminisced on all the other fun concerts i’ve been to in the past years and I’ve decided to share pics/videos and hopefully introduce you to some artists you may have never heard of.
WEST AFRICAN FLOW
NAIJA BOYS : D Banj + P Square
*Pic is via Mike Vj One.
D Banj
Mr Kokomaster himself needs no introduction. Well maybe to US audiences who seem to be finally paying attention to him, as evidenced by the fact that last week’s concert was featured on the New York Times. Or maybe it’s the fact that he may be Africa’s biggest pop star. (According to Africa is A Country site). His show really was entertaining (*cue ‘The Entertainer’)and his dancers were wow! I may need some Kokolette lessons. Speaking of ‘Kokolettes’, the ladies of the audience came out dressed to impress. Afripop mag captured the street style. We spy Enyinne there somewhere in a JBL waistcoat. Marie took a pic with him as shown above. More pics are available via Vicki Remoe’s sweet salone site. The video below is also from her site.
P Square
P Square have managed to sell out huge venues wherever they perform, as they did in 2009 summer when I saw them live in Queens, NY. I sang along to every single song, they had the audience dancing and girls literally passing out. They have been on the Wendy Williams show(where she asked really dumb questions) and have a brand new video with Akon called ‘Chop My Money’ that dropped in the wee hours.
Ghana in the House.
Blitz the Ambassador
Blitz is another favorite of mine. He reps for Ghana and him and his band are awesome. I’ve seen him perform about two or three times. I love the fact that he’s into film as well, having produced a documentary called ‘Native Sun’. He stated”We have to create other things that will make our music noticed. It’s very difficult to get anyone to buy music today, so it’s more about creating worlds, so if you create a world that other people are willing to exist in, and they’re willing to support it, and willing to spread the word about it, so we are making a short film that’s gonna add another element to the album, and I’m really excited about it.” Well said!!
My favorite song of his is ‘Dear Africa’ with ‘Les Nubians’
EAST AFRICAN FLAVOR: Iyadede (Rwanda) + K’NAAN (Somalia) Just A Band (Kenya)
Iyadede
*Photo Credit: Lafotographeuse aka. Amanda Adams – Louis
Last summer, Society Hae, Caribbean Cultural Center Diasporan Institute and Lincoln Center Out of Doors organized a concert called ‘This is Africa’ featuring my girl Iyadede who looks and sounds amazing everytime i see her. My favorite song from her set was ‘The Love’. I got to see a sneak peak of the video and I love it. While we’re waiting for it to officially drop, check out this video with Theolophilus London below which we released first on Radio Afro. (cuz we love our exclusives) and check Miss Dede out on MTV Iggy. She makes some awesome jewelry too. And has a blog and site.
K’ NAAN
I have to tell this story. A few months before the world cup in South Africa (summer 2010), I had been telling my friends Tina, Tobi and Ice to get familiar with K’naan. I played TIA (This is Africa) for them in the fall of 2009 and they were like “turn it off, we dont like it). Fastforward to ‘Waving Flag’ and then they were like “he’s cool”. Duh, I had BEEN SAYING THAT. Anyway, I saw him live in October 2010 at Webster hall and he was AMAZING as I knew he would be (he’s one of my hubbies). The pics are by my sis KK( who also does those amazing nails I blogged about). He also has a new video out with Nas which is below.
Just A Band.
Describing Kenya’s ‘Just A Band‘ in one word is hard. So I’ll let the video speak for itself. I saw them live in NYC at Drom in the summer of 2011 and felt like the performance was too short. I hope to see them again this year a I know they have some dates lined up. I need an interview too for Radio Afro. Let’s see what I can do.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN SWAG : Spoek Mathambo (South Africa) + Freshly Ground (South Africa) + Fally Ipupa (Congo DR) + Black Coffee (South Africa)+ Awilo (Congo DR) + Malaika (South Africa)
PS: I’m Southern African so hence the overload
Spoek Mathambo
Spoek Mathambo who reps for South Africa also performed and I got to meet him briefly that day via Sarah Williams. I died and went to heaven when he followed me on twitter. Spoek has been featured in the fader, Arise, just scored the cover of a dope mag as shown in the pic above, has a new video trailer out for his album as seen below(which drops March 12 or 13) is in the running for Best Video at MK Awards for ‘Control’ which you can vote for here, did a mixtape for Okay Africa and gave a Ted Talk which popped up on youtube recently. Plus,he has a slew of shows in the US from March/April. He’s been described as being part of a new wave of sonic explorers from Africa as well. That’s what you call a working man!
Freshly Ground
“Doo bee doo, be doo, be doo…. “*sings
I grew up watching Channel O when I lived in Lusaka, Zambia and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and every time Freshly Ground’s “Doo be doo” song came on, i would sing along and wonder what the hell it meant. Freshly Ground have continued to produce eye catching videos (remember ‘Chicken Change’ which was banned in Zimbabwe as it depicted Mugabe not in the best light?). Anyway, they were in NYC for the annual summer stage in central park and it was FREE!! I went with my friends Mwaka and Kachana and danced the whole show. #funtimes Oh and they replied to my tweet that day
Fally Ipupa
First off, who are this men’s parents and how did they create such a specimen of a man? Cuz he is …. *clutches pearls. Lets just say he can gyrate his waist off and is putting lots of men to shame.lol. I saw Fally at the 2011 Museke Afrotainment Awards in NY and ask Marie, i almost jumped onto the stage when he got on that stage. All i ask is for a man that can dance like that to be sent into my life.(Video is from Afrotainment utube page) *Amen
Black Coffee
I got a chance to meet and interview Black Coffee last summer for Africa Style Daily. He was really nice! I saw him perform a few days later at ‘Le Poission Rouge’ in NYC. He will be back in the states on March 16 for a concert at the Sullivan room, so check that out. I can listen to him dj for dayzz.
Awilo
Everyone must know Awilo Longomba or you must hide under a rock NOW! lol. He has us still playing “Comment Tu T’appele’ in 2012 and that song’s been out since like 1996. That’s how powerful he is. I saw him live in Queens at a Nigerian independence after party in October 2010. That was the same day i saw K’naan actually.
Malaika
Malaika are another group I grew up watching on Channel O years ago. I saw them during my bday weekend of 2010 at SOBS and had an amazing time. It was my bday weekend and I got to meet them after the event so that made my day Tjo the guy can dance! Southern African swag man!!
There you have it! What african acts have you seen over the years? Who were your faves? Who are you looking forward to seeing this year? If you don’t manage to catch any acts soon, you can listen to them via the ‘8 Sites to Discover African Music’( written by moi). Speaking of seeing acts live, I’m using this article via Okay Africa as my guide to the best African music festivals. One day soon, I’ll attend all those concerts. Who wants to come with? Which country in Africa has the best music festivals? As you can see, The North isn’t repped, so clue me in to whats hot there.
PS: Lady Smith Black Mambazo is performing in Albany, NY in mid march. Who wants to buy me tickets?
This post was meant to come out a day before valentines day, but I figured that February is still the month of love so it’s not too late. So this is an African inspired vday post.
The title “Chikondi’ actually means “love” in Nyanja which is a language mostly spoken in the capital of Zambia (Lusaka). Speaking of languages, I stumbled on a post by Africa.com on how to say ‘I love You’ in 54 different African languages. They also did a post on different ways to show your love in different african countries. Here are my faves. (African men, pay attention!!!)
Cameroon: Make a ceramic heart-shaped dish, with the clay found in the highlands in Cameroon
Kenya: Try purple tea sourced from Kenya, a country considered by connoisseurs to be among the best tea producers in the world.
Mali: Plan a romantic dinner with a desert view in Timbuktu.
Zambia: Wrap your gift in a tonga basket, which are woven by Tonga women, renowned for their weaving abilities.
CHOCOLATE AND FOOD
*Pic is via Marcus Samuelson site.
Every one knows valentines day and chocolate go together, but how many people know that Ivory Coast is one of the biggest exporters of chocolate? Find out how Ivorians celebrate valentines day.
Ethiopian chef Marcus Samuelson shared his vegan chocolate truffles recipe.
MUSIC
The best part about interning for Heritage 1960 and being a co-host for Radio Afro Australia? Bringing them together for a smashing mixtape via DJ Iz. Check it out here. It features some of my favorites like “Ringtone” by Naeto C and more.Speaking of Heritage, we have a giveaway where you can win great prizes here.
Since I am from Zambia, I have to rep by sharing this mix of Zambian love songs via Zed beats. My favorite Zambian love song is below by Tio.
Afripop mag hit up Ghanaian MC and producer M3nsa “(also one half of FOKN Bois) to put a list of 10 of his favorite love songs. Check out what he came up with via the site.
AFRICAN RELATIONSHIPS
Bandeka is an online dating site that has been receiving press everywhere from Arise mag to How we made it in Africa, Forbes Africa and one of my favorite sites Diasporan Darlings. Check out their article on the ‘elite african dating site’ here.
Other interested articles on love in an african context are below.
Why don’t we like our own men? My friend Paula wrote that article for Clutch Magazine and boy, did it get some people heated. Personally, I can relate to the story, but read and let me know what you think.
2012 seems to be the year African artists are finding love. From Naeto Cgetting ready to wife up his boo Nicole, to rumors of Stephanie Okere (Nollywood actress) getting married to Tu Faceproposing to his baby mama (one of the how many? ) on vday. I will say congrats to Naeto. Not with the whole Tu face thing though. I mean the man just knocked up another baby mama recently? wth?
In other news, want to date the gorgeous Leila Lopes (Miss Universe) ? My friend Makho sat down with her to talk about how to impress her.
TELEVISION
Love, Sex and Money
Last but not least, my favorite Kenyan tv show in collaboration with MTV Base Africa, SHUGA is back with a bang! It tells the story of the loves and lives of a group of friends. I watched the first season last year and put my sisters on to it, then some friends and i cant wait to watch the new season. Wizkid and Banky W did the theme song and made appearances. Must get an interview with some of the cast. #staytuned. Just for you, The new episode is below.
Photographer Shako Oteka did a style round-up of the fashionable people at the conference for Afripop Mag which you can check out.
Thankfully, we managed to check out tweets from the event afterwards and were able to watch video, which you can catch 
