In recent weeks media coverage of African criminals and their victims have been dominated by capture (Kony) and conviction (Lubanga), largely overshadowing the latest twist in the most comprehensive and longest-running African legal case, that of Chad’s Hissène Habré. His crimes — the torture and extra-judicial killing of tens of thousands of Chadians during his […]
One of the key groups that engineered the ousting of Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade - he wanted to change the constitution to stay in power - was a youthful grassroots social movement group founded by a collective of rappers.
At the occasion of the recent publication of Senegalese philosopher Souleymane Bachir Diagne’s book ‘African Art as Philosophy: Senghor, Bergson and the Idea of Negritude’ (originally published in French in 2007) and listening to this interview where he speaks about his new book, ‘Bergson Postcolonial’, I intended to write a short post wondering why it […]
Senegal voted this weekend. Abdoulaye Wade is gone after 12 years. Macky Sall, once Wade’s protege and variously prime minister and minister of mining under the old man is now in charge. We hope to have a few post election analyses posts up in the next few days. Till then enjoy the exuberance of “the dancing man” filmed by Al Jazeera journalist Azad Essa in Dakar last night.
Berlin based Dub and Techno producer Mark Ernestus (check his previous work with Rhythm and Sound) fell in love with Mbalax (how could you not?), went to Senegal, found a band, and produced a collection of songs for release on Honest Jons records. The first release is Mbeuguel Dafa Nekh from the group Jeri-Jeri (led by […]
8 of 13 Senegalese opposition candidates trying to unseat Abdoulaye Wade in the upcoming presidential elections (including three former prime ministers under Wade, and no-longer-candidate Youssou N’Dour) gathered on Obelisk Square in Dakar last Sunday. The rally went peaceful, “crowds of color-coordinated supporters awaited while listening to political hip-hop anthems in Wolof.”
I still mourn the day I walked around to Le Grand Dakar, one of my favorite restaurants in Clinton Hill, and found it was closed. The restaurant, run and owned by Chef Pierre Thiam (check out his interesting family backstory) was a fixture in the block around Grand Ave and Lafayatte.
The 28th edition of the African Cup of Nations kicks off in Gabon and Equitorial Guinea tomorrow. 16 teams–including the joint hosts who did not have to qualify–will play for 2 places in the final match scheduled on February 12. The big question is, of course, who will take the trophy.
The legendary Senegalese singer is running for president. Not everyone takes him seriously.
Senegal-born, Kuwait-raised musician and artist Fatima Al Qadiri just premiered her new EP, “Genre-Specific Xperience,” in New York. The project consists of 5 songs each with corresponding video. Above is “Vatican Vibes” which features “Gregorian trance.” As Jody Graf writes in Clustermag, Al Qadiri’s introduction to Gregorian trance “… came in the passenger seat of […]
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Excerpt from Sharifa Rhodes Pitts‘ memoir of the black metropolis, “Harlem is Nowhere,” which came out this week in the UK: The Langston Hughes Atrium [of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture] is available as a rental facility, so that Hughes’s resting place is also the location for receptions, conferences, and cocktail parties. […]
http://vimeo.com/20927993 Video for spoken word from Senegalese rapper Keyti–remember him? Keyti was one of the stars of Ben Herson’s 2009 documentary film about hip hop and politics in the Senegalese capital, “Democracy in Dakar.” The video is directed by Magee McIlvaine. Via Nomadic Wax.
A clip from Ann Buford’s new film, “Elevate,” about four high school athletes recruited from Senegal to play basketball at upscale prep schools in the US. Then there’s “The Redemption of General Butt-Naked” directed by Eric Strauss and Danielle Anastasion. From the film PR: “… Once a brutal warlord who mercilessly slaughtered men, women, and […]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK_u-AAIYUM Today is Senegal’s independence day. Carlou D transformed himself from the rapper he was in Didier Awadi’s band Positive Black Soul to the singer-songwriter (supporting for Youssou N’Dour) he is these days, and did so in style. Although we’re still waiting for his new album ‘Audiovisa’ to come out, this song, ‘Ligueye’, should be […]
This coming Friday Maal and British playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah will begin their UK tour of “Tales of the Sahel.” Maal and Kwei-Armah “… will spend the six performances talking, the conversation interspersed with songs from Maal and his two accompanying musicians.” Preview in The Financial Times
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWbSVS0AmtA] I’ve been wanting to post for a while now about the Digital Diaspora Family Reunion. Primarily the work of the filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris; remember Harris film, “The Twelve Apostles of Nelson Mandela,” about his South African step father. The DDFR is described as an “interactive, multimedia project,” where New Yorkers–mostly Africans and African-Americans–showing Harris their family photos […]
Remember Meta and Cornerstones’ tune “Somewhere in Africa“? It got a makeover as a remix (with a new video) featuring Peeta of Jamaican reggae band, Morgan Heritage. Have to say I like the remix better.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3LOKfQ3y2Q&w=500&h=307&rel=0] Shot in Dakar, Senegal. Via Faith 47 Blog (H/T Chinnaya Nwosu) * Part of our meme, ‘This is Africa.’
Meta and the Corningstones: a humble and talented African-born reggae singer whose message is clear and sincere.