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May. 28, 2015 01:22PM EST

The MTV Africa Music Awards Will Take Place On Nelson Mandela's Birthday

The fifth edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards will be held in Durban on July 18, Nelson Mandela's birthday.

The upcoming fifth edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards is set to take place in Durban, South Africa on July 18 to commemorate Nelson Mandela's birthday. The awards show — which has previously hosted and recognized the likes of 2Face Idibia, Davido, D’Banj, Flavour, HHP, Fally Ipupa, Mafikizolo, Lupita Nyong’o, Sarkodie, P-Square, Tiwa Savage, Uhuru, and many more — will be presented by MTV Base alongside Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa at Durban's International Convention Center.

“We are thrilled that the MTV Africa Music Awards will be returning to Durban and KwaZulu-Natal on 18 July, a date famous for being the birthday of Nelson Mandela - what better day could there be for staging this inspirational celebration of African achievement and creativity that showcases Africa’s best talent on the world stage," mentions VIMN Africa senior vice president and managing director Alex Okosi.

The MTV Africa Music Awards KwaZulu-Natal 2015's categories will include the usual Best Male, Best Female, and Best Song awards, the Best Lusophone and Best Francophone categories, and a special Artist of the Decade award. We're still waiting to hear on who the nominees, performers, and host for the awards will be.

mtv africa music awards Nelson Mandela
Style
Image courtesy of Daily Paper

Wekafore Releases Fela Kuti Inspired Collab With Daily Paper

The one-of-a-kind 'The Spirit Don't Die' capsule collection celebrates African heritage and a hope for a brighter future.

Amsterdam-based African streetwear brand Daily Paper has joined Nigerian fashion brand Wekafore in creating a unique capsule collection of note. The 'The Spirit Don't Die' collection is inspired by fashion and Nigerian activism icon Fela Kuti, but celebrates the bountiful beauty, potential, and heritage of Africans.

Nigerian designer Wekaforé Maniu Jibril, owner, and designer of the Wekafore brand has been hot since his 2013 debut. The brand has gone on to become a great success within the realm of West African fashion. Wekaforé represents a newer, more fearless generation of African designers and their latest collaborative collection tells the tale.

Daily Paper x Wekaforé 'The Spirit Don't Die' collectionImage courtesy of Daily Paper


The two popular brands share a rich history and intention to further African fashion's reputation in the world, as well as as a shared desire for raw necessity, organic growth, and authentic community engagement, development and, support. The fashion brands are making it known that street and casual wear are more than we once thought - fashion can be inclusive and fun. The stars truly aligned to bring us this partnership guided by similar core values and the hunger to celebrate Africa and her diasporas through fashion.

The Fela Kuti-inspired collection is filled with distinctive and bold pieces, honoring Africa's past while paving the way towards the future. Wekafore is known for their clear integration of West Africa's 1970's cultural golden age, and this limited collection speaks to those themes, making it a no-brainer to dedicate the line to the legendary King of Afrobeat, whose style never disappointed. It's clear to see how Kuti's influence inspired the exciting and vibrant creative renaissance seen in the collection. On using Kuti as his muse, Wekaforé says, "Like Fela, the pieces are very punk, very psychedelic, and very African at the same time. And that represents me 100%. And I think being able to speak that way through a platform like Daily Paper is a testament to contemporary African consciousness."


Image courtesy of Daily Paper

Daily Paper x Wekafore 'The Spirit Don't Die' Collection

Check out more of Daily Paper x Wekafore's collection 'The Spirit Don't Die' collection here.

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