Okayafrica TV: Angélique Kidjo x The Roots at The Holiday Jam

Benin’s own Angélique Kidjo took the stage at the Okayplayer Holiday Jam at Brooklyn Bowl as one of several acts reppin’ the Okayafrica side of things. Africa’s premiere diva showcased her incredible chops as The Roots threw down an interpolation of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up.” Jump here for LargeUp fam’s re-cap of Shaggy and Patra. Watch the Angélique live clip above, and stay tuned for a whole bunch more from the jam.

Video shot and edited by Jay Sprogell.

NYC: Angélique Kidjo Revisits Her Childhood in Benin

Angélique Kidjo, seen lending her voice to Occupy Wall Street in the video above, will revisit tales from her childhood in Benin at Joe’s Pub in New York City. The shows take place Thursday Nov. 17 at 9:30pm, and Friday Nov. 18 at 7:00pm. Kidjo and director Jo Bonney will be sharing a sneak peek at their work-in-progress as part of Joe’s Pub’s New York Voices series. Head here for more information on the event.

Photos: Babes In Benin

Fashion week has come and gone but the words and images from “Babes in Benin,” the feature article from the latest issue of Pigeons and Peacocks are timeless.

Issue #4 takes a look at “exploitation and excess” and asks: “where is the line to be drawn between inspiration and exploitation” when dealing with African culture, and European appropriation? Inspired by Daniel Laine’s series, “Kings of Africa,” Babes in Benin uses traditional prints, but takes the designs the opposite direction. Rightfully concerned with cultural translation P&P even questions whether it’s detrimental to have their white European stylists depicting African iconography.

“It’s nostalgia as exploitation: exploitation of the past; exploitation of the stereotypes forged in the past, and an exploration of when cultural stereotypes become iconography, and where iconography becomes inspiration, and when inspiration turns to exploitation…it is a cycle of pop regurgitating itself, reappropriating symbols and codes and inappropriately fetishizing and remixing different cultures. “

On the upswing, Natalie Lasance reports from fashion week in Lagos, Nigeria “Africa’s second ever fashion week”, and notes the rich local talent while claiming many Nigerian designers who studied abroad are returning home to “fuse technical excellence with the unique cultural history of Nigerian tribes.” For young designers fashion in Africa is a fresh frontier that also includes social initiatives like female empowerment, voting education, identity empowerment, and the list goes on.

Visionary designers who are “using their success to make a difference” include, Kemmy Solomon, who uses design to celebrate femininity, as well as Autumn Adeigbo, who donates 5% of profits from each dress to Women For Women International. Terence Sambo, who blogs as One Nigerian Boy is behind the campaign, Vote, It’s in Style,” which promotes voting to the youth via fashion and media. Pick up a copy to read the full article including interviews with the models. Enjoy the photo stream!



 

Photos: A Retrospective Lens on African Fashions

Often when one thinks of fashion history one never imagines fashion in Africa, which is indeed a shame and a missed opportunity to see regal elegance at its best. It is also a missed opportunity to see what inspires us as Africans today.

In light of the Arise fashion show at NYFW, we decided to delve pictorially into the fashionably African past.

For those of you who are keen on moving images, stay tuned for OKA TV’s exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the Arise show.

NYC: Angélique Kidjo at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with ‘Heroic Africans’

 

Angélique Kidjo will perform this Saturday (Oct. 1st) at The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium in NYC. The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter’s concert is in conjunction with The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit: “Heroic Africans: Legendary Leaders, Iconic Sculpture.”

We’re particularly excited about this exhibit because, much to the delight of post-modernists everywhere (Kwame Anthony Appiah), it promises to “challenge conventional perceptions of African art.” In short, African art is not to be judged against some Western benchmark.

A New York Time’s review of the exhibit offers hope that the this is indeed true:

“…it argues, through demonstration, against basic misunderstandings surrounding this art. African art has no history? No independent tradition of realism? No portraiture? All African sculpture looks basically alike, meaning “primitive”? African and Western art are fundamentally different in content and purpose? Wrong across the board.”

Click here for more information on the concert event. The exhibit will run through January 29th.

Video: Angélique Kidjo “Redemption Song”

If you didn’t catch Beninese icon Angélique Kidjo’s PBS special, then you missed out on one of the best performances in the series to date. Kidjo was accompanied by the likes of Branford Marsalis and Josh Groban. There was even a few numbers by the dancers from the Broadway hit FELA!. Don’t worry though, the internet has you covered. Enjoy this Kidjo cover of Bob Marley’s classic “Redemption Song” featuring some great back up vocals courtesy of Harvard’s Kuumba Choir.

BET Awards 2011 “Best International Act: Africa” Nominations

This year’s BET Awards nominations are in and the line up for Best International Act: Africa includes a nice variety of styles and countries.  Nigeria is represented by two nominees, R&B stars 2Face Idibia and D’Banj, who you might recognize from his recent collaboration with Snoop Dogg.  Another nominee, D-Black is repping Ghana, while Fally Ipupa was nominated out of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Rounding out the 6 member nomination list are Angelique Kidjo of Benin (the list’s only female) and Teargas, a 3 member group out of South Africa.  The show will air live on Sunday June 26th so tune in to see who wins! Get some more info on the nominees and the awards show here. Photos of the nominees after the jump.

Read More »

Benin’s Orchestre Poly-Rythmo is Back, and Better than Ever.


Vincent Ahehehinnou of Benin’s powerhouse band Orchestre Poly-Rythmo was one of the founder members, remaining with the band until 1978. He later enjoyed success with solo recordings during the late ‘90s. Now back as a core member of Poly-Rythmo, he talks to Strut Record’s Quinton Scott on behalf of Okayafrica during a press trip to promote their new studio album, Cotonou Club.

Read More »

Audio: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo’s “Pardon”

Strut Records has released another great afro funk song. The newest single, “Pardon” off of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo‘s first new album in over 20 years, Cononou Club is upbeat, and shows that time (20 years in fact) hasn’t diminished their ability at all. Check for the review of their album Cononou Club on Okayplayer in a few weeks. Produced entirely on vintage analog recording equipment, the album is slated to hit the streets April 12th.

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo – Pardon by Strut

NYC: FREE Zozo Afrobeat show this Friday at BAM

Definitely get out the dancing shoes for this one!  Nigerian-born Kaleta grew up performing Afrobeat with the Gods—Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and the rest of the pantheon. Now based in New York, his group Zozo Afrobeat is a fixture of both groove and political consciousness, all 13 pieces of which will head to BAMcafé Live this Friday, November 5th.  Bar opens at 8:00 PM, show starts at 9:30 PM and it is FREE!  Check out the video below (after the jump) so you don’t get confused when your feet start moving without your control on Friday.  For more information on the show and directions, visit BAM here.  Zozo Afrobeat also has several albums and more information on their website.