ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

Jul

16

2022

Nigerian’s dream comes true with “Iyanu”

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY "A dream 15 years in the making" is how Roye Okupe described the announcement that his African superhero creation Iyanu would be turned into an animated series on HBO Max. "That's right, folks, YouNeek Studios IYANU has been greenlit and is set to become an ANIMATED SERIES ON HBO Max!" the US-educated Nigerian creator of African-inspired superhero & fantasy stories behind YouNeek - known for its EXO series of graphic novels - said when announcing the news. “Iyanu: Child of Wonder” is a superhero tale set in the magical kingdom of Yorubaland, which draws from…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez to perform at diverse Biden inauguration

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

LADY Gaga and Jennifer Lopez will take the stage at U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony in Washington next week alongside others in what his transition team said would showcase a diverse America. The two will perform at the Jan. 20 event for the incoming 46th U.S. president, which will also feature remarks from a black firefighter from Georgia, a former Youth Poet Laureate, a Catholic priest, and a pastor from Biden's hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem and Lopez will give a musical performance. "They represent one clear picture of the grand diversity of…

Jan

17

2021

By The African Mirror

Vee Mmpeezy’s ‘Dumalana’ reaches 8.4 million views on Youtube

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO BOTSWANA singing sensation Vee Mampeezy has a big reason to celebrate this weekend with his latest video reaching over 8 million views on Youtube. This is the highest tally of views for the singer. The song ‘Dumalana’ is Mampeezy’s third single to reach over 1 million views on the platform after his previous singles ‘Dololo’ and ‘I Love You’ reaching over 1.2 million and 1.5 million views respectively. The Motswana singer took to Instagram to share his joy over the video’s success, thanking his fans for watching his videos and continuously supporting him. “I would like to say…

Jan

16

2021

By The African Mirror

Showmax creates first-ever Kenyan original series

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO AFRICAN streaming platform Showmax and CANAL+ have broken ground with a new drama series, a first collaboration between the platform and the French channel. The new series is called Crime & Justice, a gritty procedural & legal drama set in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi. Heavyweight actors Sarah Hassan and Alfred Munyua will take up the roles as the two detective leads, Maken and Silas, with the new role as a detective being Hassan’s first in her career. The new series focuses on Makena and Silas at the heart of the topical show that follows one ripped-from-the-headlines case per…

Jan

15

2021

By The African Mirror

Amazon film recounts epic meeting of Cassius Clay, Sam Cooke, Malcolm X, Jim Brown

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SARAH MILLS IMAGINE a time more than 50 years ago when four of the biggest Black American celebrities in the world met up and spent hours discussing race, religion and politics? That's the premise of the film "One Night in Miami," out on Amazon Prime on Friday, which recounts a 1964 meeting between boxer Cassius Clay, soul singer Sam Cooke, civil rights activist Malcolm X and football player Jim Brown. The meeting really took place, says screenwriter Kemp Powers, who came across a throwaway mention of it years ago and became obsessed with finding out more. "The characterizations and the…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Death you are a cheat! We live in your shadow all the time

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

“Hi Khulu! Kunjani Mfowethu, ngu Sam Phillips lona. Yes, uSisi ungitsheshele izindaba ezinzima, of course, ngawe. Baba, hayi Mfowethu, I am sorry to hear… But ngiyethemba uNkulunkulu will hear our prayers masimcela ukuthi ube safe … he will bless [you], even the doctors will be looking after you. Please stay strong mfanakithi, We love you, Ngu Sam!” I received this voice message from my brother on the 23rd of March 2020, in the evening. I listened to it more than twice, and I was angry. Not angry at my brother Sam, but angry at my sister, Lillian. Why did he…

Jul

07

2020

By The African Mirror

The Black Female Visual Artists on Our Radar

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

LERATO MBANGENI BLURRING the lines between disciplines and mediums is what we like and the following women have got it down to a fine art. These creatives are on our radar this week: Lunga Ntila (@lunga_ntila) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_TenjFjZkP/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb3BzeEFs3_/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B0yVe0bp1L7/ Puleng Mongale (@pulengmongale) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBKq2_3DaSw/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CADONPlDjf8/ Natalie Paneng (@nataliepaneng_) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Fd0hJj1wJ/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CBkczENDXOT/ Azania Forest (@azaniaforest) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBQJtBeDOyz/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B_z4z40DZrZ/ Tony Gum (@tony_gum) https://www.instagram.com/p/BdvnyY6FFaI/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcd1yjbgP5D/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BcKP4I_A6fO/

Jul

01

2020

By The African Mirror

Will Smith denies giving August Alsina blessing for affair with his wife

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WILL Smith has reportedly shot down singer August Alsina's astounding claim that he gave him his blessing to have a long-term affair with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.The Sun in the UK today reported that Will's representatives called the claims "wrong", while a spokesperson for Jada vehemently denied them to celebrity website Page Six, branding them "absolutely not true". During the astounding revelation to radio host Angela Yee, the 27-year-old singer said he was in love with the actress, 48, and had been involved with her for years. A representative for Jada said the claims were “absolutely not true”.It is…

Jun

30

2020

By The African Mirror

Netflix announces Kaepernick drama series

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THE DRAMATIC life of the US National Football League (NFL)’s player-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick is to be immortalised in film. Kaepernick has been captured in a new limited drama series on Netflix. Titled “Colin in Black & White” is a scripted series that follows the life of the all-star football player, from adolescence through his influential high school years. Academy Award Nominee and Emmy Award-winning director Ava DuVernay has teamed up with Kaepernick, who will also be the narrator, to create the scripted limited series, with Emmy Award Nominee Michael Starburry, who has previously worked with DuVernay in…

Jun

29

2020

By The African Mirror

African stars take home 2020 BET awards

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

STAFF REPORTER FOUR of Africa’s big artists won big at the 2020 edition of the BET Awards, reflecting the ever-growing impact of African music in the world. Nigerian Afrobeats hitmaker Burna Boy walked away with the first award, the Best International Act presented by supermodel Naomi Campbell. Burna Boy beat out South Africa’s Sho Madjozi, the DRC’s Innoss'B, U.K’s Brit Award winners rappers Dave and Stormzy, as well as France’s S.Pri Noir and Ninho. Burna Boy, whose most recent work is his 2019 Grammy-nominated African Giant album, thanked his fans from a live stream and added that “In order for…