FANS’
FREE MAGAZINE AFRICAN
MUSIC
MAGAZINE
WEMBLEY ARENA WELCOMES THE 2010 AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS - OCTOBER
AFRICAN
MUSIC AWARDS ‘09
The NEW AM Radio
AM UNSIGNED 2010 MUSIC COMPETITION
AKON
Where did it all go well for the man behind KONVICT...
Amr DIAB
The king of North African Music rocked London...
A DAY WITH PHOTOS & CELEBS
“thisisme” AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS
Founder’s
LETTER Daring to be different!
I
wish to extend my unreserved gratitude to you for making the 2009 African Music Awards (AMAs) event the huge success that it was. 2010 is here and it looks huge! The event calender in the UK for year 2010 is looking exciting and as usual, your AMAs will take the centre stage with uncompromising showmanship and palatable live Acts from our wondrous continent, the UK and USA. For the first time, your 2010 AMAs will be broadcasted live to over 50million worldwide showcasing the richness of our music and culture. Our aim is to expose to the world, the incredible talent of the African Artist. This year, we have launched three main entities to the African Music (AM) brand. The first is the ‘AMAs Unsigned’ music competition to assist our youngsters to realise their dreams of becoming prominent Artist. Also, the AM Radio and TV are fully functional from this year to keep our faithful entertained year round with hit musical contents.
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s part of keeping in touch with you all year round and not only when the AMAs is coming up, we have finally launched your AM Magazine. The magazine is rich with musical contents, celeb news, health & beauty, sports, interviews and many more thought provoking issues. As our little way to say thank you for being an African Music Awards family, the magazine is FREE. It will be available for pickup in selected HMV, Tesco and your local music outlets or downloaded from the AMAs website: (www.africamusicawars.com) As usual, this year’s African Music Awards will be held in October, at the prestigious Wembley Arena. We are daring to be different in everything that we do and your continues support is the key catalyst to keep the locomotion of success in motion. I thank you ever so much for your support.
Eric M. Adu
Contents 06 Reviews 09 AMAs Unsigned 17 African Music Awards ‘09 25 Tinchy Stryder 38 Poor, Rich AFRICA 40 Top 14 Black Role Models 46 Shady Bleu 48 Women what they really want 52 Ozwald Boateng 28 54 Sade The Lady, The Music... 61 D’banj & Mo Hit Star 89 Health Issues 91 Cooking Jollof Rice 96 Top Premiership African Players
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Reviews MUSIC
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hanaian native and Netherlands/Dutch- raised and influenced artist and designer, Anna Reynolds is an artist like no other. From the first time I first heard her music I knew there was more to her than what meets the eye. From her defining fashion style, one can tell that Anna is a free-spirited soul who resides in a musical stadium of fearlessness. With a new single that has just dropped and a new album titled” Android Girl” expected for release November 6th, Anna is the talk of the European musical town. Her single “Sinner” is a mixture between pop and rock music, a very catchy tune that unexpectedly talks about serious issues in today’s time. This song is a must-buy from iTunes and I can’t wait for the album.
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wandese singer, Cornelius Nyungura, or Corneille (pronounced Kor-nay) as he is most commonly known, just released his new french album on October 19th called “Sans Titre“(Untitled). The singer who has a large fan base in France and Canada where he released his first two albums ‘Parce q’on vient de Loin’ (2003) and ‘Les Marchand de Reves’ (2005) was virtually unknown in the US until he signed to Motown Records. He then released his first English album “The Birth of Cornelius” in March 2009 and was featured in Vibe Magazine and Nu Soul magazine where he mentioned that his English album was his most personal album and was a therapeutic way to relive his childhood experiences ,which included being the only surviving member of his immediate family after the horrific genocide in Rwanda in 1994.
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he was touted as the house gossip in the third season of Big Brother Africa but Ghana’s former rep to the hit reality series, Mimi Abu Adani, is making new waves for herself. Mimi, alias ‘Divalish’, also known as ‘Ghana’s Lady Gaga’, has finally released her ‘Music in Me’ album as a testament to her innate talent and passion for singing.
P Square’s
DANGER Album U.S.
based Ghanaian beat-making genius, Eric Kwabena “Coptic” Matlock, continues to rise after his Billboard topping hit, “I Need a Girl”, for P.Diddy and his Bad Boy Entertainment label. The talented producer who relies heavily on hiphop melodies and drum beats has made beats for the likes of Notorious BIG, G-Dep, Jermaine Dupri, KRS-One, Black Rob, Mase, Memphis Bleek, Carl Thomas, and Ice Cube, and is currently working on a project that aims to bring hip hop to Africa. The Africameets-America hip hop album, featuring rappers from both sides of the world.
Peter & Paul Okoye, the dynamic duo better known as P-Square are released their new album tentatively titled ‘Danger‘. P-Square is arguably Africa’s most popular contemporary music group with a catalog of hits including ‘Get Squared’, ‘Bizzy Body’ and ‘Do Me’. As you can imagine, fans cannot wait to get their hands on the new music. There is a track called ‘Super Fans’ which is dedicated to – you guessed it – P Square fans. Other tracks from the album include ‘Who Dey There’, ‘Bye Bye’ and ‘I Love You’. The album features guest artistes including 2Face and J Martins. In preperation for the new album, Peter Okoye has also unleased a new look – fitter and clean shaven.
Coptic was born in Kumasi, but grew up in Accra and Awukugua mostly. His love affair with music started at an early age; according to his mom, he was making music from the time he was a baby, beating on his grandmother’s pots. But his earliest memory of making music was when he was in a local band based in Newtown, Accra. He played the base drum and some percussion instruments. Perhaps, this is responsible for his signature thumping drums and melodies in his beats now. In January 1983 he left Ghana for the US at age 13 and that marked the beginning of what has become the success story of this pure musical genius today. Jamati Online brings you the untold story of this African gem from his own mouth.
Your AM Magazine can confirm that the planning committee of African Music Awards have already received over 500 request to place P Square in this year’s voting categories. We will keep updating you before the Awards in October.
s Music Award n a ic fr A f o rs The produce up with Easy Media n g in frica m a are te next great Aal singing e th d n fi to origin Group in the most music STAR ever; AM Unsigned. : competition EMO TO E&D PROFIL ards.com R U O Y sicaw SEND fricamu a @ fo in
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WITNESS
the
ART OF
MUSIC
October
15th S
N
AFRICA
ARD W A C I MUS
Akon
Where did it all go well 12 www.africamusicawards.com
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ith his unique blend of West African musical influences, Southern beats and East Coast inflections along with a dazzling presence that attracts those who watch music videos by the singer, Akon has gone from an unknown alleged convict to a music star in just a few short years.
In 2005, the first of several music videos was nominated for an award, “Locked Up”, which drew people to download music videos by the relatively new music artist. That same year, his manager was shot and killed in New Jersey during an altercation.
Akon began to collaborate on albums and music videos of popular rappers and singers, including Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dog, Eminem and Young Jeezy. He also released his second album, Konvicted, in 2006, and it debuted at the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100, getting off Despite Akon?s insistence that to a great start. he has a criminal past where he was involved in drug dealing, car Interesting Akon Trivia theft and spent several years in His real name is Aliaune prison (where he apparently dis- Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon covered his musical talents), there is no evidence to support Thiam, though this is usually his claims. In fact, it would ap- shortened to Aliaune Badara pear that Akon has a squeaky Thiam or Aliaune Damala clean past, according to criminal Thiam. and court records. However, the artist sticks to his story that he kon is Muslim and because spent time in prison after mov- of this, he has never tasted ing to New Jersey with his fam- alcohol or tried a cigarette. ily. He is also rumored to have 3 wives, which is allowed by his In 2004, his solo album de- religion, but the only thing we but, Trouble, was released. It know for sure is that he admits prompted several singles, in- to having children with three cluding the hit “Ghetto” which different women. Born to Mor Thiam, a jazz percussionist, and his wife, in St. Louis, Akon was raised in Senegal until the age of seven. At that point, his father returned to the US and brought the family with him. Until he was 15, Akon spent time in both countries.
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was released by his own record company, Konvict Music. A year later, he turned out the song “Lonely”, which took him to the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 list, as well as maxing out the charts in several countries, including the UK and Germany. The young singer was becoming a star.
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kon is the owner of a diamond mine in Africa. Ask him about the infamous “blood diamonds” and he’ll respond that there is no such thing and it was only a movie.
He also runs the Konfidence Foundation, an organization to help underpriveledged children in Africa. The singer was the first solo artist ever to hold the first AND second spots on the Billboard Hot 100 list and he accomplished this feat not once, but twice. Akon has made music videos with both Eminem and Gwen Stefani.
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is music videos have been nominated 4 times for the MTV Video Music Awards, two of which were solos.
The young singer has taken his unique origins and natural born talent and turned them into something people are clamoring for. His music is The singer is surrounded by already a huge success and mystery and he likes it that his collaborations are taking way. Even his birth date is Akon even higher. unverified and in interviews, Akon has refused to clarify, preferring that no one know his true age. The most widely accepted year of birth is 1873, but he has also been said to have been born in 1981. www.africamusicawards.com 13
Mimi TAH Few months ago I was totally unknown. I was just doing music behind the scene, but after winning the ‘Best UK New Talent’ at the 2009 African Music Awards, my fame have exploded.
K’naan: ‘Waving Flag’ is the official anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Somalian-born Mr International hip-hop superstar K’naan’s song ,’Waving Flag‘ from his album “Troubadour” has been selected as the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem. K’naan is also in the process of doing a remix version of the ‘Waving Flag‘, to be used globally as the main song during the World Cup tournament. This is good news for African artists as the World Cup will provide a platform for them , to showcase their artistry to the world.
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OUT NOW
2009 AT TROXY, LONDON
2009 IN RETROSPECTIVE
The 2009 African Music Awards’ spectacular event held in London dominated household conversations and newspapers with fantastic coverage on most African newspapers running with images of the number 1 chat grime artist, Tinchy Stryder. The sheer depth and diversity of African music talent, on the international stage, was showcased in the live performances and nominations for The AMAs 2009 with Lebara Mobile.
ITWASFAB... Both the performing acts and nominations list showcased an impressive range of artists who have enjoyed UK and global success over the past years. Leading the way with four winnings was the king of North African music, Amr Diab who also entertained the crowd to a spectacular choreographed dance to his latest single ‘Wayah’. The quartet of VIP appearances on The AM Awards red included, Michael Essien, Tinchy Stryder, Dwain Chambers, Michael Eto, Elliot Evans and many more.
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WORLDCLASS... “I felt it was a wonderful night and the musical acts were world class�. Jonny Bryan
Eddie Kadi, the host for the 2nd AM Awards held the crowd to a laughing ransom with his ever humorous presentations. The evening started with an equally humorous Michael Jackson performances as a way of paying homage and most importantly celebrating the life of the late Michael Jackson.
ANDTHE2009WINNERSARE... ARTIST OF THE YEAR Amr Diab - Egypt BEST FEMALE ACT Sasha – Nigeria BEST NEWCOMER M Trill - Nigeria BEST GROUP / COLOABORATION D'Banj feat. Mo Hit Star – Nigeria BEST REGGAE / DANCEHALL Samini – Movement – Ghana MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR Amr Diab –Wayah _ Egypt BEST AFRO HIP HOP 2 Face - Enter The Place – Nigeria BEST AFRICAN SOUTHERN Terence Mas BEST AFRICAN WEST Okyeame Kwame - Ghana SONG OF THE YEAR Amr Diab – Wayah - Egypt BEST AFRICAN ARTIST EAST Radio & Weasle RADIO DJ OF THE YEAR Abrantee - Choice FM MUSIC PROMOTER OF THE YEAR Waka J Productions UBAN ARTIST OF AFRICAN ORIGIN Tinchy Stryder BEST UK BASED AFRICAN ARTIST JJC - Skillz UK BEST NEW TALENT Mimitah BEST MALE ACT Amr Diab - Egypt
DIVERSITY...
“I love Africa & it feels cool to have the AMAs here in London I had a great time at the 2009 African Music Awards & if am invited for the 2010 AMAs I will surely attend...” Tinchy Stryder
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YOUR
AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS
DIARY
April
April
Launch Launch AMAs a New AMAs Unsigned BRAND competition
Oct 15
African Music Awards event
June
Aug
Nominee AMAs Unsigned Party with competition the Press Dec 20
AMAs Xmas Party
2 0 1 0
WE
! S N A C I R
F A ARE
“We Are Africans” is the powerful new single by JJC which embodies the meaning and significance of Black History Month. “We Are Africans” combines the sentiment of pride with clear messages of unity and positivity. Serious, but also fun, tongue-in-cheek and wildly infectious, “We Are Africans” is an anthem – in fact it could be labelled as the national anthem for the United States of Africa, a concept which signifies the fortification, unification and reinvention of Africa and Africans across the world.
A WU!
Nigerian-born and Londonbased songwriter/ rapper/ singer/ producer JJC aka Skillz first rose to fame when he formed Sony Music act Big Brovaz (their first single “Nu Flow” was a worldwide hit). He then went on to produce for Lemar, Jamelia, Ginuwine, Liberty X, Booty Luv and many others. Alongside these mainstream production credentials, he created pioneering Afropean group JJC & 419 Squad, where he was the producer, songwriter and main vocalist. During this time JJC became a mentor to Nigerian superstars D’banj (current MTV African Artist of the Year) and Don Jazzy.
EAsY MEDIA GROUP
THE GROUP •TV Production & Commercials •Voice over & Music production studio •Radio Broadcast & Commercials •Events •Print Media •Online Media
K
wasi Danquah (born 10 June 1987), better known by his stage name Tinchy Stryder, is a British Pop Rap vocalist of Ghanaian origin. Stryder is from Bow, East London and attended St Bonaventure's Catholic Comprehensive School in Forest Gate, Newham; he later enrolled as a student at the local university, the University of East London, where he completed his BA degree in moving image and animation in 2009. He had his first UK number one in the Singles Chart with the aptly named song "Number 1", (a collaboration with N-Dubz) that charted on 26 April 2009.
Early career Stryder started at the age of 14 on pirate radio sets in East London with other well known grime MCs such as Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. His stage name derives from the video game Strider which he played when he was young, and “Tinchy” derives from a nickname given to him due to his short stature. Tinchy made a number of appearances on Tim Westwood’s 1Xtra radio show taking part in freestyles, sometimes joined by his crew Ruff Sqwad. Tinchy Stryder was part of a spectacular line up at the 02 Arena 3D ELEKTRO RAVE alongside Caspa and Rusko, Frankmusik, High Contrast and Dancing Robot Music.
On 26 April 2009, Stryder’s next single, a collaboration with N-Dubz (whom he had toured with on their recent Uncle B tour), titled “Number 1” topped the UK Singles Chart giving Stryder and N-Dubz their first number one single.In an interview with Tim Westwood, Tinchy stated that due to the success of “Number 1” not going away yet, he had to push the album and a few things back to August 2009. Tinchy’s fourth single from Catch 22, titled “Never Leave You”, featuring Amelle Berrabah of the Sugababes, was released on 3 August 2009 with the album following on 17 August. His hard work paid off when in 2009 he won an African Music Award beating the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Sway & Esttele. www.africamusicawards.com
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d peare rst ap ng to fi o h lw sti mode eer la e anese rking a car in 1991 sh d u S a a t p s u i e s 77) ar b 95, an, b pril 19 of 18 in 19 in the Sud the civil w later A 6 1 rn e up pe he ek (bo the ag ethnic gro in to esca e Sudan. S a a h Alek W atwalks at t t k i r f n i B o D c to uth he on the e is from t mbers fled hristian so h C e S m e . h e t t ly i da am and ome f north and s he Muslim tes. a t S t d tween to the Unite moved
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MAKE UP FOR THE AFRICAN WOMAN For African-American women, the cosmetics world has come a long way. Gone are the days when black women were expected to “make do” with products geared toward the Caucasian market and had to mix, mix and mix again to get that right shade (which, much of the time, still wasn’t exactly right). With that in mind, African-American women have many options available to them when it comes to makeup and they should explore all of those options. When applying makeup, the general rule of “blend, blend, and blend again” is always true. There’s nothing worse than having a visible line between the makeup and the face. This is especially true for foundation.
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There are several cosmetic companies targeted to black women, where the shades of makeup follow the range of skin tones, from very light to very dark. When choosing a foundation, it’s imperative to find one that perfectly matches the skin. This is much easier when buying from a department store, where knowledgeable salespeople can help. There, it’s possible to try a few shades and look in a natural-light mirror (or even step outside into daylight) to see which color will work for you. In a drugstore, where products are packaged and are not meant to be sampled, finding a perfect match for your skin may be a more difficult task. Once you find a foundation, you should decide how you’d like to apply it. There are cosmetic sponges specifically made for this purpose, but some women prefer to use their fingers. It depends on which method you’re most comfortable with. (If using fingers, it’s important that your hands be clean.) It’s best to start lightly, as it’s easier to apply more makeup than wipe off too much and start all over again. Dot your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin with foundation, then blend. You should blend enough so there is no visible line where the makeup starts and your face ends (this is especially true around the jaw line). Makeup should enhance your beauty, not hide it; it’s not supposed to look like an unmoving mask. After applying foundation, your face should appear even in complexion and still natural. A light dusting of loose powder can follow. It’s good to find a large, natural-bristle makeup brush to apply the powder. Dip the brush into the powder and then shake off the excess. Lightly brush all over the face. Your face should appear smooth and natural.
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J
uliana Kanyomozi, popularly known as Juliana, is one of the premier songtresses in Uganda today. She started her career as a karaoke singer but after releasing a couple of albums, she's shot to fame, winning various awards. She also recorded with Irene under the name Ijay before going solo. She grew up singing and used to do karaoke (even as young as 16) at Sabrina's pub, a venue which was helped a lot of Ugandan musicians enter the industry. The former Karaoke singer explores a turbulent relationship and the resolve to move on. Ndifuna omulala (Ill find another one), Newoli kolotya, wampisa buubi naange nakukwaawa nabikoowa (whatever you do, you treated me bad and I gave you up I got tired of it). Her music is influenced by R&B, and pop. She is involved in a lot of community efforts, featuring on the A little bit of love project, a concert to benefit Rwandan genocide victims, and concerts in the Gulu region of Uganda. Juliana Kanyomozi Since she went solo, and evolved from Karaoke singer, Kanyomozi has risen to become one of the biggest divas in Uganda and East Africa at large. She has won at least six Pearl Of Africa Music Awards (PAM); in 2004 she won Best R n B Artiste, in 2005, Most Inspiring Song, Best R n B single, Best R n B artiste, Best Female artiste and Song of the Year for her song Mama Mbire. She has collaborated with Bobi Wine and they came up with tracks like Taata Wa Banna Yanni (Who is the father of the kids). Kanyomozi also sang tracks like Say Yes, Nabikoowa (I got fed up) and Nkulinze (I am waiting for you) which shot her further into stardom and it looks like the gods are blessing her this year as well.
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2Face
AFRICAN QUEEN: LYRICS
Just like the sun, Light up the earth, You light up my life. The only one I ever see With a smile so bright Just yesterday You came around my way You change my whole scene way With your astonishing beauty. Oh, you could make a brighter scene An ordinary thing A supernatural being And oh, you are brighter than the moon Brighter than the star I love you just the way you are. And You are my african queen The girl of my dreams You take me where I've never been You make my heart go ting-a-ling-a-ling Oh and, you are my african queen The girl of my dreams And you remind me of a thing And that is the african beauty.
Out of a million You stand out tall The outstanding one I look into your eyes Girl what I see is paradise You captivated my soul Na everyday I want you mooooore How can I deny this feeling I’m feeling inside No one gonna take your place Gonna take your space It’s a fact that cannot erase And oh, you are the one that makes me smile Make me flow like a boat upon the nile Girl, You are my african queen The girl of my dreams You take me where I’ve never been You make my heart go ting-a-ling-a-ling Oh, you are my african queen The girl of my dreams And you remind me of a thing And that is the african beauty. You are my african queen And I know see I know You are my african queen And I know see I know See I know what I am feeling In my heart and in my soul Oh I know that is love And I know that it love Was surely sent from up above Cos you're the only one that I think of You are my african queen And I know that this means that You're the only one that I reserve I give you My heart, my soul, my body and my money Any other thing you think of In a man, who could think of anything better than you Who could think of ever hurting you Sacrifice my all I've given unto you You are my african queen for real (Chorus till fade)
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AMR
DIAB THE KING OF NORTH AFRICAN MUSIC
Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab (born October 11, 1961) is an Egyptian singer and composer of jeel music; the contemporary face of Egyptian al-jeel pop music, according to World Music, and one of the most popular singers in the Middle East. Diab is the best-selling Arab recording artist of all time, according to Let's Go Egypt. He was awarded the World Music Award for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist three times: 1998, 2002 and 2007. Amr Diab is known as the Father of Mediterranean Music. He has created his own style which is often termed "Mediterranean Music" or "Mediterranean Sound", a blend of Western and Arabic rhythms. In The Mediterranean in Music, David Cooper and Kevin Dawe referred to his music as "the new breed of Mediterranean music".
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According to author Michael Frishkopf, Amr Diab has produced a new concept of Mediterranean music, especially in his international hit, "Nour El Ain". In his analysis of The Very Best of Amr Diab album, Victor W. Valdivia of Allmusic said: "His music melded traditional Arabic sounds and textures with Western rhythms and instruments. The mesh was dubbed Mediterranean music, and The Very Best of Amr Diab displays Diab's superb skill in creating it." According to the BBC, Diab "has ruled the Arab music world, especially Egypt and the Middle East, since the mid '80s, continually breaking sales records". Diab HAVE received a Triple Platinum Award for the sales of Nur al-Ayn, received a World Music Award in Monaco and also FOUR African Music Awards in London for ‘Wayah’.
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‘am
Afri
“
am African Music Awards because am African, am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa is born in me, the African born in me is Her rich culture, Her rich culture based on her succulent music playing in my soul all day long, with foot-stumping natural rhythms accompanied by the echoing angelic voices of her children through rewarding the greatest, oh Mama Africa how sweet thou music are, that is why am African Music Awards
”
ican MUSIC
AWARDS United Kingdom Wayoosi 79 West Ham Lane, Stratford London E15 4PH Tel: 020 8555 8383 Fax: 020 8555 8383
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BONKERS The half Ghanaian & half Nigerian Dizzee Rascal is tearing up all the rule books and setting the music world alight with his talent. His thoughtprovoking lyrics, distinctively piercing and poignant delivery, and original production have made him one of the hottest stars of the urban scene. Delivering his lyrics in a breathless barrage, ‘Boy In Da Corner’ packs the energy flash of London MCing into its grooves and for that alone it deserves attention.
Dizzee’s vocal style is a removed version of Jamaican toasting, the result of a journey through the UK’s own rap history and, most significantly, the rave scene’s trajectory through hardcore to drum ‘n’ bass, UK Garage and now UK Grime.
And the lyrics, as the album title spells out, are speckled with the kind of things a young man who’s working things out for himself is likely to have going through his head;
BONKERS!
The album, which was recorded over the last two years, maps out Dizzee’s rites of passage from boyhood to, albeit young, manhood.
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Poor, Rich
AFRICA By Farai Chideya
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his July, on my birthday, I strolled through Portobello Road market in London. Along the curving thoroughfare, people sell all manner of things, from shiny silver flasks to long leather coats and fresh lychee nuts. At one stall selling old maps, I fingered a map of Africa from the 1920s, with pale colors tinting huge colonial African states. Many of them had different names than they do today -- an understandable phenomenon given the way these countries were hacked out of the populous continent with little regard for the needs of the occupants. Overlaid on each state or region the names of natural resources. Gold, copper, iron. Ivory and oil. Everything that modern society runs on could be found in Africa. It still can today.
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Africans are often cast as poor imbeciles in need of Western assistance. All that Africa needs to help itself is access to its own wealth.
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o why is Africa so damned poor?
First, let me backtrack a bit. The current political debates over Africa have a sly tone of censure, as if the continent had brought all its misery upon itself. (And these fifty-plus countries are always just “Africa,” as in “Survivor Africa” and “The President’s Africa Trip.”) I mean, for God’s sakes, these Africans are a permanent fixture on the charity drives and late night infomercials, their children crusty-cheeked and covered in flies. Beggars can’t be choosers and Africans, judging by their constant state of incivility in the news, don’t even choose to get along. It’s against this backdrop that Africa’s poverty takes on added significance.
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e believe that poor people, here and abroad, are sort of like the developmentally disabled. They just don’t make smart decisions. A couple of years ago, the director of the United States Agency for International Development said Africans couldn’t benefit from advanced drug therapy because they don’t use clocks and “don’t know what Western time is.” As it turns out, in a study released this week, Africans do a better job of taking their AIDS medications on time than folks from the United States -- 90 percent of Africans as opposed to 70 percent of Americans. Fancy that. Why is the way that AIDS survivors take their medication a big international issue, anyway? Well, it’s because the U.S. has steadfastly fought lowering the price of AIDS drugs to anything that an average citizen of an African country could pay.
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e have markets to protect. AIDS medications, patented by U.S. companies, cost an average of $10,000 per year. The per capita income of Uganda, hit hard by the virus, is $1200 per year. In the time since the AIDS virus was identified, over 18 million sub-Saharan Africans have died from the disease. Because of the exponential infection rate of the virus, most have died since the United States began producing anti-retroviral drugs to battle the disease. We may have maintained our profit margins, but we have blood on our hands. Today, although we’ve agreed to either provide or allow low-cost AIDS drugs in Africa, we still seek to preserve our control over African’s lives. The key initiative that came out of the President’s trip to Africa in 2009 was funding for the fight against AIDS. Now that funding is in jeopardy. George Bush supposedly allotted the AIDS initiative $15 billion over five years -- an annual allocation of $3 billion a year. However, he only submitted a budget request of $2 billion dollars to Congress. The President loves the photo ops on Goree Island -- a place where he called slavery “one of the greatest crimes in history.” But he does not or will not realize that AIDS is enslaving the continent today.
S
enator Richard Durban (D-IL) is now fighting to restore the funds. This fight is a perfect opportunity for Americans to join their voices with those of Africans and advocate for the best interest of the continent. Yes, there are Africans -diplomats like U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and statesmen like former South African President Nelson Mandela -- who speak eloquently on behalf of their people. But their voices are rarely heard. New York University professor Manthia Diawara’s new book, “We Won’t Budge,” addresses the silencing of Africans on African issues. His personal account of a life spent in Mali, France and the United States unsparingly criticizes unsavory African traditions like clitoridectomies, the false non-racialism of the French, and the blatant racism of America. Diowara writes, “I am now unhappy wherever I go in the world. I cannot stand the stereotypes Europeans have of Americans or Africans, and vice versa. I cannot discuss Israel with Europeans, or Palestine with Americans. How did the world decide that we Africans have nothing meaningful to say about these important issues facing us: democracy and human rights.
Lest our oppressors forget, we Africans have eyes to see, ears to hear, heads to analyze and mouths to judge.” Perhaps the rest of the world is afraid of Africa’s judgment, afraid that after all these years of being silent, the citizens of the continent will stand and cry, “J’Accuse!” We Africans accuse you of murder, coercion, complicity in the death of our people, first by military force and now by withholding medication. Since free speech is quite often expensive, it isn’t surprising that those with few funds remain silent. We Americans, however, in the richest country in the world, are not barred from speaking. We simply refuse. African nations could, of course, pay for their needs if they had access to their own resources. But the production of gold, diamonds, and the columbite-tantalite used in cell phones largely benefits Westerners. These resources have also become battlegrounds in civil wars, as rebels force civilian labor to reap the rewards of diamond (Sierra Leone) and columbite-tantalite (the Democratic Republic of the Congo) mining. In other nations, like Nigeria, multi-national corporations barter with dictators, doing an end-run around the nation’s people.
Ah, Africa! So rich, and yet so poor. If its resources were free -and its people as well -- African nations could do anything. Anything. www.africamusicawards.com
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TOP 14 BLACK ROLE MODELS IN THE UK
A list of 100 of the most influential black people in the UK explodes the myth that African Caribbeans are not achieving success, according to senior figures.
Mr Buffini, managing partner at Permira and often seen as king of the City's private equity barons, was recently appointed to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's business advisory panel.
Baroness Scotland
Damon Buffini
Chairman of Celtel International/Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Born in the Sudan, he is a global trader in mobile telecoms. Dr Mo Ibrahim
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Baroness Amos
Attorney General Baroness Scotland was named the most influential black woman in the UK. On 28 June 2007, Lady Scotland was appointed Attorney General by the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. She is the first woman to hold the office since its foundation in 1315.
Labour Peer. Born in Guyana, she was the first black woman to become the Leader of the House of Lords, the first black female Cabinet Minister and joint-first black woman peer.
Baroness Howells
Labour Peer. She is the first black woman to sit on the Greater London Council’s training board and the first female member of the Court of Governors of the University of Greenwich.
Executive Chair, Millwall Holdings plc. Born in Jamaica, the lawyer, businesswoman and broadcaster was awarded the CBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honours list. Heather Rabbatts
Tidjane Thiam
Group Executive Director, Aviva Europe. Born on the Ivory Coast, he is in charge of the world's fifth-largest insurance company and is one of only two black executive directors in the FTSE 100.
Claire Ighodaro
Non-executive Director, Banking Code Standards Board. She is the first woman to lead the organisation, which regulates and examines over 150,000 accountants.
Sonita Alleyne
Director, Somethin' Else. Head of the largest radio production firm in the UK. In 2000, she was given an Award for Excellence by the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners.
Dr John Sentamu
John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu born in Uganda is the 97th Archbishop of York, Metropolitan of the province of York, and Primate of England. He is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. F1 driver Lewis Hamilton who, with his father Anthony, completed “Team Hamilton”.
Lewis Hamilton Skills Minister (DIUS). The MP for Tottenham, North London, is touted by many as being the best prospect for Britain’s first black Prime Minister. David Lammy
Tandy Anderson,
Co-founder/CEO Select Models. One of the most influential male-model agents in the world, she is also a judge on reality TV show, Make Me A Supermodel. Director for Equalities & Policing, GLA. One of Ken Livingstone’s most trusted advisers, he was brought up by a single white mother in Oldham, Lancashire.
Lee Jasper www.africamusicawards.com
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Where better to find the very best hit African and other music, the hottest showbiz interviews, the latest places to go and 24 hour news to keep you in touch with our wondrous continent; Africa.
rad o
Playing The Hitz & More www.africamusicawards.com
Wake up to the thought provoking breakfast show with star guests every day with nearly a million listeners tuning in every week. African Music & hits from the North, South, East & West Africa all day, and your chance to get involved with the music on our drive time show. If that wasn't enough, we bring you the best of what's happening in Africa with the African Guide - bars, restaurants, special offers and gigs.
HOW TO LISTEN?
AM Radio services are accessible from anywhere in the world. you can tune in from the remotest part of the world and still enjoy our entertaining programmes. AM Internet Radio services offer news, sports, talk, and various genres of music—every format that is available on traditional radio stations. There are four main mode of listening to the AM Internet Radio. The most popular is via the traditional laptop or desk top. The next popular way of listening is via your mobile phone. As long as your network provider allows you Internet access you can tune in to AM Internet Radio. You can now listen to us via your car. There are available in car internet stereos that enable you to listen to us.
C
GHANAIAN MUSIC INSPIRES
adbury's commitment to Ghana is strengthened with a Ghanaian-inspired TV, radio and billboard campaign which celebrates the talents of local artists, musicians and dancers, and uses an innovative record-release to raise additional funds for cocoa growing communities. This follows the recent Fairtrade certification of Cadbury Dairy Milk across the UK and Ireland, and builds on the work of the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership, a 10-year initiative launched in 2008, investing £45 million in securing the economic, social and environmental sustainability of cocoa farmers in Ghana, India, Indonesia and the Caribbean.
The TV production was filmed in Ghana, where Cadbury has a 101 year history of sourcing cocoa.
T
he campaign draws on elements of traditional Ghanaian culture as well as modern Ghanaian pop-culture. In particular, Cadbury has worked with Ghana’s hottest music superstar, Tinny (pronounced ‘tiny’), to produce a track and music video called ‘Zingolo’, which means ‘Enjoy it’ in Ga, one of the languages of Ghana. Cadbury’s share of profits from the sale of the single will go to the charity CARE International, one of the Cadbury Cocoa Partners, to fund education programmes in cocoa growing communities in Ghana. www.africamusicawards.com
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Kwabena Kwabena talks
about failed marriage A
fter several weeks of keeping mum over his marriage controversy, suave music star Kwabena Kwabena, has finally found his voice to speak on the issue. He has told Showbiz in an exclusive interview that the short period between his marriage and its breakdown has been “the most difficult period in my life”. Last July, Kwabena Kwabena’s marriage was said to have been under threat following claims he had impregnated another woman. This revelation, according to ‘ShowGhana’ was made by the musician’s sister in law, Cindy, when she was interviewed on Accra’s Radio Gold. She claimed that the musician had left his marital home and was no longer wearing his wedding band. Then on July 14, the ‘Weekly Fylla’ newspaper reported that the musician had impregnated a woman before his highly publicised marriage and had denied the allegation but was later present at the “denied” baby’s naming ceremony to name the child after his mother.
H
e was said to have left his marital home and had moved in with another woman who was also pregnant and about to be engaged to the star. But Kwabena Kwabena blamed the breakdown in the marriage on his wife Esther who he said gave too much ear to tale bearers. He told Showbiz last Friday at his North Kaneshie home that Esther often worked herself into a frenzy over these tales. “When she could not bear the pain she was persistently inflicting on herself, she carried the tales which she interpreted as bad treatment to members of her family”, Kwabena Kwabena said.
“I wept most of the time, sometimes while driving but normally when I was alone in my bedroom.”
W
orking late at studio or going into meetings that dragged into the late hours of the evenings were all considered as getting into affairs with other women.“There were other problems but I prefer not go public on them because that could affect the future of the only child in that marriage. I am very sure that I did my best to make that marriage work. Maybe she also tried, marriages do not end overnight, I guess we both tried.”
Kwabena Kwabena said he tried through sustained explanations and assurances to discourage his wife from listening to her informants since it only worked her up emotionally and did not bring her any other benefit. “I did not have ushed to prove that he did to stay away from home for long, even if the purpose was all he could to make the marfor something that could be of riage work, he went for his phone and played back two remutual benefit to us. corded conversations in which two different women cast serious aspersions on him. “What you have just heard are some of the insults I got regularly from my wife and her mother and while these lasted, I wept most of the time, sometimes while driving but normally when I was alone in my bedroom.”
P
“I picked a new girlfriend when it became obvious that our marriage was heading for a breakdown”
“I picked a new girlfriend when it became obvious that our marriage was heading for a breakdown and when Esther also realized this, our house became one hell of a place. Insults on the phone were extended to other members of my family with my mother getting the worse part.”
H
e said that was the immediate cause of the separation the church granted for them. “Since then I have regained my peace and I’m concentrating on writing new songs and producing them.” Kwabena Kwabena said he was ready with his third album Bibini which he said would be released sometime this week. The album carries a total of 10 songs, he said, some of which are My Baby, Abotre, Meretwewo, Obiniyam, Dadie Anoma and Bibini. Source: Ghana Music
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SHADY BLUE 2009 African Music Awards nominee Singer-songwriter Shady Blue is one of the hottest new talents to emerge from the London music scene. Her unique vocal style blends the best of Soul/R&B/ Jazz and Afro (her native African sound) forming music that will truly inspire a generation. She teams up with US producer / songwriter Kayo to create a new unique sound. Shady was born and raised in Nigeria, West Africa and moved to London as a teenager. She was influenced by her father’s music during her early years, a renowned jazz musician /producer in Nigeria & Atlanta. At the tender age of six (6) Shady started to sing at her local church, when 8, became lead singer of the church choir, delivered exceptional three part-harmonies and captured audiences with her soothing voice/ wide vocal range (Alto, soprano and tenor). Shady Blue is not only a talented vocalist, but also writes, co-produces and arranges her music with instrumentation alongside producer Kayo. With her sultry looks, unique style, infectious charm and hard work, she is destined to become one of the biggest stars emerging from the UK music scene. Accomplishments: Shady regularly performs to large audiences, local clubs, and musical piers and appears regularly on National TV. Shady Blue exudes confidence and style.
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THE BEST FROM
SUDAN B
efore turning to music, Mohamed Wardi was a school teacher; it is a profession he has never truly left behind as he seeks to inform and educate through his powerfully political lyrics. Typically enough, his first musical success came with a single deploring CIA complicity in the assassination of Congolese politician Patrice Lumumba in 1960, and he has continued -- through more than 300 songs -- to sing strongly of the state of this embattled nation.
F
ollowing the lead of the Sudanese poet, Mahjoub Sharif, Wardi often adopts the extended metaphor of nation-as-woman, with its rich array of connotative meanings and capacity to bear multiple meanings, something that musicians often feel called upon to practice in the wake of extensive state repression and censorship. Veiled meanings could not help Wardi's nephew, however, who was one of several army officers executed in 1990 on charges of treason. Feeling increasingly pressured, and terrorized by his nephew's death, Wardi fled, in 1990, to Egypt where he has continued to record and perform. He also took time to tour Britain in 1992. Wardi's recent recordings definitely betray a more Egyptian sound, but it is as a political hero of the Sudan that he will always be remembered.
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WOMEN,
WHAT THEY REALLY WANT...
F
irst, she needs to feel appreciated for the unique individual that she is. She needs to feel special, unlike any other woman. And she needs to know that her man supports her in her endeavors.
Examples Of Various Men In A Woman's Life Let's look at the various men that a woman has been with in her life. The various men met some of the needs, but not all of them.
Second, she needs to feel that deep intimate emotional connection. She needs to have The Bad Boy that emotional intimacy with her man. It's a connection she or example, let's take the all shares only with him. famous classic bad boy. The bad boy gives her exciting sex. Third, she needs to feel like And because he is very mascua woman. She needs to feel line, he makes her feel sexy. But beautiful, sexy, and feminine. he is a self absorbed jerk who She needs to enjoy all those cheats on her. She does not feel things that comes with being a appreciated, and she probably woman. is unable to feel any emotional connection. She often becomes And finally, she needs hot pas- addicted to him because the sionate sex. She needs to be sex is so good and she feels so seduced, enticed, teased, and very sexual. She will try in vain satisfied, over and over again. to tame him, but it is fruitless. She needs to experience new In an emotional breakup, she things, in new ways, including finally leaves him for good. At fantasies and roles. It makes her least the high self esteem womfeel alive. an finally leaves him for good.
F
A woman is most fulfilled when she is with a man that she has everything with, when she is with a man that she is wildly crazy about. But that rarely happens. Usually, one or more things are missing
The Nice Guy
Then there’s the classic wimp nice guy. He makes her feel appreciated, and he is able to establish an emotional connection with her. Unfortunately though,
he's boring, or he's not masculine, so she doesn't feel sexy and doesn't feel turned on about sex. She'd love to marry him, because he'd be perfect for a family, but for some reason she keeps delaying the engagement. It's because he doesn't make her feel like a sexual creature.
The Emotionally Unavailable Guy
T
he closest she might get to the ideal relationship is the emotionally unavailable guy. He’s not a wimp, and he’s not a jerk. He may be masculine and give her good sex. He may be a gentleman and make her feel very appreciated. But there’s one important thing missing. He’s not emotionally available. She never feels emotionally connected to him. This is probably the biggest complaint women have. She found the ideal guy in all respects, but damn it, he’s not emotionally available. She tries over and over to get him to open up to her, but it never happens. Women are emotional creatures, and they need it, so she eventually leaves.
The Gay Friend
There are other men in her life. There’s her gay friend. She loves hanging out with him because he makes her feel sexy and he really makes her feel appreciated. She has a lot in common with him, but damn it, he’s gay, and thus not an option.
The Mysterious Lover
A
nd then there’s the occasional mysterious lover. For many reasons she’d never ever consider him seriously for anything, but damn, the sex is good. Once every few months, when she is bored with how things are going for her, she’ll call him up and go over for one thing, and one thing only. For the sex. And then she leaves hoping she will soon find the ideal man. The Married Man And finally, as one last example, there’s the married man. Only low self esteem women allow themselves to become a mistress, or in other words, a woman who wants what she can’t have.
H
e gives her exciting sex, he makes her feel sexy, they share a deep emotional connection. But he won’t leave his wife. So she doesn’t feel special. And because she is low self esteem, it is very difficult for her to leave. But let’s get back to high self esteem women.
If Only She Could Have All That She Needs
So, those were examples of men in her life. As you can see, one or more of her needs are not being met in each example. But imagine if she could meet a man who easily met all of her needs.
A
man who made her feel appreciated. A man who evoked a deep powerful emotional connection with her. A man who makes her feel feminine and womanly and sexy. A man who gives her hot passionate sex. Now that would be awesome. That is the Masterful Lover. He is strong yet gentle. Honest yet tactful. Masculine yet emotional. Decisive yet flexible. Goal oriented yet spontaneous. Driven yet giving. Dominant yet thoughtful. And gives her wild screaming orgasms. It’s the kind of thing women dream about. By: David Shade
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Ethiopian beauty Mrs Liya Kebede is one of this year’s H&M fall knitwear ad campaign models. This mother of two, and age-less wife, can been seen all over H&M stores as one of the models showcasing their easy, yet bold, colorful knitwear collection. Liya has also graced the Gap, J.Crew,Victoria Secrets,Tommy Hilfiger, Louis Vuitton, Dolce Gabbana and Yves Saint – Laurent previous campaign. Gotta love her!
Liya Kebede
for H&M knitwear ad campaign
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K
L
iya Kebede (born January 3, 1980) is an Ethiopian model and occasional actress who has appeared on the cover of US Vogue twice. According to Forbes, Kebede was eleventhhighest-paid top model in the world in 2007. Kebede was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A film director spotted Kebede while she was attending Lycee Guebre Mariam and introduced her to a French modeling agent. After completing her studies, she moved to France to pursue work through a Parisian agency. Kebede later relocated to New York City. She has remarked that the modeling industry in Ethiopia is quite different from the catwalks on which she is now ubiquitous. In contrast, in Ethiopia she had to provide her own shoes for each runway show.
Kebede married Ethiopian hedge fund manager Kassy Kebede in 2000 and they have two children together; son Suhul 8 years old born in 2001 and daughter Raee 4 years old born in 2005. As of 2007, the family resides in New York City.
ebede’s big break came when Tom Ford asked her for an exclusive contract for his Gucci Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show. Kebede was a finalist in the Miss World supermodel contest and later established a place in fashion’s elite by modeling on the New York, Milan, London and Paris runway circuit. Kebede’s popularity in the fashion industry skyrocketed when she appeared on the cover the May 2002 edition of Paris Vogue which dedicated the entire issue to her. She is now in her own independent film called “Desert Flower.” It came out on September 24, 2009.
K
ebede has also had minor roles in two films: The Good Shepherd and Lord of War. In 2008, Kebede was featured on one of the four covers of Vogue Italia’s all Black Issue. In 2009, Kebede stars in the film-adaption of the bestselling autobiography desert flower by former supermodel Waris Dirie.
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ADVERT SADE
THE LADY, HER MUSIC, THE BAND
S
ade was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Her name, Folasade, means wealth confers your crown. Her parents, Bisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer in economics of Yoruba background, and Anne Hayes, an English nurse, met in London and moved to Nigeria. Later, when the marriage ran into difficulties, Anne Hayes returned to Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England, taking four-month-old Sade and her older brother Banji to live with her parents. Living in Colchester, Essex, Sade read a good deal, developed an interest in fashion, acquired a taste for dancing and listened to soul artists like Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, and Marvin Gaye.
S
he first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the popular Brit and Grammy Award winning English group Sade. Later she joined Ray St. John’s band Pride, which also included guitarist Stuart Matthewman, bassist Paul Denman, and drummer Paul Cooke. However, St. John left Pride shortly after, later resurfacing in the band Halo James, and Pride eventually petered out.
I
n 2005, Sade recorded a new track, "Mum", which appeared on a DVD Voices for Darfur to support charity concert of the same name at the Royal Albert Hall in London, to raise awareness and funding for the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. Recently, Sade's record label has released a new CD in November 2009. It is her first installment in 9 years.
Paul Spencer Denman, Sade Adu, Andrew Hale and Stuart Matthewman.
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BOOKS Dwain Anthony Chambers (born 5 April 1978) is an English sprinter of Afro-Caribbean descent. He has won medals on the international stage numerous times and is one of the fastest European sprinters in the history of recorded athletics. His primary event is the 100 metres sprint, in which he has the second fastest time by a British sprinter. He is the European record holder for the 60 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay events with 6.42 seconds and 37.73 s respectively. He received a two-year ban in 2003 for taking performance enhancing drugs.
How not to write about Africa has become Binyavanga’s most important work and is pursued to promote the Africa that most often is not embraced.
The impact from this profound piece has caught the attention of Benin born actor and model, Djimon Gaston Hounsou. This satire piece has awakened different opinions and some controversies along the way.
“Say You’re One of Them” History has been made as the number one most influential woman, Ms. Oprah Winfrey selected “Say You’re One of Them” by Nigerian native Awem Akpan as the 63rd book to make it into her book club collection. You’re probably wondering where in all this the history making is that but ever since Oprah started her book club collection, she has never selected a collection of short stories before which is what “Say You’re One of Them” is all about. A collection of five stories set in different parts of Africa including Nigeria and Rwanda, which tells a tale about the journey’s of African children ’s hardship and the bitter sweet occurrences of having to grow up in Africa.
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african books
From Publishers specialising in quality African and Caribbean writing NEW BOOKS
Between Faith and History - Bu Me BÎľ: Proverbs of A Biography of J A Kufuor the Akans Author Ivor Agyeman-Duah Authors: Peggy Appiah, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Ivor AgyemanDuah
African Love Stories - an anthology Editor Ama Ata Aidoo
Masculinities in African Literary and Cultural Texts. Editors Helen Nabasuta Mugambi and Tuzyline Jita Allan
Barack Obama and African Diasporas: Dialogues and Dissensions Author Paul Tiyambe Zeleza The Book of Not Author Tsitsi Dangarembga
An Economic History Of Ghana: Reflections on a Half-Century of Challenges & Progress Foreword Wole Soyinka Editor Ivor AgyemanDuah
Nervous Conditions Author Tsitsi Dangarembga
Queen Pokou Author VĂŠronique Tadjo; translated from the French by Amy Baram Reid
After dropping out of school at just sixteen, James Caan started his business life in a broom cupboard with no qualifications and two pieces of fatherly wisdom. These were: “Observe the masses and do the opposite” and “Always look for opportunities where both parties benefit”. Armed with this advice, natural charm and the Yellow Pages, he built a market-leading business with a turnover of £130m and swiftly became one of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs. The story is a must read, so get a copy of the real deal
Wa ya say
R
RAS?
as Kwame’s influence on the UK Music scene as a whole is not one to be exaggerated; Ras is a leader in representing the UK urban scene and encouraging the UK’s new music talent. The London born, Ghana raised disc spinner moved to London and began his career some 15 years ago as a DJ at University whilst studying Economics and founded Sugar Shack record store/ recording studio in 1997. He has a great understanding and experience of the business element in the music industry as he formed Baby Shack Record label, which was hugely successful in underground terms as the label specialised in UK garage, responsible for some massive garage anthems including ‘Bump ‘n’ Grind’. Ras launched onto the radio scene in 2002 with his 100% homegrown music show on BBC 1Xtra and when someone was needed to fill the late John Peel’s influential Radio 1 slot in 2005, Ras Kwame was brought in! Still to this day, inclusion on his award winning BBC 1Xtra and Radio 1 shows have proven to be a crucial first step in an artist career and recently released a CD compilation representing the best UK music, Urban Goodies. Ras has presented a range of music shows over the years including Channel U, Trouble TV and MTV Base. More recently he can be seen hosting the BBC’s legendary ‘Live’ sessions which showcases the hottest acts in the UK black music scene at the world famous BBC Maida Vale Studios. These include acts from Lemar, Dizzie Rascal, Kano, Taio Cruz and many more. Aside from his passion with music, Ras has a particular love for sport- especially football, world history, spirituality, politics and travel. He enjoys experiencing different cultures and looking to explore new exciting opportunities in broadcasting. Ras can currently be heard on BBC Radio 1, Sunday 5- 7am and BBC Radio 1Xtra, Sunday 7-10pm.
A DAY WITH doing the make up!
currrrrrrlllit.com a little bit of lipgloss...
yes i vogue too....
wooh! take your time there young man! mr morgan my a&r consultant
yes im goin iiin...... Nadia - are you gonna get up and let me measure you ME - yeah 1 more song....
WHO IS
D’BANJ? Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born in 1980 Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria),known commonly as, D'banj is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. "Dapo" is short for the Yoruba name "Ifedapo" (meaning "Love came together"). Early life D’banj was born to a successful artillery officer who commanded an artillery regiment and a street was named after him in Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta, and a church dignitary mother, who hailed from Shagamu in Ogun State. Due to his father’s profession, he moved several times within Nigeria and also moved to India. D’banj was expected to follow his father’s military career and was enrolled to the Nigerian Military School, Zaria at age eleven. Musical beginning D’banj grew up listening to Fela Kuti, who he cites as his “great mentor”. He was introduced to the harmonica by his late older brother, Femi Oyebanjo, who died in a plane crash at age seventeen.
With D’banj’s love of music being greater than his parents’ military aspirations, he struggled for his parents’ approval; this can be best heard through an album track, All Da Way from his debut album. He derived his stage name from the combination of the first name and his surname. As a tribute to his mentor, Fela, D’banj brings Afrobeat to life and into the 21st century with breathless enthusiasm as well as a good dose of humor. His songs are based on his life, often hilarious but with a deeper meaning which documents the struggle of a young African trying to achieve his dreams. He performs in Yoruba, English and Pidgin English. All his albums are solely produced by Don Jazzy and himself. D’banj, as an artist of Mo’ Hits Records, is also a member of its collective group, Mo’ Hits Allstars. He has once been spotted with one of Nigeria’s most talented singers, “Smile Lasisi”. The collective’s debut album, Curriculum Vitae, was released in December 2008. It included hit singles, Be Close To You, Booty Call and Move Your Body, which was the lead single. D’banj featured in Ikechukwu’s 2008 hit, Wind Am Well. July 2008 saw the release of D’banj’s third album, The Entertainer, with the singles Gbono Feli Feli, Kimon, Olorun Maje and Entertainer.
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LEARN TO
SING
A lot of people want to become a better singer – to be in a band, to sing with a church choir, or just for pleasure. Some take private voice lessons or sign up for a class at a local community college. However, if you learn a few simple rules, you can teach yourself to be a better singer.
3 2 1 1.
Pronounce all consonants – This is very important. Consonants like “b, c, d, g, j, k, l, p, q, s, t, v, w, x, and z” are what are called “voiced consonants.” Pronounce their sounds and you will see that they have a sound you can pronounce. Other consonants, like “f, h, m, n, and r” are imploded consonants. This means that the sounds can’t really be said. For example, the “f” sound is like “fff,” while g, a voiced consonant sounds like “guh.” You must emphasis all consonant sounds when you are singing, whether they are voiced or imploded. If you have a word that ends with a “t” or “k,” you must pronounce it. For example, say you were singing “I want to take it to the end of the rainbow,” you would sing, “I wanT To TaKe iT To thee enD of the rainbow,” which the capitalized letters being clearly pronounced and slightly emphasized. Don’t overemphasize or you will hurt your vocal cords.
2
. Vowel sounds are also very important. Some vowel sounds are “dipthongs,” which means they have more than one pure vowel sound in them. The pure vowel sounds are “Ah, eh, ee, o, ooh.” Some vowels, like the long “I” sound, are a combination of these sounds – in that case, “Ah – ee.” When you run into dipthongs, you must pronounce both vowel sounds. You must also pronounce the vowel sounds clearly and by the pure sounds, NOT the same as you would in general speaking. For example, the sentence “Night has gone and day has come” would be “N-ah-ee-ght hAHs gone AHnd dAHy hAHs cUHm.”
pronouncing words, and don’t try to use your jaw to control pronunciation or volume. Stay loose and relaxed, with everything falling forward.
4
5
3
. When singing, feel like you are always on the edge of a yawn – this will create the correct tone in your voice. It will feel weird, and probably sound weird at first, but that’s how the professionals do it. Make yourself yawn, and then talk in a “sing-song” voice. This is how you will feel and sound (sort of) when you have the correct tone to your voice.
5 4
. Relax your mouth – Singers can’t be tense. Let your jaw drop and remain slack. Let your tongue fall forward in your mouth and rest, flat, against your front teeth. Don’t move it too much when you are
. Posture is very important for singers. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart (some singers put one foot slightly in front of the other). Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your body should be loose – not tense, but not hunched over, either.
6
6
. Breathing is also very important. Always take a deep breath from your stomach, NEVER your chest. A low breath will push your diaphragm down and help you control your air. The idea is to have enough air to sustain a phrase. You will learn how to control your air as you sing. Don’t let too much of it out at once or your tone will sound breathy. Always practice taking a deep breath from low in your stomach, and learn to control from there. Take a deep breath, then try pretending you’re blowing through a straw. This will help you develop breath control. If you’re not sure where you’re breathing from, lay down on the floor and place a folder or notebook on your stomach. It should rise as you breathe – your chest should not. When you’re standing, your shoulders should remain down when you breathe.
7
7
. To create vibrato, you must keep your jaw very relaxed and dropped, and allow the vibrato to develop naturally. If you clench your jaw or try to force vibrato, it won’t happen. You will feel vibrations in your throat, around where your tonsils are when you begin to develop vibrato.
8
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. Practice a lot. You will begin to notice where each pitch lies in your voice, and how your throat and mouth feel when you hit that pitch. Use this to memorize where specific pitches are, which will improve your accuracy. If you use these tips, you will be a better singer in no time! Just remember – breathe low, pronounce consonants, and relax.
www.africamusicawards.com
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Eve
E
ve Jihan Jeffers (born November 10, 1978), who performs under the mononym Eve, is an American recording artist and actress. Her first three albums have so far reached 7 million copies sold world wide. In 2003, she became the star of her own TV show, Eve, which lasted for 3 seasons. The rapper/singer/actress has also achieved success in fashion as she started a clothing line titled "Fetish." She ranked number 48 on VH1's "50 Greatest Women Of The Video Era" show list. www.africamusicawards.com
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Accept no substitutes. Power the passions you pursue with a smartphone that expresses your style and simplifies your life.
The
AFRICAN BEAT KING BEHIND:
Usher, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Amerie, Da Brat & More...
What do Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Amerie and Da Brat have in common? Besides the obvious... how about the fact they all have benefited from the beats and production prowess of LRoc. Who, you ask, is LRoc? LRoc (taken as a nickname from his real name James Elbert Phillips) was born in Liberia, West Africa. He was taking classical piano lessons by the time he was five, but as he got older, his interest spread to other instruments. Sometimes, he would "borrow" his brother's guitar and play the bass line to tunes he heard on the radio. As a teenager, he spent many hours in the school music room. It's about this time his family discovered how much he loved music. At the school Christmas program, LRoc performed in every segment, playing a different instrument every time he popped up on stage.
“A few days later, my mother brought me to the United States to buy a whole band set - drums, bass and guitar,” he remembers. “My father could not believe I played all those instruments.” Leaving West Africa at 16, the aspiring musician moved to the Bay Area of California, where he continued honing his skills as much as he could by spending time in the music rooms of his school. He performed in local bands, wrote music and won several talent shows. However, as the end of high school approached, he could not decide what he wanted to do with his life. Unable to make a career choice he was advised by a family friend to join the United States Army. Taking his keyboard with him, he went on to write and produce artists while stationed in Germany. “I was able to see the business side of the industry while I was stationed there, everything from publishing to product sales; it was a real education,” he recalls. “I knew that when I got out of the Army, I was going to start producing full time.”
After leaving the Army, he moved to Atlanta to pursue his dream of producing for a living. The move to Atlanta gave him the opportunity to work with various producers and artists. Eventually, through a mutual friend, he was contacted by platinum producer, artist and entrepreneur Jermaine Dupri. At the time, Dupri was looking for a keyboard player to write with him. LRoc got the job. Dupri was also restructuring his label So So Def. A musical relationship ensued and LRoc was asked to join the label’s production roster. That was just few years ago. Today, LRoc is a Grammy ® winning songwriter (for his contribution to Usher’s super hit, “Yeah”). His track record as a producer, writer, programmer and multi-instrumentalist is growing by leaps and bounds. He’s writer and production credits include tracks with Murphy Lee, Bonecrusher, Bow Wow, Too $hort, Mariah Carey, Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys and Amerie. Most recently, he’s been producing with Da Brat, Janet Jackson and Nelly (on his spanking new single, “Grillz”).
growing Generations in media
EasyMix
RECORDING STUDIO
SERVICES •Music recording •Voice over studio •Music production •Song writer production •Radio commercials •Voice artists
Reviews MOVIE
I Sing of a Well As I watched and enjoyed the new movie written, directed and co-produced by Hollywood documentary film maker, Leila Djansi, it was the element of good storytelling that made the film stand out for me the most. ‘I Sing of a Well’ is the first installment in the trilogy, ‘Legion of Slaves’ which tells the story of slave trade triggered by the director’s experience at a slave site in her village in the Volta Region of Ghana.
‘Invictus‘ is a Clint Eastwood movie that takes us down memory lane during the wake of apartheid when the South African nation was economically and racially divided. Searching for a way to bring the nation together, Nelson Mandela turns to the one thing he knows is valuable to his people–rugby. Using his partnership with the Rugby team captain, history was made and South Africa, for the first time after a long journey of trials and tribulations, knew what unity was all about. ’Invictus‘ is expected to scoop up more than one Oscar award and, judging by Clint Eastwood’s master creations, it could pick up more. This is going to be one of 2009’s most inspirational movies by far.
SKIN
“SKIN” is a movie based on an extraordinary true story of a colored girl born to two Afrikaner South African parents during the apartheid era. In 1955 Abraham (Sam Neill) and Sannie Laing (Alice Krige) shocked the world when brought into the world a dark skinned baby with nappy hair named Sandra Laing. Shocked at the discovery, and unprepared for the battle ahead, the Laing family fought tooth and nail to have their daughter classified as a white person instead of a black person in order for her to receive better treatment.
AMAs FACE OF THE MONTH, Rhian Benson
Gloria Mika Gloria Mika was born in Gabon, from a Greek mother and a Gabonese father. She had lived in several countries like Senegal, France, Greece and the United States. She started modeling after being the first runnerup of a fashion competition in the United States. Since then, she has worked with famous designers including Ungaro, Escada, Pierre Cardin, and Alphadi. She has been one of the faces of the wellknown brand l’Oreal, and has modeled for Diesel. She was also featured in the music video “Sweetest Girl� by Wyclef Jean with other celebrities including Lil Wayne and Akon. She works for VN Model Management, and Ice Model Management. Gloria likes to meet new people and discover new cultures. Nothing makes her happier than the experience of sharing with other people.
Miss Universe GHANA The beautiful and graceful winner of Miss Universe Ghana, Jennifer Koranteng looks poised and reveals a stunning and perfect skin tone, and pure elegance in a recent photo shoot which clearly puts her in contention. Jennifer has been in New York for two weeks of grooming and coaching with top industry professionals like world renowned photographer, Fadil Berisha, fashion designer, Marc Jacobs, and many others. She recently left to join the other contestants from all over the world for the campaign in the Bahamas.
THE AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR CELEBRATES 25 The African Children’s Choir™ is the ambassador for Africa’s neediest, most vulnerable children. The Choir shows the world that its members, like the millions of abandoned and traumatised children in Africa, have beauty, dignity and unlimited potential.
The African Children’s Choir™ is made up of some of the neediest and most vulnerable children in their countries. Many have lost one or both parents to poverty or disease. The African Children’s Choir™ helps these children break away from the everyday cycle of poverty and hopelessness.
www.africanchildrenschoir.com
Ataui Deng – The New Kid On The Block Brace yourselves fashion world, there’s a hot new face in town. She is sizzling and she is related to a top model whose grace and elegance have made her a favorite on and off the runway. Stunning and elegant, it is hard to believe that she is only 17. Deng signed with Trump Management in New York in 2008 and she walked the fall African Fashion Collective and Christian Siriano shows in New York. Many say that she is Alek Wek’s niece. There is a strong resemblance. She is definitely one to watch.
she’s
HOT
She was HOT in the 90’s and still has the look that got her into Vogue Italia. Kiara Kabukuru is originally from Uganda. Her campaigns include CoverGirl, Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, L’Oréal, and Calvin Klein. She has graced the cover of Vogue Magazine, Vogue Spain, and Amica Italy and has done several editorials. She has been signed to several different model agencies and had a long illustrious career. Not bad for someone in an industry where the lifespan of a career barely makes 5 years.
Adoption
Who can adopt a child? As with the children who need an adoptive family, potentital adopters can come from any background. Adopters are needed who reflect the diverse needs of these children. We encourage applications from people who: are over 21 years old come from all cultural, religious and social backgrounds have a disability. Children are usually placed with adopters who are considered best able to meet their needs. For example, children tend to be placed with adopters with similar ethnic backgrounds. In Brent we have several Somali muslim children and babies who are unable to remain with their own parents. It is extremely important that we find adoptive parents from the same cultural and religious background. We need to ensure that these children do not lose their heritage and beliefs.
020 8937 4525 adoption@brent.gov.uk www.brent.gov.uk/adoption
Mulatu Astatke Father of EthioJazz... Mulatu Astatke is considered the father of EthioJazz. Musically trained in London, New York and Boston, His style of jazz has been popular and helped build his reputation as an innovator in jazz music. In the 1970’s, he played with Duke Ellington and collaborated extensively with the Either/Orchestra.
he combined jazz and latin influences with traditional Ethiopian music to provide a unique jazz style. His music has appeared in the film, ‘Broken Flowers‘, is part of ‘Ethiopiques‘, and in music he has produced for some East African musicians including Mahmoud Ahmed.
He was a an Abramowitz Artist-in-Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA and is currently working as an advisor to the MIT Media Lab on creating a modern version of the krar, a traditional Ethiopian instrument, in addition to lectures and workshops.
Didier Drogba
endorses Product Red Ivorian soccer player, Didier Drogba, is one of the eight footballers who have endorsed Product Red’s new partnership with NIKE. Product Red is a brand that licenses partner companies to create products that are sold on the market. A per centage of sales are then donated to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in Africa. Participating retailers include Starbucks, Gap, Converse, Apple, Dell and others. In a press conference that was attended by Product Red creator, Bono, Drogba, and others, the first product under the new partnership with Nike are RED shoelaces. Although specifically designed for football (soccer) boots, they can be worn by anyone.
Bono has been wearing them on his U2 360 tour, while Drogba wore them in a recent Chelsea vs Arsenal game. Drogba was quoted as saying, “Football is very powerful, especially in Africa. It is like a religion. So we players as ambassadors, as a good example we need to promote our continent and try to do our best to fight this disease”.
thisisme
www.africamusicawards.com
the man without a name
David Mathenge, a Kenyan musician is known as Nameless in musical circles. "There are two kinds of people in the world, those who have got names and those who are nameless." He does genge music which can also be classified as hip hop. He is a university graduate and architect. He is married to long-time sweetheart, Wahu, who is also a singer in Kenya with whom he has one child born in 2006. He became famous in 1999 after winning the star-search contest on Kenya's urban music station 98.4 Capital FM, for his song "Megarider."
The song talked about a poor young man trying to seduce a woman but only has enough money for Kenya Bus tickets, and not the rich lifestyle she desires. The single received a lot of airplay afterward. He then released the Ninanoki single in 2001 with Amani as well as Boomba train with E-Sir. Ninanoki remained number on Kenyan charts for over 3 months! His hit single Sinzia was one of the most popular African songs in 2006 which also earned him a nomination for best MTV African artiste. Some of his songs include Deadley, Mambo sina, Najidai, On fire, Mannerless, Majitu, Sunshine, Obama O, etc
June Sarpong: I want a piece of OBAMA. It is a long way from East London to West Hollywood - and from schmoozing with WAGs and bands to political journalism For nine years June Sarpong hosted T4, the Channel 4 weekend youth show. She interviewed many hungover bands in that time - she even presented WAGs Boutique - but what set her apart from the rest of the post-teen presenters was her ability to handle a politician. She interviewed Gordon Brown and Bill Clinton, and starred with Tony Blair in a When Tony met June special, in which she asked him if he bought Cherie flowers. Sarpong has President Obama in her sights now. “I want a piece of Barack - and Michelle - for sure. It would be a lot of fun.” Sarpong has just moved a little closer to her target. She gave up the T4 slot and moved to Los Angeles nine months ago to kickstart a new television career, at the age of 31. “I packed up my house, packed up all of my safety nets and decided to move to the States,” Sarpong says, laughing. She uses a roar of laughter the way other people use punctuation. “I sat down and thought, 'My God, I haven't got any kids, I haven't got any responsibilities, if I don't do this now I'm always going to wonder'.” She felt that she had become bored and complacent in Britain: “I got to the stage where I wasn't scared any more, and I wanted to be really nervous.” Taking time out was part of her plan: Sarpong worked in “seven-days-a-week madness” from the second that she left school, so the past few months on the West Coast have been a late gap year for her. Her career went so fast - from Kiss FM in the school holidays, to Arista Records,
then to Channel 4 - that she has “never been able to stand still, stop, step back and objectively look at [her] life”. Next month she presents the reality TV series Better Off Wed. In LA she signed on with the William Morris Agency, and did some screen work, but her first task has been to retreat.
Sarpong had intended going to university, to study politics and English, but the job offer from Kiss FM got in the way. Although her parents divorced when she was 9, her brother moving to America with her father and Sarpong remaining in London with her mother, “they were both strong inspirational parents. They put so much value on education and if you didn’t bring back an A you were in trouble: ‘B? We don’t do B.’” So when Sarpong announced that she was not going to university her mother was furious. Her father, however, said that he would give her a year.
“Living over there in West Hollywood is great. You wake up in the morning and it's boiling hot and you go for a hike in that LA way and have a green drink ...” - she has a big laugh here - “and it's just a really nice lifestyle. I have friends there and the expat community is great.” (Later she announces that she is Sarpong’s mother - a nurse and Barnardo’s also looking for a “hot” man.) worker - is a powerful force in her life. If the children didn’t learn to cook they didn’t eat, This is perhaps why, here in London on a fly- for instance, and Sarpong is aware that she ing visit, she is wearing a pair of leather trou- drew on that strength and discipline. She went sers so tight that they creak, along with eye- to a state girls’ school and had a wide variety and-bunion-poppingly high shoes. We talk, of friends. “But once we hit 13 or 14 our backbizarrely, in the deserted cinema of The Hos- grounds took over without a doubt in terms of pital, a private club in Covent Garden. People where we were headed. I wasn’t the most talwith twitching BlackBerries keep dropping in ented kid but I had parents who told me I could and greeting Sarpong ostentatiously. It's all do whatever I wanted to do. I also had parents very media-luvvy. who were very honest with me about racism and explained to me about other people’s fear But abroad, away from this hurly-burly, she and ignorance of someone different.” has been to four retreats: “Spiritual, yoga, meditation, all that, and they grow their own That aspirational working-class background organic food so it’s really healthy. It’s what- made Sarpong very political, although she ever you feel you need, and I did a lot of yo- waves away any discussion of becoming an gic selfdevelopment and all of that stuff. Then MP. She dated the MP David Lammy for two there’s that hot-spring action.” She hoots at years, and remains friends with him and his this point. Sarpong is referring to the famous wife, but politics was not for her. She has just Esalen retreat at Big Sur, where the hot pools come to the interview from the House of Lords overlook the Pacific and swimwear is optional. and says: “You walk in and think, ‘This isn’t “I just met the most amazing people from all in any way representative of the nation as a walks of life. You take away all of your public whole’ - no wonder people are disengaged. persona and whatever box you put yourself Not many people come from that background into, and for me it was wonderful having time and look like that. It’s like a corporate bank to spend three weeks in a place like that.” in there. You need a different perspective; a young mum from Rochdale is very different The New Age conversion seems a far cry from from an Etonian from Oxbridge.” Sarpong’s roots, first in Accra, Ghana, and then in East London on a council estate in Walthamstow. “I am the most cynical Brit, but you get there to LA and it all floats away. Learning, growing - that’s what this year has been for me.”
Uncle John is in the business of providing a unique sweet bread to the local community, private and business, as well as making deliveries of its products elsewhere in the UK, France, Holland and Germany. The recipe of their sweet bread represents the intellectual property in the product and is carefully guarded by them. We are proud of our renowned reputation and that our product is readily sold through so many diverse outlets such as restaurants and markets.
We sell our products by providing a friendly neighbourhood-feel atmosphere and sell quality baked goods for everyone to enjoy at a fair price. We focus on serving our niche market with quality goods and take initiatives that help us identify with the local community, as well as to enable the local community identify with Uncle John's.
We cater for the following: * Private functions e.g. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings etc * Supply to distribution outlets e.g. Tesco, Sainsbury etc * Provide bakery at special events such as trade shows * Breakfast and lunch time delivery to Afro-Caribbean shops and businesses *Sell ingredients to customers for baking at home while keeping the intellectual property very secret
HEAD OFFICE (UK): 74/76 West Green Road, Tottenham, London N15 5NS BRANCH (Germany): Kingsway Afro Shop, Munster Str 203, 44145 Dortmund TEL: 02088026883
Malaria M
HEALTH ISSUES
alaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If not treated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines. Key interventions to control malaria include: prompt and effective treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies; use of insecticidal nets by people at risk; and indoor residual spraying with insecticide to control the vector mosquitoes.
C
KING
Jollof Rice is among the best known of West African dishes not only because it is delicious and easy to prepare, but because the ingredients are readily available in Western countries! Its origin, however, remains a bone of contention between several West African nations. There are many regional cooking variations—this version is my mother's!
Jollof Rice
500 g (1 lb) lean beef or chicken Salt and ground white pepper, to taste Vegetable oil for frying 1L (1-3/4 pt) stock or water with 3 crushed stock cubes 3 large onions, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 2-3 chillies (hot peppers), finely chopped 4 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled and blended or mashed 45 g (3 tablespoons) tomato paste 250 g (8 oz) each of assorted chopped vegetables, e.g. carrots, green beans, mushrooms and capsicums (sweet or bell peppers) 500 g (1 lb) long-grain rice Lettuce, parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro) and hard-boiled eggs to garnish
Cut meat or chicken into 5 cm (2 in) cubes or small pieces and season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to stand for 1-2 hours. Heat oil in fry-pan and fry the meat or chicken pieces until brown. Remove meat from oil and add to the stock in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Simmer on low heat until meat begins to soften, then remove from heat. Drain excess oil from fry pan leaving enough oil to fry onions, garlic and chillies (hot peppers) until golden. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, half the combined vegetables and 250 mL (8 fl oz) of stock from the meat mixture. Stir well, adjust seasoning and simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes. Add this vegetable sauce to the meat mixture in the saucepan and simmer gently. Finally, stir in the uncooked, long-grain rice. Adjust the seasoning again, cover and simmer slowly on low heat for about 15 minutes. Arrange the remaining vegetables on top of the rice and continue to simmer until the rice absorbs all the stock, softens and cooks, and the meat is tender. It may be necessary to sprinkle additional water mix to help the rice cook. If so use small amounts at a time of approximately 250 mL (8 fl oz) lightly salted water. Serve hot, garnished with chopped lettuce, parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro) and hard-boiled eggs.
BUILDING FOR A BETTER FUTURE World-famous Michael Essien is one of the main men in the Chelsea midfield. The Ghana international signed for the club in 2005 and has since won every available domestic honour with the club.
I
want to tell you about something close to my heart - the launch of 'The Michael Essien Foundation'. Many stories are told of some of the world's top footballers, starting life from a humble and rather difficult background. I am no exception to this. I grew up in Awutu Breku in the central region of Ghana where there were very little opportunities for most people to develop to their full potential. When I took up football I had to work hard to break through and to be recognised by clubs in the big cities of Ghana.
I consider myself lucky to be where I am today, and I want my story to be one of hope and inspiration to the youth all over the world - starting primarily from Awutu Breku - my home town.
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rowing up with my mother and four sisters, I was told stories about my older brother who loved and played football so well but sadly died as a result of trying to find water in a well in Awutu.
I
always dreamed of working hard to put a smile on the faces of my family, especially my mother, who has sacrificed her whole life for my sisters and I.
A
s such I have decided to launch 'The Michal Essien Foundation' and I hope it will help drive this message of hope and inspiration. The goal of the MEF will be to promote basic community amenities and opportunities for various groups through different projects and activities. My main aims will be: - To give the underprivileged in Awutu and its immediate environs access to basic amenities like healthcare equipments, libraries, public toilets and clean drinking water - To raise funds to support some of the local projects in the Awutu Breku area - To mentor and encourage the youth during the Sports Day Activities to be organised
W
e have developed a fiveyear plan to achieve our aims and my ambition will be to extend it to other parts of Ghana and the world in future I hope I can count on your support and generosity as usual. There are so many people and organisations I will like to thank but I will do so at the appropriate time I am just a boy from Awutu who has risen to the world ‘s biggest platform. Let my story be one of hope and inspiration.
Drogba: Son made me change ways Chelsea striker Didier Drogba decided to change his on-field behaviour after his son told him his reaction against Barcelona was out of order. Drogba earned more than a three-game ban his protestations against referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after Chelsea’s Champions League exit - he was also given a carpeting by a disapproving Isaac Drogba, eight. The Ivorian forward told The Times: “I don’t always worry about what people think, but on this occasion it was really important to come out and apologise because of kids watching the game. “My son was watching with his friends from school and I was embarrassed by my behaviour. The good thing is Isaac came to me and said ‘It’s not right what you did Dad, you should have had more penalties but it’s not right to do that to referees’. “I told him never to do what I did. He’s eight and he plays for Chelsea Under-9s but is very different to me, he’s really calm. “It was really difficult for me after the Barcelona game because I made a mistake but was frustrated that people didn’t understand why I reacted. I apologised and everything but I also wanted to show I’m not the person people think I am. “I’m not a bad guy, I just want to win and sometimes I react.”
thisisme www.africamusicawards.com
TOP 5 Premier League AFRICANS THE World Cup will kick off soon and a host of Premier League stars will battle it out in South Africa. Chelsea have been badly hit by the tournament - with four players on duty for their countries. But the ever-increasing quality of the continent's exports is evident in the sheer number of top-flight players involved. Here are the top 5 list of the best African players plying their trade in the Premier League - whether they are involved in the Cup or not.
No 5: John Obi Mikel It is easy to forget that the Nigerian midfielder was once at the centre of an incredible tug of war between Manchester United and Chelsea without ever playing a game for the Red Devils. The Blues eventually paid United ÂŁ16m and it now looks a decent bit of business. Doubts remain over Mikel's temperament after four red cards in his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge.
No 4: Emmanuel Adebayor Adebayor has been in devastating form this season and his goals made Thierry Henry’s shock summer exit a distant memory. Now with Manchester city and the magic carries on.
No 3: Didier Drogba Chelsea are far from a one-man team but Drogba’s absent - initially through injury - has left them struggling to cling on to the coat-tails or Manchester United and Arsenal. The Ivory Coast hitman has blossomed since a tough first season in England - a frightening package of power, pace and goals.
No 2: Kolo Toure The ex unsung Arsenal hero. Ivory Coast star Toure is now the captain of Manchester City. Is arguably the most complete defender in the Premier League.
No1: Michael Essien A tough choice but Essien just comes out on top. The Ghana star is everything a manager wants from a modern-day midfielder - power, stamina, aggression and a never-say-die attitude. Throw in the ability to score crucial goals and it is little wonder that Essien is already a Premier League great.
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