Merkato is a documentary (view the trailer here) about the largest open-air market in Ethiopia. The filmmakers are trying to raise funds to finish the project through kickstarter.
This is Freedom
September 30, 2011 By 3 Comments
So three of Nelson Mandela’s grandchildren will star in their own reality television show for South African television. The show will go on air in 2012. The main characters will be sisters Swati Dlamini-Manaway (34), and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway (32), and their cousin, Dorothy Adjoa Amuah (27).
The three held a press conference in Johannesburg announcing the show.
One journalist likens the show to something resembling “… the Kennedys, with a dash of the Kardashians.” I can’t even imagine what that is.
One of the stars, Dorothy Amuah refers to herself as part of “a new middle class of intellectuals” and was quick to play down the comparisons: they’re definitely “not the African Kardasians.”
Shameless Self Promotion
September 30, 2011 By 1 Comment
The nearly 400-page “Encyclopedia of South Africa” (it has 300 entries),co-edited by Howard University political scientist Krista Johnson (between us, she did more work) and myself is finally out. This is proof.
Robo the Technician
September 30, 2011 By 1 Comment
From the Johannesburg-based record label that recently introduced us to Yugen Blakrok and Fifi the Rai Blaster comes this video for Robo the Technician. (“We’ve got a production studio here at Iapetus, that’s where it was shot.”) South Africans will recognize some familiar faces in the background.
The Art of Turning Tables
September 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
DJ Equipment companies, like Denon and Traktor, have been sponsoring the world’s best turntablists to promote their wares with these amazing performance videos. In the competition to outdo each other, the companies are offering us the treat to check these talented guys out, with a high production value. Even so, it’s hard to figure out exactly what they’re doing as these pros make such tricky technical mixing seem effortless:
Because Your Black
September 29, 2011 By 1 Comment
Music Break / Kommanda Obbs
September 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
It was Core Wreckah who first put us on to Lesotho rapper Kommanda Obbs a while ago. Asked for some background about this video, Kommanda tells us that “Ts’epe was shot in the mountainous villages of Bela Bela and Maputsoe in Lesotho. The aim of the song is to instil confidence in youth so that they embrace their cultures while learning about other cultures. The video introduces the album, the movement and the official Sesotho version of hip-hop. ‘Ts’epe’, which could be translated literally as ‘iron’, is used figuratively in this context as hard-hitting lyricism. The radio dj’s in Lesotho and certain parts of South Africa are really supportive. The video is currently playing on Lesotho TV.” We can see why.
