negrita's chronicles

soul food: k'naan's 'is anybody out there'

2012-01-25T12:12:00.000+02:00

k'naan's EP more beautiful than silence is finally here. check out the second single, 'is anybody out there', collaboration with nelly furtado.

and just for old time's sake, their last collaboration, which still goes hard: 'are you going away?'

soul food: k'naan's 'nothing to lose'

2012-01-20T07:06:00.000+02:00

while we await this:

k'naan has released this:

i love the simplicity of this...the percussive flow...the collaboration with his idol, nas. the EP is meant to tide us over until his full-length album is released. you are indeed correct if you think i'm doing some sort of happy dance right about now.

k'naan: more beautiful than silence

1. "is anybody out there" (ft. nelly furtado)
 2. "nothing to lose" (ft. nas)
 3. "more beautiful than silence"
 4. "better"
 5. "coming to america"

via complex

music for a cause: leo37's fire dance

2012-01-17T14:58:00.000+02:00

another slice of awesome from leo37 has just been released. and this time, it benefits a cause that is near to my heart. check it:

After a fantastic internationalresponse for LEO37’s first single, Fanfare,Toronto-based artist collective, PPFHouse, is proud to presentthe EP’s second single/video titled: Fire Dance. Based on the first livingorganism to ever be patented (theOncomouse a.k.a. Harvard Mouse), FireDance discusses the widely unknown history of the 1988 mouse that couldhave ultimately set Cancer research ahead 10-15 years but due to Harvard’spatent, ended up doing the opposite and slowed what could have been anastonishing series of breakthroughs. Now, at a time when the disease is more rampant then ever and after whathas been a difficult year for several close friends, PPF House will be offeringthe single at LEO37.bandcamp.com fora pay-what-you-want price fromJanuary 16^th -31^st and will be donating all proceeds to Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation asa tribute to those we’ve lost as well as lend support to those currently in thefight.

The video itself was shot and recorded at the legendary Canterbury Music Company in Toronto andedited by Joyce Wong (Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival) and Lillian Chan (NFB, Red Rover,Guru Studios, Nelvana). The songitself once again showcases the synergy between producer, John Poon’s aggressive sense of tone and time with LEO37’s equallyaggressive cadences and subject matter that conjure up sensibilities of 1989 (Public Enemy, N.W.A., Paris, etc) whilestill being unquestionably 21^st century.

Having previously been referred to as ‘one of the most original soundsin Canada.’ by Exclaim!Magazine, Fanfare serves as areintroduction for LEO37 to the Canadian and International music scene. Having spent the better part of the last 5years touring (including – allself-booked -- 3 Canadian tours, Amsterdam, Ireland, 20 cities across the U.S.as well as 7 countries in Asia), and sharing stages with the likes of: Aloe Blacc, The Bad Plus, Del the FunkyHomosapien, Tittsworth, Swollen Members and Tanika Charles, just to name afew, LEO37 returns boasting a few more stripes and million more reasons to staytuned.

k'naan in somalia

2012-01-16T10:22:00.001+02:00

...on preservation of dignity...

somalia: tears for rain

2012-01-16T10:19:00.000+02:00

tears for rain

a true story

by the UAE Red Crescent.

soul food: gabriel teodros' 'blossoms of fire'

2012-01-12T16:00:00.000+02:00

seattle-based ethiopian/american afropolitan, gabriel teodros, is an artist, activist, and blogger. and a seriously dope emcee. and my future partner-in-something-that-i-am-not-certain-of-yet-but-may-lead-to-taking-over-the-world-in-some-way.

he describes his forthcoming second album colored people's time machine as 'an examination of the history, dreams, and future of native people everywhere'. the album will be released on january 19th and is available for pre-order the album, here. in the meantime, he's released his first single, 'blossoms of fire'. check it!

video directed by: Barni Qaasim and Shadi Rahimi.
video inspired by: Blossoms of Fire

soul food: new music [soon come] from k'naan

2012-01-11T11:05:00.000+02:00

um...you guys...?

*dance of glee*

soul food: john forté's 'drift on'

2011-12-20T13:28:00.000+02:00

music to breathe to.

i hope you can see the shore from where you are/you may be miles away, but close at heart

i hope you can see the dawn from where you stand/it might be dark...but you will land.

drift on...you will land.

soul food: zaki ibrahim's 'something in the water'

2011-12-09T18:19:00.001+02:00

canadian/south african afropolitan zaki ibrahim has released a new single from her forthcoming album every opposite. something in the water is a soulful house track and is the first release from her first full-length album, which was conceived and recorded entirely in south africa. i don't know about y'all, but this is the perfect track to lose myself in after a loooooong week.

ZAKI IBRAHIM - SOMETHING IN THE WATER by motifrecords

soul food: illume sessions ~ shad k

2011-12-05T11:14:00.001+02:00

so we had this idea one day. and it grew into 'illume sessions', a mini-documentary series featuring artists and change-makers. after many misadventures in the editing lab, illume creative studio's first 'illume sessions' episode is up, and it features the brilliant shad k. it was filmed while shad was back in rwanda performing at the kigali up! festival. check it:

i learned so much working on this. and i'm so excited to be working with by brilliant partners in crime. and also: shad is awesome.

more soon come!

soul food: new amy winehouse

2011-11-03T14:55:00.002+02:00

bbc radio 1 debuted two new tracks from amy winehouse's forthcoming album lioness: hidden treasures.

as expected, i love them both. she stays true to the sound and style that made her so very unique and memorable. listen to 'our day will come', here, and check out 'like smoke' featuring nas, below.

Amy Winehouse featuring Nas - Like Smoke by Hypetrak

miss you, amy.

soul food: meshell ndegeocello's 'weather'

2011-11-01T09:29:00.000+02:00

the phenomenal talent that is meshell ndegeocello is releasing her new album, weather, on november 8.

'On her new, Joe Henry-produced album Weather — out Nov. 8 — Ndegeocello indulges her soulful alt-pop side, expanding on the quieter and more sensual moments of 2009's Devil's Halo. Pairing seductive, Sade-esque vocals with catchy downtempo arrangements, she crafts some seriously affecting torch songs here. Though many of the tracks on Weather convey a sweet soul jangle, they're most affecting when Ndegeocello slows the tempo to the speed of a tender first kiss.

Alternating between expressions of insecurity and brash self-assuredness, Ndegeocello is at her sinewy best here. The heartbreak evoked by "Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear" is stunning, but the real accomplishment lies in the way the music captures the unique sensation of driving past an old lover's house and not being able to shake that feeling of longing, no matter how much time has passed.

Appropriately titled, Weather captures the complex and unpredictable emotions that accompany intimacy, desire and alienation. They're feelings as familiar and as old as time itself, but as this gorgeous, moving album makes clear, they still have the power to surprise and even terrorize.' - NPR

listen to it in its entirety, here.

soul food: 'powerman' ~ howaboutbeth

2011-10-26T15:42:00.000+02:00

file under: things that took my breath away today.

kenyan-english artist, beth mburu-bowie (aka howaboutbeth) is my latest discovery [via @ophiona] and i'm well on my way to becoming obsessed.

POWERMAN by HowAboutBeth

beautiful!

soul food: 'fanfare' ~ leo37

2011-10-24T18:17:00.000+02:00

one of those incredibly rare moments where you hear something and have to sit down to process it because it's that dope. check out this dope preview by PPFHouse for leo37's upcoming EP, 'fanfare'. brilliant.

soul food: make my ~ the roots

2011-10-19T09:29:00.000+02:00

new leak from the roots' upcoming album, undun.

make my featuring big k.r.i.t

soul food: 'give me water' ~ john forté + valerie june

2011-10-18T15:29:00.000+02:00

i've fallen in love with new video from john forté for give me water off his latest release, the water suite, featuring the insanely beautiful valerie june. love the combination and contrast of their unique sounds. so refreshing! and it's beautifully directed by forté himself. love love.

illume sessions: shad k

2011-10-10T16:31:00.002+02:00

trailer for shad k's illume sessions (via illume creative studio). a brief glimpse into the upcoming episode featuring performance and interview with shad k.

soul food: one day soon ~ ian kamau

2011-10-07T16:52:00.000+02:00

i love ian kamau. but this has already been made abundantly clear. after releasing EPs and some pretty amazing mixtapes, he's released his first full-length LP. and it sounds as dope as i expected it to be. if not doper. yes...'doper' is a word.

listen! buy! spread the word!

OneDaySoon(Sampler) by Ian Kamau

and check out the trailer for the video for 'the village', which is the first single of the album.

afrika21: your soundtrack to the new african renaissance

2011-10-07T15:52:00.000+02:00

societyHAE has released vol 2 of the AFRIKA21 mixtape! woot. check it:

AFRIKA21 The Mixtape... Your Soundtrack To The New African Renaissance

Society HAE conceptualized AFRIKA21 with the goal of creating a platform to introduce Africa's emerging creative thinkers in the fields of music and arts & culture. Afrika21 will give audiences a first hand look at 21st century contemporary African music and culture, and open up a new dialogue about Africa. The Afrika21 Mixtape Project serves as an opportunity to celebrate Africaʼs next wave of musicians, highlight the renaissance taking place on the continent and raise the profile of people and organizations working toward farming a new vision of Africa in the 21st century.

Listen and DOWNLOAD the mixtape vol. 2 HERE.

AFRIKA21 The Mixtape vol. 2 by afrika21

in his own words: troy davis

2011-09-22T12:51:00.000+02:00

the execution of troy davis and the lengthy proceedings that resulted in him being on death row for 20 years are a perfect example of when the quest for justice results in a gross miscarriage of justice. my heart goes out to the family of the slain police officer who so brutally lost his life. but to condemn someone to what is tantamount to torture and to death with such scant and contradictory evidence...with so many gaps in due process...and on the basis of testimony from witnesses who later recanted is---quite simply--barbaric.

i will not attempt to analyze any of this at all, as my heart is heavy and i'm overwhelmed by the idea of how many troy davis' have existed before today, how many are out there now, and how many are yet to come. so--for posterity--i simply want to post his words. to put a human voice and face to the man that everyone is talking about and that everyone--hopefully--won't soon forget. this goes beyond the fight for a human being's life. this is a fight to change an entire system so that legal lynchings can no longer be sanctioned.

in his own words (from a letter written in 2008):

I want to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication to human rights and human kindness. In the past year I have experienced such emotion, joy, sadness and never-ending faith. It is because of all of you that I am alive today. As I look at my sister, Martina, I am marveled by the love she has for me, and, of course, I worry about her and her health, but as she tells me, she is the eldest and she will not back down from this fight to save my life and prove to the world that I am innocent of this terrible crime.

As I look at my mail from across the globe, from places I have never, ever dreamed I would know about and people speaking languages and expressing cultures and religions I could only hope to one day see first hand, I am humbled by the emotion that fills my heart with overwhelming, overflowing Joy. I can’t even explain the insurgence of emotion I feel when I try to express the strength I draw from you all, it compounds my faith and it shows me yet again that this is not a case about the death penalty, this is not a case about Troy Davis, this is a case about justice and the human spirit to see justice prevail.

I cannot answer all of your letters but I do read them all, I cannot see you all but I can imagine your faces, I cannot hear you speak but your letters take me to the far reaches of the world, I cannot touch you physically but I feel your warmth every day I exist.

So thank you, and remember I am in a place where execution can only destroy your physical form, but because of my faith in God, my family and all of you, I have been spiritually free for some time and no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davises. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.

I can’t wait to stand with you, no matter if that is in physical or spiritual form, I will one day be announcing,

“I AM TROY DAVIS, and I AM FREE!”

Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We Will Win

soul food: body and soul ~ amy winehouse and tony bennett

2011-09-14T11:36:00.000+02:00

one of my absolute favorites, covered by one of my absolute favorites. i will never not miss amy winehouse.

horn of africa: african-led solutions

2011-09-06T17:25:00.000+02:00

what can we, as africans, do to help? we cannot wait simply for government-led initiatives. the crisis becomes more intense and more overwhelming on a daily basis. but we must keep in mind that whatever action we take is bound to make a difference, however small.

ian kamau: all i need

2011-09-01T11:11:00.000+02:00

from the awesomeness of his three-volume mixtape, love and other struggles, here is 'all i need' by ian kamau. love the lovebirds.

afropolitana: kae sun

2011-08-14T18:46:00.019+02:00

ghanian-canadian singer-songwriter kae sun is currently in my top 10 list of music-i-listen-to-too-damn-much.

he released his debut album, lion on a leash, in 2010. his latest single from the album is 'black candles', a beautifully poignant track about childhood.

'black candles'

he recently released an EP entitled outside the barcode upon his return from ghana and it is described as 'an authentic and reflective collection of songs that showcase kae’s growth as a songwriter, storyteller and guitarist.'

he recorded the EP in ontario in april 2011 and the recording was captured in this beautiful video shot and directed by star p and armand kanjangwe (rwandan-canadian afropolitans).

download the EP here.

new music: ian kamau's 'choose you'

2011-08-08T17:45:00.001+02:00

the brother ian kamau has released a new video for 'choose you' from his september nine vol 3: love and other struggles mixtape. love the track. love the concept. i have to say, despite the fact that i've been eagerly awaiting this album for a while now, kamau has more than made up for the wait with these brilliant mixtapes. he's just truth and light and general awesome.

soul food: afropolitana: somi ~ live at the jazz standard

2011-08-02T18:56:00.000+02:00

Somi's new album 'Live at the Jazz Standard' is out today.

Check out the video below for 'Prayer to the Saint of the Brokenhearted'

soul food: jill scott's 'the light of the sun'

2011-06-13T09:50:00.000+02:00

great way to start the week: listen to the entire album on NPR's first listen, here.

loving it. truly.

jill scott previews the album, live:

soul food: afropolitana ~ michael kiwanuka

2011-06-07T11:54:00.001+02:00

introducing: michael kiwanuka.

citing influences ranging from joni mitchell to bill withers, this ugandan/british vocalist has an incredibly soulful old-school voice that belies his 23 years of age. this, right here, is some truly good music. here, he performs the the first single from his upcoming EP, tell me a tale:

Michael Kiwanuka from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

his EP tell me a tale (isle of white sessions) is available on itunes and amazon, now, and will be available in stores on june 13 2011.

my favorite track, thus far:

shout out to afripopmag for the heads up!

soul food: asa's 'why can't we'

2011-06-02T17:05:00.000+02:00

love this soul train-like video.

illuminate the world

2011-05-28T13:46:00.000+02:00

Gil Scott-Heron

2011-05-28T13:32:00.000+02:00

Nobody one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Gil Scott-Heron

April 1 1949 - May 27 2011

Rest in Peace and Power

soul food: tumi and the volume's 'asinamali'

2011-05-24T10:56:00.001+02:00

you know who's a) awesome and b) ridiculously slept on? tumi and the volume. from their latest album, pick a dream (the quartet's third alubm, nominated for a south african music award in the best rap album category) here's the brand new video for the first single: asinamali. literally translating as 'i have no money', this track tackles the attitudes to and politics of fame and money, and all that comes with it. also: it's highly head-nod-able.

now playing: 'a mess' by shabazz palaces

2011-05-24T10:08:00.000+02:00

shabazz palaces features ishamael 'butterfly' butler from digable planets. so geeked that he's back.

read about them here.

creating change: wanlov's 'for the river'

2011-05-23T12:12:00.000+02:00

heralded by arise magazine as one of the top change agents in ghana for his role as a humanitarian, social activist, and environmentalist, wanlov the kubolor has released a remake of new zealander hollie smith's 'bathe in the river'. featured in nick dwyer's making tracks (a music magazine television series which takes new zealand's music around the world and blends it with the music and cultures of countries which have so far included lebanon, ukraine, japan, and ghana), the track is an upbeat, hip-life number in which the kubolor bemoans the environmental damage in his country. wanlov will begin touring in europe this june to promote his forthcoming album, brown card: african gypsy.

wanlov the kubolor: for the river (bathe in the river)

soul food: stephen marley's 'made in africa'

2011-05-23T08:27:00.000+02:00

'made in africa' by stephen marley featuring wale and the cast of fela!

soul food: blitz + corneille 'best i can'

2011-05-06T09:15:00.000+02:00

blitz the ambassador has released his first video from native sun. here's 'best i can' featuring the brilliant rwandan soul star, corneille.

soul food: blitz the ambassador's 'native sun'

2011-04-30T15:38:00.000+02:00

ghanaian-american emcee, blitz the ambassador is back with his new album, native sun. because he's ridiculously dope, he has streamed his whole album on youtube. this, right here, is pure [african] hip hop:

soul food: kenna's 'land 2 air chronicles I: chaos and darkness'

2011-04-26T14:03:00.002+02:00

i've waxed lyrical about afropolitan recording artist and producer kenna and his awesome before, so i'm mad geeked about this: in 2011, kenna will release a three-part EP series entitled the land 2 air chronicles. the first of the trilogy is land 2 air I: chaos and darkness and it will be launched today, april 26th, with a brand new single, chains. the single features sammy hoffa, also known as chad hugo of the neptunes, with whom kenna has been collaborating since he's first album. the track is co-written by paul banks of interpol and is described as 'a piece of pure pop-electro and dance mastery [that] reflects kenna's bravado and history as he step out of the shadows with a new found sound and confidence.'

out of the three EPs, land 2 air I: chaos and darkness is the darkest, capturing kenna's 'personal account of the struggle to break free of the barriers that prevent one's vision from coming to life or taking flight.' each EP will feature three new songs accompanied by original artwork and they will lead up to kenna's much-anticipated third studio album songs for flight, the inspiration for which comes in part from his gruelling experience as he attempted to climb to the top of mount kilimanjaro for summit on the summit, a philanthropic project he spearheaded in 2010 to raise awareness about the clean water global crisis.

land 2 air I: chaos and darkness will be released digitally today, april 26th, in all retail outlets around the world. i suspect it'll create much fodder for TV and movie soundtracks. mark my words!

the video should be out later today...in the meantime, download chains (featuring shimmy hoffa) here.

soul food: 'wind song' by john forté and sunsay

2011-04-20T11:25:00.001+02:00

from brooklyn to russia, with love: a new track from john forté and sunsay.

wind song

17 years later...

2011-04-07T10:46:00.000+02:00

seventeen years have passed, and the people of rwanda are going about the business of building our future. honouring memory, without being paralyzed by the past. telling our stories so that they may continue to be heard...so that we never forget. rebuilding our country and our people so that we are empowered to ensure that the horror of genocide may never again be repeated.

today, we remember the lives lost over the course of 100 days in 1994.

today, we honour the lives of those lost in the years leading up to the genocide.

today, we pray for the survivors, as their struggle continues.

today, we pledge to preserve our dignity and uphold the truth.

and whether or not we can ever understand how such horror of such magnitude took place...today, we remember and we vow, 'never again'.

'i'll never understand' by shad

jay-z's life and times

2011-04-06T08:52:00.000+02:00

jay z is blogging.

his new site, life and times, focuses on style, leisure, sports, technology, music and art + design. it looks fly, so far.

soul food: new music from jill scott

2011-04-06T04:15:00.001+02:00

new track from the lovely and ever-awesome jill scott, from her forthcoming album the light of the sun.

'shame' featuring eve

Shame - Jill Scott featuring Eve by TgotSoul

i've missed them both.

also: here's the first single from her other upcoming album (a compilation of previously unreleased material from hidden beach called just before dawn)...her cover of bill withers' 'lovely day'

yaa, he got it: shad k wins a juno

2011-03-27T12:15:00.000+02:00

shad k can finally polish that juno! on the first night of the juno awards, held in toronto, canada, the amazingness [sic] that is shad's tsol received the award for rap recording of the year, beating out the clear favorite: drake's thank me later. so well-deserved. this album is the freshness. (in case i haven't said it before)

shad k, 'listen'

support good music: somi live at the jazz standard

2011-03-04T13:15:00.000+02:00

the lovely and talented Somi is recording a live album on march 29 - 30 2011 at the jazz standard in nyc. she needs all the help she can get to make this album happen! so, please watch the video, then click on the link below and do what you can--however little--to support good music!

soul food: bez's 'more you'

2011-02-18T11:02:00.000+02:00

nigerian soul man, bez. refreshing sound. love.

'i believe' by john forte

2011-02-13T16:59:00.000+02:00

soul food: shad k's 'keep shining'

2011-02-08T15:52:00.001+02:00

when i first heard this track on Shad's TSOL album, tears came to my eyes. a beautiful ode to all the women that have shaped and influenced his life, personally and professionally, 'Keep Shining' is positive and uplifting and reinforces that 'true beauty doesn't run from the light.' the video features women of all walks of life spreading the message. love it.

'no curls too tight, no mind too bright, no skin too dark to keep shining'

bob marley day!

2011-02-06T20:26:00.000+02:00

today marks what would have been the 65th birthday of robert nesta marley. a visionary and a messenger, the impact of his music in my life is almost impossible to describe. i just don't remember my life without him.

reality check

2011-01-31T14:09:00.000+02:00

over the past few months, as i was making the giant leap from my secure good-on-paper job to self-employment, i kept reading and reading and researching and spouting quotes about following one's dreams and being one's authentic self (tm auntie O) and creating the change we want to see, etc, etc. there were the first few weeks of anxiety attacks, just after resigning, but those passed eventually and i submerged myself in the newness and the opportunity and all of that. i knew it would not be without its ups and downs, but i've generally been very positive and upbeat and 'woo hoo!' about the whole thing.

and then i stopped by the bank and asked for a statement, today.

i am currently still on floor in fetal position as it dawns on me that not having a regular paycheque is going to mean being devastatingly broke [uh...relatively...file this under 'high class problems'] for more than a little while. i knew that in theory, but i now have the proof in these couple of sheets of paper that i'm clutching to my chest.

WHAT HAVE I DONE!? WILL I HAVE TO GO BACK TO RAMEN NOODLES?

*plaintive wail*

alright, i'm done.

new year

2011-01-21T13:50:00.000+02:00

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

Lao Tzu

a change has got to be made this year.

soul food: be my man

2011-01-04T06:38:00.000+02:00

asa's latest: be my man from her album beautiful imperfection. dope video.

soul food: take a minute

2010-12-20T23:55:00.000+02:00

peep the latest video from k'naan: take a minute (directed by nabil elderkin)

soul food: mike e + afroflow

2010-12-17T14:04:00.001+02:00

an american born in ethiopia, mike-e is a spoken-word artist and emcee with something to say.

©GVW

his album afroflow ii pays tribute to the fact that hip-hop flows from africa and his music is heavily influenced by the sounds of africa, in general and ethiopia in particular.

in addition to being an incredible lyricist and poet, mike-e has also used his music to generate awareness and promote change and social responsibility both in america and in ethiopia. his annual afroflow tour is a collaboration with the american cancer society and aims at engaging youth and families in the fight against cancer. in ethiopia, he has launched the christmas in ethiopia campaign which is raising funds to purchase uniforms, educational supplies, and gifts for children affected by HIV/AIDS. all proceeds from album sales in december will go to this fund. listen and buy the album, here.

good music + art creating change = awesome.

soul food: i love you more

2010-12-16T10:13:00.000+02:00

as i eagerly await john forte's upcoming album, water, light, sound, he continues to drop little morsels of awesome. here's his latest, 'i love you more':

I LOVE YOU MORE by John Forte

flashback friday: sample goodness

2010-12-03T10:56:00.003+02:00

it's friday!

track: loungin' by ll cool j feat. total

sample: who do you love by bernard wright

...more goodness here...

track: i'll be by foxy brown feat. jay-z

sample: i'll be good by angela and rene

________________________________________

track: gotta get you home by foxy brown feat. blackstreet

sample: gotta get you home by eugene wilde

__________________________________

track: dilemma by nelly feat. kelly rowland

sample: love, need, want you by patti labelle

soul food: asa's 'beautiful imperfection' [preview]

2010-09-29T13:38:00.003+02:00

soul food: shad + von pea and donwill: rose garden (remix)

2010-09-24T09:05:00.005+02:00

this is turning into an all-shad-all-the-time blog but, uh, this is too good not to share. check out shad's 'rose garden' remix, featuring tanya morgan's von pea and donwill. and it's the hotness.

download here

soul food: shad k's 'we, myself, and i' [video]

2010-09-20T11:16:00.004+02:00

from the awesomeness that is TSOL, shad k's latest single, we, myself, and i:

pure dopeness.

interviews: john forté

2010-09-08T18:26:00.002+02:00

john forté talks about his upcoming album, water, light, sound:

quotables: soul mate

2010-09-02T10:54:00.003+02:00

soul food: k'naan 'take a minute'

2010-08-07T09:30:00.002+02:00

...and any man who knows a thing knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all...

a thousand [and one] hills

2010-08-03T17:03:00.004+02:00

a few weeks ago, i was listening to zoe chace interview ms. lauryn hill on NPR. it appeared as though ms. hill was back: performing again, talking about recording again. i took to twitter and facebook and tentatively shouted it from the various virtual mountaintops. my prayers to the gods of music had been answered: ms. hill is back. i had no idea, at the time, that on her journey back, she would show up in my proverbial back yard. a little over a week ago, i was standing backstage at a concert that i had dreamed of attending since i was about 17. as the announcer began his introduction, i stood next to ms. hill as she climbed the steps to take the stage at the pan african dance festival in kigali, rwanda and i had myself a moment, y'all. i suddenly snapped out of professional organizational mode and fully realized what was happening. ms. hill was back. and she was here. in the land of a thousand hills. if you had told me 15 years ago that this was even possible, there is no way i would've been able to fathom it. but a few brilliant people with a vision and relentless determination made it happen! and i bore witness.

this is the exact time negrita's brain realized what she was witnessing.
...read more here...

it's taken me a week to write this piece,but with good reason. i was busy. i was working. i was traveling. but, mainly, i was waiting for the enormity of the whole thing to sink in. i was waiting for the fact that i had just seen ms. lauryn hill perform live to permeate my consciousness. i was also hesitating. when i was asked to work with the festival, i thought it would be an incredible opportunity to get an exclusive interview with ms. hill. to finally ask all the questions that had been floating around in my head since 'unplugged'. but then when i was given the opportunity to work alongside ms. hill and her team, i realized i had to make a choice: get the exclusive or live the experience. i was uncomfortable with the idea of working so closely with her and then trying to get an interview, as well. it seemed unethical, somewhat. so i chose the latter. and it was truly one of the most incredible encounters of my life, thus far. when someone so unexpectedly crosses your path and leaves you brimming with ideas and inspiration and insight, it's pretty damn amazing. to this day, i'm all goosebumps and whatnot. but that's all i have to say about that. what i will write about is the show itself. (this is why i will never be a journalist, people!)

the audience was restless by the time ms. hill arrived on stage, although they had been woken up by the incredibly talented mike e and afroflow, who had the audience on their feet after several notable local artists performed. she took the stage rocking locally designed and tailored harem pants, a fly tuxedo jacket that i still covet, and locally made basket earrings. i appreciated not only the sentiment behind her decision to showcase rwandan design and textiles, but also the message it sent. well aware of her role as a style icon, she couture-ified local fashion and put a new spin on what we are used to. she pointed an international spotlight on local craftsmanship, which is something i am ridiculously geeked about.

then came the music: she burst onto the stage with 120% energy as she and the band delved into a revised rendition of 'lost ones'. the sound quality was definitely not the best, but the band played their hearts out despite this and the energy was incredible. whether or not people identified with the re-worked song, or with her look, the energy and passion and love was unmistakable, from the start. it's perhaps this aspect that struck me the most because it often happens that when international artists come to africa, they tend to put on a sub-par show. some have the excuse that the sound is not the quality to which they are used; some simply don't bother to bring their A game. but there is the rare artist that performs just as intensely in a small african city as they do in madison square garden, and this was definitely that type of show. the joy of those of us in the front row has been captured for posterity here:

from the beginning to the end of the two-hour show, ms. hill and her ensemble brought back memories as they went through a catalog of hits from the fugees' the score (ready or not, how many mics, killing me softly, and fugee-la) and the miseducation of lauryn hill (ex-factor, forgive them father, zion, lost ones, doo wop (that thing)), and also incorporated favorites from from unplugged (just like the water) and the re-education of lauryn hill (the passion). some hits were re-worked, others stayed true to the original album recording. either way, the crowd--from where i was standing--was carried away with each performance. she also covered bob marley's africa unite (which she performed with the amazing congolese singer and guitarist, lokua kanza) and zimbabwe, which perhaps garnered the most audience participation. i believe my favorite part was when i tore my eyes of the stage for a few minutes to scan the audience and saw so many young faces enraptured by the performance. faces of those who must have been about six years old when miseducation came out. and the fact that they were as carried away as those of us who were riding on a wave of nostalgia spoke volumes about the quality of the music and the energy of the show. it was, simply, good music performed by a consummate professional. ms. hill leapt out of the box in which many of us have kept her since miseducation and led the crowd through a spectacle that featured not only hip-hop and R&B, but also reggae, funk, and rock. it was ride through a variety of genres that resulted in an unexpected, but certainly not disappointing experience. undoubtedly, those waiting to see and hear l-boogie circa 1999 were left wanting. but those waiting to see hear the soul-stirring voice and ridiculously powerful emceeing skills that we fell in love with with the fugees and on miseducation, and the introspective, soulful poetry that emerged out of unplugged got exactly what they were waiting for, and then some. the one constant, over the years is that--as danyel smith wrote in 1999--"people respond to her because she trembles with a real serious kind of truth...." amen.

personally, i was thrilled that after all these years, ms. hill seems to be as much in love in creating music and art as she always was. after all the speculation and rumors surrounding her disappearance from public life, this glimpse of her return to touring and performing is incredibly promising. i have waxed poetic before about how much i miss ms. hill...how no one out there can replace her... how music has not been the same since she went on hiatus. but i for one am glad she's coming back with a new twist. there's an evolution in her performance and in her songwriting that is incredibly inspiring. she still possesses the startlingly introspective viewpoint she introduced us to on miseducation and later on unplugged, but there's a growth there as well. and a love. you can still feel the love she has for what she does. i was as excited after the show as i would've been had she been a brand new artist to whom i was just introduced. i cannot wait to see what she does next. i cannot wait for her next album. i am beyond thrilled that she is recording and touring again. but i am most proud that she chose rwanda to begin this journey. much like the country in which she was performing that night, she demonstrated vulnerability, strength, promise, determination, and innovation. a resilient artist performing for a people and a land that define resilience.

welcome back, ms. hill.

(thank you mike e, for the inspiration for the blog post title)

win tickets to see ms. hill perform at rock the bells over at SocietyHAE!

soul food: k'naan's bang bang

2010-08-03T13:33:00.004+02:00

K'Naan & Adam Levine : Bang bang (2010)

yeah, i know a lot of hardcore dustyfoot philosopher fans that this video is going to give pause.
but i'm digging the imagery and the execution. dopeness.

linkitude

2010-07-16T13:48:00.005+02:00

friday = awesome. it usually means i do some writing as well, but...well...my back is raging against me for God knows what, so i'm going to posts links to some food for thought that i've come across over the past week and then go lie flat in a darkened room. (shout out to the fug girls for the friday link idea)

jina moore takes on the white reporter's burden in africa. i just started following her on twitter and then realized she had emailed me ages ago inquiring about a flat for rent. ah, small world. (jina moore)

this is africa is looking for bloggers, vloggers, and coolhunters! where do i sign up? (this is africa)

was just explaining black hair politics to a friend the other day, then came across this great article in clutch about the politics of hair in south africa. (clutchmagazine.com)

and, lawd...bassey ikpi, like, TOTALLY GETS ME. i love her recent piece on the constant struggle of learning to let go and stop missing: emotional hoarding. (bassey's world)

okayplayer (my first interweb home...ah, 1999) has launched the hugely impressive okayafrica! (okayafrica.com)

the pan african dance festival in rwanda is on the world wide webs: official site, twitter, facebook, and blog.

and, finally, a little bit of canadiana awesome: k-os interviewed by my SHAE sister, tastykeish on societyHAE & shad k profiled in the globe and mail.

happy friday, y'all!!

soul food: john forte's 'your side'

2010-07-08T14:27:00.002+02:00

so, even though i STOPPED watching the world cup after ghana was ROBBED *pause for effect*, i'm still listening to the awesome soundtrack. here's a gem that i cannot stop listening to: (via CoffeeBreakDMV)

la la la: when a song says it better than i can

2010-07-06T17:52:00.002+02:00

quotables: going further

2010-07-06T08:44:00.001+02:00

"Push yourself beyond when you think you are done with what you have to say. Go a little further. Sometimes when you think you are done, it is just the edge of the beginning. Probably that’s why we decide we’re done. It’s getting too scary. We are touching down onto something real. It is beyond the point when you think you are done that something strong comes out… I give this advice out of pure experience. Go further than you think you can."

Natalie Goldberg
(via Jody Watley: Style File)

quotables: writing

2010-07-02T08:48:00.002+02:00

"My advice to writers just starting out? Don’t use  semi-colons! They are transvestite hermaphrodites, representing exactly  nothing. All they do is suggest you might have gone to college."

Kurt Vonnegut (Armageddon in Retrospect)

via Danyel Smith

quotables: dreams.

2010-06-28T14:32:00.004+02:00

came across three quotes today that spoke to me (and reiterated so much of what i've been thinking/talking/dreaming about, of late):

'no amount of security is worth the suffering of a life chained to a routine that has killed your dreams.' ~ unknown

'you've got to follow your passion. you've got to figure out what it is you love--who you really are. and have the courage to do that. i believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dream.' ~ auntie o. (aka, oprah winfrey)

it is never too late to be what you might have been ~ george eliot

remembering the magic: michael jackson 1958-2009

2010-06-25T09:10:00.006+02:00

one year ago, when we heard of michael jackson's passing, my sister said that since she was a child, she'd always wondered where she'd be when that news came. today, everyone is remembering where they were when they heard. i first heard the news on twitter. michael jackson rushed to the hospital. cardiac arrest. a little while later, news of his death hit and my immediate reaction was complete denial. part of me is still in denial, i think. how can someone whose music is so interwoven into the fabric of so many lives be gone, just like that? i kept waiting for someone to announce that it was, indeed, a hoax. that it was yet another rumour flying out of control. but as the hours passed, and i stayed up all night on twitter...more confirmation poured in. i still could not fathom it. it was too big and too shocking to comprehend, somehow. it's like the child in me was stubbornly refusing to acknowledge what was happening. plugging my ears, and shutting my eyes, and shaking my head vigorously until it all went away. it wasn't until the televised memorial service that it started to sink in. michael jackson was gone. michael jackson, who had always been bigger than life. michael jackson who--even in my adulthood--never lost his magic. he was more than a man, more than an artist. he was a beautiful spirit, whose influence cannot be ignored. his impact is felt every single day, all over the world. he transcended race and nationality. he was music. he was dance. he was style. he was artistry. he was a true entertainer.

he was the best. simply. and he always will be. he is my first memory of truly LOVING music. thriller was the first album i memorized all the lyrics to. 'thriller' is the first video that enchanted me and made me fall in love with dance. that red leather jacket is the first item of clothing i remember obsessing over. he's been gone for a year, and his absence is palpable. it's a void that i'll always feel and that will never be filled. we have lost a master, a legend, a true work of art, a powerful force. and that is something that cannot be denied, despite one's personal opinion of the man. it's just fact.

i still cannot accept the fact that he's gone. i wish i could thank him for all he meant. i pray he felt the love more than he felt the mockery and the fear and the misunderstanding. i hope he knew he was loved. i hope, in the end, his gift was more of a blessing than a burden.

rest in peace and power, michael jackson. i love you as much now as i did when i first laid eyes on the thriller cover and declared that you were my boyfriend for life. there will never be another.

...gone too soon...

soul food: somi's 'prayer'

2010-06-24T16:08:00.003+02:00

somi's first single from her exquisite album if the rains come first has just debut over on essence.com. check out the interview, here.

'prayer to the saint of the brokenhearted':

love the tribute to harlem!

soul food: afropolitanic nomads: shadk + k'naan on tour

2010-06-23T16:27:00.004+02:00

this just in: shadrach kabango and k'naan on tour together, this fall.

afropolitanic nomadic lyrically genius awesome, all in one show.

a little reminder of why i have nothing but love for my favorite ~~african~~ ~~canadian~~ ~~lyricists~~
artists:

la la la: when a song says it better than i can.

2010-06-23T15:11:00.002+02:00

As long as we got each other
There's nothing in the world that can steal my joy
Yeah, As long as we got each other
We can overcome the madness of the world

food for thought....

2010-06-23T09:01:00.003+02:00

if you will relax & allow Law of Attraction to do the organization, the managing, then you can spend your time doing the things that please you.

~ Abraham-Hicks
(via les delices)

soul food: afropolitana: shad TSOL

2010-05-18T21:24:00.001+02:00

just a reminder, y'all.

awwwww....yeah!!

soul food: nas + damian marley's 'as we enter'

2010-04-29T13:00:00.003+02:00

today's soundtrack has just been injected with some awesome in the form of this track from nas and damian marley from their forthcoming album distant relatives.

'as we enter'

(video directed, once again, by nabil elderkin)

love the fact that (inspired by k'naan) they sampled mulatu atske 'yegelle tezeta'

fiyah.

soul food: afropolitana: shad k

2010-04-23T08:10:00.008+02:00

i have waxed poetic in previous posts about the awesomeness that is shadrach kabango.

his next album T.O.S.L is due out on may 25th and, from what i've heard so far, we may not be ready for it's dopeness. (yes. that's a word.)

here's the video for his first single 'yaa, i get it'.

listen to more music from the forthcoming album, here. ('rose garden' is killing me softly with it's awesome.)

soul food: maxwell's fistful of tears

2010-04-23T08:04:00.002+02:00

classic. elegant. beautiful.

Maxwell - Fistful Of Tears (Official Video)

soul food: moments

2010-04-23T07:41:00.006+02:00

uh, i know this blog is a little 'wavin' flag'ged out right now, but...um...i don't care! big ups to K'naan who took home two Juno Awards for Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. woot! this moment has been a long time coming:

listen to an in-depth interview with K'naan on Q with Jian Ghomeshi, here.

universal anthem

2010-03-18T15:30:00.003+02:00

this song is truly the perfect anthem. here are two of the latest renditions of K'naan's Wavin' Flag:

Young Artists for Haiti

The Official World Cup Anthem (feat David Bisbal)

aaand, finally, the video for the album version (directed, once again, by the awesome Nabil)

badu's back

2010-03-04T17:05:00.003+02:00

empress erykah perfoms 'window seat' on jimmy fallon, backed by the legendary roots crew.

loving the hat. side-eye-ing the leotard (?). loving her.

give me freedom, give me fire...

2010-03-02T16:25:00.004+02:00

official video for k'naan's FIFA World Cup anthem, 'wavin' flag: coca-cola celebration remix':

99 days til the World Cup is hosted by South Africa.

wave ya flag!!!

negrita's soundtrack: the tour

2010-02-16T20:06:00.008+02:00

and, now, ladies and gentlemen...the tweet negrita has been waiting for:

@john_forte: It's official - K'Naan, Wale, and John Forte coming to a town near you this Spring!

um...

woot!

let freedom reign: nelson mandela

2010-02-11T09:06:00.007+02:00

today marks 20 years since the release of Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years of his life as a political prisoner.

i clearly remember watching his release on television on a cold winter morning, and writing about it in my little journal, which was ordinarily filled with angst-ridden pre-teen non-drama. after years of participating in anti-apartheid protests with my parents and their friends (my first taste of activism), i knew i was witnessing a moment that would forever impact the continent, and the world.

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

"Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement."

--Nelson Mandela

if you have not already, read about his epic journey in Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom.'
and 'When Mandela Turned Down Freedom' via Khaya Dlanga.

soul food: erykah's 'window seat'

2010-02-10T17:34:00.005+02:00

more new music of awesome.
here's 'window seat' by erykah badu, from her forthcoming release new amerykah pt. 2: return of the ankh.
over the past year or so: new k'naan, john forte, maxwell, sade, common, mos def, q-tip...and now erykah. at this point...all i need is lauryn and d'angelo to come back and i'll be complete. next up...groove theory!!!

teddy pendergrass

2010-01-14T06:53:00.006+02:00

we have a lost an incredible talent and a true legend.
may his soul rest in eternal peace.

Teddy Pendergrass first gained notoriety as a member of the Philadelphia group, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes.

in 1977 he begun his solo career, and went on to become the first African American to have five consecutive platinum albums. in 1982 Pendergrass was injured in a car accident, which left him paralyzed from mid-chest down but which did not stop his momentum. two years later, he returned with his next album, which featured this single (and which is when i first fell in love with his voice):

you will be missed, Teddy. truly.

Teddy Pendergrass
1950-2010

writer's block

2009-12-22T08:53:00.004+02:00

...so...

...hmm...

...err...

source 1
source 2
source 3

soul food: afropolitana: nneka & j.period's 'the madness (onye-ala)'

2009-12-21T18:39:00.005+02:00

j. period is currently rocking my world. here's his latest mixtape effort featuring the beautiful, powerful afropolitan vocalist and lyricist, nneka egbuna (nigeria/germany). we've been asking where the formidable female emcees are at.... here's one to be reckoned with. she's been on the scene for years, but her music is just being introduced to US audiences.

download the full mixtape here.

soul food: afropolitana: blitz the ambassador

2009-12-11T16:38:00.004+02:00

today brings us new music from afropolitan emcee, ghana's blitz the ambassador. check out his poignant track with the beautifully talented john forté.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://blitzlivesessions.bandcamp.com/track/dying-to-live-feat-john-forte"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Dying to Live feat. John Forte by BlitzLiveSessions&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

soul food: afropolitana: shad k and zaki ibrahim

2009-12-09T11:57:00.004+02:00

on his latest album the great escape, louwop collaborates with two of our favorite canadian afropolitans (tm phiona of afripopmag), shad k (rwandan/kenyan/canadian) and zaki ibrahim (south african/canadian) on the songs 'one2check' and 'get up', respectively. in anticipation of his album release, louwop posted an live video that blends both tracks. awesome talent.

soul food: sade's 'soldier of love'

2009-12-08T08:12:00.006+02:00

sade's first single from her forthcoming album, soldier of love, has made its debut. i loved it at first listen. once again, sade adu is working with stuart matthewman, andrew hale, and paul spencer denman--her longtime band (who also make up the band, sweetback)--and, once again, they have produced soulful perfection. she consistently gets better with time. i am amazed that both she and maxwell have been out of circulation for this long, and can effortlessly bring the awesome upon their return. truly, she need not make a lot of noise to make a grand entrance. i cannot wait for the rest of this album.

...listen...

lady in my life (redux)

2009-12-07T16:46:00.003+02:00

this song, in its original incarnation, is truly one of my favorites.
this tribute is simply beautiful. that is all.

'lady in my life' as performed by maxwell at the nomination concert of the 52nd grammy awards.

t.i.a in umricka: wale's attention deficit

2009-11-10T17:35:00.008+02:00

wale's album attention deficit drops today, after much anticipation (hyped by a tour that has spanned much of this year). it's hard to believe it's his first album, since his mixtapes have had so much impact. saturated with rather awesome and clever collaborations, i am rather loving it, so far.

the jewels so far: 'shades' with chrisette michele; 'diary' with marsha ambrosius; 'world tour' with jazmine sullivan; and the crazy ridiculous show-em-how-it's-done 'tv in the radio' with fellow afropolitan, k'naan.

t.i.a in umricka, killing it.

tv in the radio--wale feat. k'naan

well played, mr. folarin, well played.

wavin' flag: the world cup 2010 anthem

2009-11-04T08:50:00.008+02:00

k'naan has adapted his powerfully inspirational song 'waving flag' for the FIFA world cup, which will be held in south africa in 2010.

give me freedom;
give me fire;
give me reason;
take me higher.

assata shakur

2009-11-02T17:45:00.004+02:00

thirty years ago, today, Assata Shaku r--an American political prisoner--escaped from detention in the US and was granted political asylum in Cuba.

"Like most poor people in the United States, I have no voice. The Black press and the progressive media, as well as Black civil rights organizations, have historically played an essential role in the struggle for social justice. We should continue and expand that tradition. We should create media outlets that help to educate our people and our children, and not annihilate their minds. I am only one woman. I own no TV stations or radio stations or newspapers. But I believe that people need to be educated as to what is going on and to understand the connection between the news media and the instruments of repression in America. All I have are my voice, my spirit and the will to tell the truth. But I sincerely ask those of you in the Black media, those of you in the progressive media and those of you who believe in truth and freedom to publish my story.' -Assata Shakur

hear Assata in her own words, here.

image courtesy of the martyr index

fela! on broadway

2009-10-30T12:03:00.013+02:00

you know what looks awesome?

the Fela! musical is now on Broadway.

directed by Bill T. Jones,
starring afropolitans Kevin Mambo and Sahr Ngaujah, and
featuring the impossibly amazing Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra.

photo source: playbill

the image: iyaDedE

2009-10-29T17:36:00.003+02:00

iyaDede by barron clairborne

soul food: afropolitana: somi's if the rains come first

2009-10-28T09:58:00.005+02:00

somi's if the rains come first in stores all over north america, today.

listen to and download the album, here.

download 'prayer to the saint of the brokenhearted' (right-click to download)

music source: giant step

and, now...we dance.

2009-10-22T08:41:00.001+02:00

the 'african air horn dance' by jusa dementor of zimbabwe.

*wanders off in search of an airhorn*

soul food: an evening with Somi

2009-10-03T20:23:00.023+02:00

a couple of weeks ago, jazz enthusiasts in kigali flocked to the beautiful shokola for an intimate performance by somi, a rwandan/ugandan new york-based soul-afrobeat-jazz vocalist. from the day i discovered somi, five years ago, she has been an integral part of my afropolitan soundtrack. her homage to home is a constant thread that runs through all her works, and she consistently embraces her roots while acknowledging all of the other influences that have shaped her into the artist she is today.

shokola--a cafe/restaurant that effortlessly blends african tradition with contemporary design--provided not only a venue, but a setting an ambience that was a crucial ingredient to the intimacy of the show. surrounded by small bonfires and rustic lamps hanging from age-old trees, the crowd gathered under the venue's signature Bedouin tents on sofas, around tables, on cushions, and sat on whatever space was available in eager anticipation; thirsty for truly good music.

the show was a blend of songs from jazz classics, to somi's own older material, to a preview of her new album. she began with 'ingele', an afro-jazz hit from her first album red soil in my eyes, which was followed by nat king cole's 'nature boy' and later by her bluesy interpretation of a reggae classic, bob marley's 'waiting in vain'.

the set was all-too-brief, and concluded with a track from her latest album if the rain comes first in which she sang of returning home: 'home is where you know you can always touch your feet to the floor.'

it was a powerfully moving performance and the a capella rendition of nina simone's 'feeling good' left the crowd hungry for more. it is still rare to have such an enormous talent in such a perfect setting, and it was a refreshing preview of what is on the horizon of the arts scene in kigali.