LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

Oct

23

2022

Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson to be honoured as MusiCares persons of the year

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

DANIELLE BROADWAY MOTOWN icons Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson will be honoured by the music industry in Los Angeles ahead of the annual Grammy Awards as MusiCares 2023 persons of the year, the organization announced. MusiCares, which is dedicated to supporting the music community, said the music world will celebrate the legacy of both songwriters during its 32nd annual persons of the year benefit gala. Berry Gordy, 92, and Smokey Robinson, 82, built the Motown record label in the 1960s and for several decades was the highest-earning Black American record label, nicknamed Hitsville USA for its dozens of chart-toppers. Gordy,…

Jul

05

2022

By The African Mirror

The case of the acclaimed South African novel that ‘borrows’ from Samuel Beckett

LITERATURE

RICK DE VILLIERS, Senior Lecturer, Department of English, University of the Free State PEREANT qui ante nos nostra dixerunt: may those who utter our words before us perish. This lighthearted Latin curse speaks a truth many readers and writers have felt: to have our thoughts articulated by someone else. Coenraad de Buys is unruffled by such a possibility. He is the antihero of Willem Anker’s award winning 2014 Afrikaans novel, Buys. Vagabond philosopher that he is, Buys reflects on the nature of memories. Their substance is flaky; their origin sometimes obscure. You might glimpse them in a glass darkly or…

Jul

02

2022

By ALAN BALDWIN

Fashion Brand Hugo Boss returns to F1 with Aston Martin

BEAUTY AND FASHION

GERMAN fashion brand Hugo Boss announced it was returning to Formula One with the Aston Martin team, five years after leaving for the electric Formula E series. The deal announced at the British Grand Prix on Thursday and initially running until 2025, will see Boss branding on the F1 cars with immediate effect and the company providing team apparel from 2023. Hugo Boss Chief executive Daniel Grieder told Reuters the pull of Netflix's "Drive to Survive" docu-series, new rules to make racing more competitive and a push for sustainability were compelling factors. A 30-year friendship with Aston Martin's Canadian billionaire…

Jul

08

2022

By The African Mirror

Spiritual traditions fuel South African jazz artist Tumi Mogorosi’s new album

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Blues … Black … Darker than grey/ Creation sounds Gold Reef Mine rockfall crush-sounds/ Guitar-string gun-spit tear flesh/ Black sonic science/ Darkest Acoustics … (from Where Are The Keys? on Group Theory: Black Music) SOUTH African poet Lesego Rampolokeng often writes about Black music in his poems. His collaborations with musicians on record are rarer but always remarkable. There was the cassette-only 1994 African Axemen collaboration with Zimbabwean Louis Mhlanga and a stellar crew of other pan-African guitarists. And his Tears for Marikana on Salim Washington’s album, Sankofa. And now the track Where Are the Keys? on South African drummer…

Jul

08

2022

By The African Mirror

Wole Soyinka’s life of writing holds Nigeria up for scrutiny

LITERATURE

AKINWANDE Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, known simply as Wole Soyinka, can’t be easily described. He is a teacher, an ideologue, a scholar and an iconoclast, an elder statesman, a patriot and a culturalist. The Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet and essayist is a giant among his contemporaries. In 1986, he became the first sub-Saharan African, and is one of only five Africans, to be awarded the Nobel prize for literature. This was in recognition of the way he “fashions the drama of existence”. Author ABAYOMI AWELEWA, Lecturer in African and African Diasporan Literature, University of Lagos His works reveal him as a…

Apr

04

2022

By The African Mirror

SA’s DJ Black Coffee wins Grammy Award

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SOUTH Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has led the nation in singing praises of DJ Black Coffee - real name Nathi Maphumulo - who has won his first Grammy Award. Black Coffee won the Grammy - the ultimate prize in music - in the dance/electronic category for his album titled “Subconsciously” Ramaphosa said: “Congratulations to Black Coffee for being awarded the Best Dance/Electronic Music award for his album ‘Subconsciously’ at last night’s #GRAMMYs. Thank you for flying the flag and inspiring a new generation of talent to take over the world.” In his acceptance speech, Black Coffee said: “I want to…

Apr

04

2022

By The African Mirror

Who is Nigerian music star Wizkid – and why is he taking over the world?

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE global appreciation of West Africa’s Afrobeats music has grown significantly in the last decade. Afrobeats stars are touring the world, racking up record sales, winning awards and collaborating with big-name international artists. In fact, seven of the nine African artists nominated for a 2022 Grammy Award – one of the world’s most sought after music awards – are West African. Most of these make music driven by Afrobeats sounds. Author SAMSON UCHENNA EZE, Lecturer, University of Nigeria Afrobeats is a broad, generic term for African contemporary popular music with rhythmic and harmonic influences of West Africa’s highlife and Afrobeat…

Apr

03

2022

By The African Mirror

‘Heartbroken’ Will Smith quits film academy

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

LISA RICHWINE ACTOR Will Smith has resigned from Hollywood's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, saying that his slapping of presenter Chris Rock on stage at this year's Oscars ceremony was "shocking, painful and inexcusable." "I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken," Smith said in a statement. "So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate," he said. At the Oscars ceremony…

Apr

01

2022

By The African Mirror

From Nigeria to the world: Afrobeats is having a global moment

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ANOTHER Grammy Awards season and there is a growing list of African nominees. For African music enthusiasts, it is heartwarming that recognition is being accorded to practitioners in the Afrobeats space. Afrobeat and Afrobeats, although related, are quite distinct. Afrobeats is the genre that emerged when West African pop music became cool. Its origins coincide with the media liberalisation that accompanied the “final” wave of democratisation in Africa from 1999. More than this, it is a convenient term for Europe to refer to music coming out of Africa, distinct from Euro-American pop. Author GARHE OSIEBE, Research Fellow, Rhodes University Afrobeat,…

Apr

07

2022

By The African Mirror

South African soul star Simphiwe Dana’s new show is about healing

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SINGER-SONGWRITER Simphiwe Dana is working with fellow South African creative director, theatre producer and dancer Gregory Maqoma and his Vuyani Dance Theatre company. The new theatre work featuring Dana on vocals is called MOYA. It’s subtitled, “An artistic reflection on the role of spirituality in healing”. MOYA speaks to the significance of one’s spiritual health, particularly following the traumas associated with loss and feelings of helplessness owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. It seeks to use music and theatre to draw performers and audiences alike to a deeper connection to their spiritual roots. As articulated by Dana and Maqoma, the show…