ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

Aug

07

2024

John Kani, a legend of the South African, African theatre honoured by King Charles

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

FROM the dusty streets of New Brighton township to the grand halls of Buckingham Palace, Dr John Kani's journey is a testament to the transformative power of art and the indomitable spirit of human perseverance. As King Charles III bestowed upon him the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the world bore witness to the coronation of a true titan of African theatre. Kani's life reads like an epic play, each act more compelling than the last. Born in the crucible of apartheid South Africa, he wielded words and performances as weapons against oppression. His stages were not merely platforms…

Aug

02

2024

By ALABA ILESANMI

Fela Kuti is more famous today than ever – what’s behind his global power

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ALMOST three decades after his passing in 1997, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the legendary Nigerian musician and activist who created the Afrobeat music movement, remains the subject of global obsession. The self-proclaimed “Black President” is everywhere, like an omnipresent deity. His presence is felt, and his legacy is honoured, through contemporary showcases from Lagos to London, Bonn to Brazil. Among his many afterlife manifestations are reissues of his music, like the 2024 Fela Vinyl Box Set #6 curated by British actor and DJ Idris Elba; the display of his life, activism and music at the Rébellion Afrobeat exhibition in Paris in 2022-23;…

Aug

04

2024

By The African Mirror

Lights, camera, action: Idris Elba’s “Zollywood” cinematic revolution

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

IN a groundbreaking move set to transform the East African film landscape, Zanzibar has unveiled plans for an International Film Studio spearheaded by Hollywood heavyweight Idris Elba. The Tanzanian archipelago, known for its pristine beaches and rich cultural tapestry, is now poised to become the beating heart of Africa's film industry. Announced at the star-studded 27th Zanzibar International Film Festival, the government's allocation of 80 hectares in Fumba village for this ambitious project signals a seismic shift in the region's creative economy. Zanzibar's Investment Minister, Shariff Ali Shariff, heralded the studio as a game-changer, promising to catapult Tanzania onto the…

Jul

31

2024

By ZANIEL DADA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Nigeria’s sports “queen” scores with local language radio show

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

“…and it’s a corner kick for Man City!” “They’re trying by putting pressure on Arsenal’s No. 18 but their defender Ben White kicked it out, so he isn’t a ‘Ben 10’!” “Raya is pushing Akanji…while saying ‘Akanji don’t push me?’” “Pep Guardiola clearly needs a water break!” “There is no end to the bullets in the guns at Arsenal!” It’s 6:30 PM on Sunday and Aderonke Adesola is live. The popular sports presenter has about three million listeners within Ibadan, Nigeria’s third largest city. Her lively updates and analysis of soccer, motorsports, golf, and even racket sports have fans eagerly…

Jul

27

2024

By RODERIC KNIGHT

Toumani Diabaté: the famed musician from Mali who took the kora to the world

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE world has lost a significant musical ambassador for the Mande people of West Africa – the virtuoso kora player, composer, and collaborator from Mali, Toumani Diabaté. He died on 19 July, just short of his 59th birthday, at the peak of his career. When Toumani was born in Bamako in 1965, neither his surname Diabaté nor his instrument, the kora, an iconic 21-stringed African harp, was familiar to anyone outside the Mande region. By the time Toumani passed, his father Sidiki Diabaté Sr had been known as “the king of the kora” and Toumani himself was world-famous, representing the…

Jul

27

2024

By IBRAHEEM ADESINA KUKOYI

Nigeria’s Ojude-Oba festival celebrates heritage with colourful parades and horsemanship: how it could be used to attract tourists

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE Ojude-Oba festival is a vibrant annual celebration that has become an integral part of the identity of Ijebu-Ode, a city in south-west Nigeria. This colourful event, famous for its cultural displays and public parades, has been observed for nearly two centuries. Though the festival had its origin in Islam, it brings together people from all walks of life, regardless of their religious beliefs. At its core, the Ojude-Oba festival is a grand homage-paying ceremony to the Awujale, the king of the Ijebu people. The earliest documented reference to the Ijebu kingdom is a Portuguese source of late 15th-century context.…

Jul

13

2024

By MBALI MAZIBUKO

Brenda Fassie’s 1997 hit song Vulindlela still raises questions about South Africa as a nation

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

IN 1997, South Africa’s most famous music star had a huge hit. Brenda Fassie’s Vulindlela became a national pop anthem, played especially at weddings and celebrations. Vulindlela can be loosely translated from the Zulu language as an instruction to “make way” or, if you like, “clear the path”. The song is about making way for the groom (and bride) at their wedding. In 1997 South Africa was emerging from the racist apartheid system and was celebrating its own “wedding” across the colour bar after democratic elections in 1994. Apartheid and its policy of separate development for different ethnic groups made…

Jun

28

2024

By PHENDU KUTA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Telling African stories through African spaces, Bheki Dube is revolutionising inner-city African hospitality

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SITUATED in the creative hub of Maboneng and capturing Johannesburg's vibrant urban culture with its bike-friendly outdoor spaces, a pool, a bar, a rooftop and a spacious common area for creative and engaging experiences, it would seem only fitting that Curiocity Joburg, the flagship hotel for Curiocity Africa and one of a chain of city hotels, would provide a hybrid offering to appeal to digital nomads, the local startup scene and local and international tourists, alike. Yet, when founder Bheki Dube created Curiocity Africa, hybrid hotels were virtually unheard of on the continent. Hotels that blend the traditional hotel model…

Jun

25

2024

By VALMONT LAYNE

Goema superstar: how composer Mac McKenzie reshaped the sound of Cape Town

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

GERALD “Mac” McKenzie passed away on 29 April 2024. He will be remembered as a renegade spirit and innovator in South African music. The composer and bassist changed Cape Town’s goema music tradition forever. Growing up in the city’s carnival culture, he helped form The Genuines, combining styles like rock, punk, classical and jazz with the music of his childhood. Valmont Layne has studied Cape Town’s music history, including McKenzie’s contribution. We asked him three questions. Firstly, what is goema? The word describes a musical style from Cape Town that’s linked to the city’s slave heritage and to the drum…

Jun

20

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO AND FISKE NYIRONGO

bird TenX: Top African skit makers

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE rise of skit-making in Africa underscores the depth of the continent’s digital revolution. With over 526 million internet users in 2021, Africa has seen a surge in content creators harnessing social media’s vast reach. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok serve as stages for skit makers to showcase their talent, in some cases resulting in viral fame and even fortune. Skit-making also adds substantially to the bottom line of Africa’s creative sector. Projected to reach US$12 billion by 2025 in East, West and Southern Africa alone, the sector is increasingly driven by online video content. Skit makers stimulate job…