CAPE VERDIAN MELANCHOLIC SINGER, CARMEN SOUZA!

**Thank you for this gift, Lord.!!

Carmen is Cape Verdian , but grew up in Portugal where her mother and father who was a sailor immigrated to..She stayed in tune w/her African culture, through the language and the music..both her grandad and father played instruments and sang a bit of "sodade"...

When she was 1 teenager she sang in a choir, w/a soulful and soft voice like hers there was no way that one day someone would not be interested in signing her..since she was 17 she's just done that sang on her own...
Her music is not regular "sodade" but it's colored w/a bit of soul and jazz, her lyrics are still melancholic, a bit saddish, hopeful and def' pro-Cap Vert..she plays the guitar as well and is backed up by a cool band (we never give it up for the band players..even though they're very important)

She's one of the new Cape Verdian artists who take chances musically, and by doing so bring new Cape Verdian music lovers...
I listened to her song " Ess e nha Cabo Verde" and I really liked it ..it was soft, jazzy , full of real emotions..it's also the title of her latest album ..in this one she gives us a glimpse of her emotional life...it's a more personal record...
I say....try this sweet and focused and very talented sista,she's def' somebody I would love to see live...if you hear me sista..come through to Dakar..:)

here's her site:
http://www.carmensouza-uk.blogspot.com/

Here's the video of her song Afri ka: (I was dancing on my seat listening to this....)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUtC7fNQ-Eg

Djaa my Sistas from Cap Vert sont dedans aussi:)
Eyee Wayee:)

AFRICAN CARDS GAMES TURKANA & LE MAQUIS REGAL-HAVE U HEARD ABOUT IT?

I am just getting the 411 about this cool game that 3 sisters from the Motherland created, I got to rep' for their countries..Alys is from Cameroun, Djeneba is half Senegalese half Guinean, and Karine is from Martinique....realizing that most people don't know anything about our continent or have misconceptions..they decided to create a fun educational game ..so they talk general culture, history, geography, litterature ect..from angola to zimbabwe...we're all in there...!! Kudos to this trio, children could enjoy it, could be good for family game nights, or u could play it by yourself..there are 300 questions..so trust after playing you'll know 1 thing or 2 about Mama Africa... This month they also present their newest game le "Maquis Regal" this 1 focuses on the culinary side of Africa..55 cards w/great menus from all over Afirika...

Anywhoo here's their website:
http://turkanalejeu.com

Djaa my African people are more and more inovative:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

AISSA MAIGA DOING IT UP IN CANNES !!

Aissa hasn't ever looked this beautiful to me...her make up is flawless!
Gorgeous, nice color on her
That's what I'm talking about..nice 2 see her getting recognition

It's just awesome to see an African sista doing it up in Cannes, with the glamorous dresses, standing on the stairs, photographers calling "Aissa ...Aissa...here" to take a beautiful picture of the Senegalo-Gambian sista ....en tout cas it's refreshing to see Aissa being celebrated...
Djaa my ladies from Senegal & Gambia are in the house:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

ANGOLAN SONGSTRESS ROMI ANAUEL, LEAD FEMALE SINGER OF THE GROUP TERRAKOTA!

2 be surrounded on stage and in the studio by 7 musicians u must have great energy, confidence, and strength...Romi has been doing just that for almost 9 years w/the Reggae band w/African influences, the group Terrakota...2day she's working on releasing a solo project..she's not leaving the group but just exploring her own talent..

She was born in Angola but moved @ a very young age to Portugal, she's a free spirited young woman, proud 2 belong to the African continent, on a path of self discovery through her music...folk, soul, a bit of rock, portuguese , african sound
I dig it..

Here's the band webbie:
http://www.terrakota.net/
See Romi perform here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK5x5ZZy_wg&feature=related

Djaa my Angolan Sistas sont dedans aussi:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

OUR AFRICAN PEEPS AT THE CANNES FESTIVAL 2008!

Miss Herzi dans tout son glamour

Mr Zinedine Soualem
Miss Natacha Amal

As you know every year the biggest International stars meet in Cannes to celebrate the art of doing movies, showcase their work, discover new directors, new interesting short movies ...ect.. I was going through the list of movies presented this year and unfortunately I didn't see any director of African origins cited..maybe I'm wrong..if so please correct me..
But anywhoo lovely to see my North African people present at this fabulous event.
Here's the official Cannes Festival Site:
www.festival-cannes.fr
Djaaa our African people are reppin for us @ the Festival de Cannes:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

MAKE SOME ROOM FOR LA PANTHERE NOIRE OF SOCCER, MISTA BAFETEMBI GOMIS!!

Aight so there's a new kid on the block , reppin for Senegal all the way, I'm caling 22 years fresh face Mr Bafetimbi Gomis..@ actual times, international and local clubs are fighting over this brotha..but it seems like that there's a big chance that he may " live"@ L'Olympique de Marseilles... Brotha's legs game is so tight that the French Federal Division of soccer wants this brotha in the national team(he's part of the 30 players selected to go in intense preparation for the European championship)....Being that he was born in France, Gomis is eligible to play both for Senegal & France... He's currently under contract w/the club of Saint-Etienne ...his stats indicate that for the season 07/08 he played in 35 games and scored 16 goals ...not bad hein... He's being courted by English, Italian, & French teams ..he's being compared to Drogba..donc a quand la Gomisite?:) Here's the webbie pour les vert de l'Asse: http://www.asse.fr
A little video clip abt the brotha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3o540EWS_M

Djaaa les lions du Senegal sont dedans heiinnn:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

NIGERIAN ACTOR GBENGA AKIN NAGBE !

Aight so I never really got into the HBO Series "The Wire"...I know ..I know...some of you guys are big fans...but on the bright side I'm featuring one of the most facinating characters of the show "Chris Partlow" .since playing this role, he gets mad love from all kind of people, white , black , but particularly from people
" from the streets".... Ok if like me , you never watched that show, maybe u remenber him in the role of Yinka in the Barbershop series , I see Gbenga is a regular on HBO... He's also since then appeared in the comedy-drama "The Savages"along Phillip Seymour, Laura Linney...pretty strong cast....

Gbenga is not just Hollywood movies, theater was actually his first love, after he got tired of working a 9/5 shift in DC, wondered what was out there, read book decided that he wanted try acting..took classes, and tried out for played in the DC area in various Shakspeare plays......
2day he's a regular cat, who's aware of his success but doesn't let that drive him, he counts among his best friends an HBO alumn Jamie Hector and Felicia Pearson..they actually support each other projects... It would be interesting to see if people who are hard core "The Wire"fans are able to dissociate his character from other future projects he would be involved with... Anywhoo here's a great interview of the brotha: http://www.hobotrashcan.com/interviews/gbengaakinnagbe2.php

Here's his official page :
http://www.myspace.com/akinnagbe
Oh found out this little video interview of the brotha...okay brotha is very charismatic..mm ok..the Wire maybe I'll watch u:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxB2DQkyYZA

Djaa my brothas from Nigeria are more fiyaaa:)
Eyee Wayeee:)

AZIZA BRAHIM REPPIN IN MUSIC FOR MY PEOPLE FROM THE WESTERN SAHARA!

My people from the Western Sahara please stand up:))

I don't know much about this part of the world, but I'm excited to discover and learn more and more about it...
I guess today's lesson will start w/the Aziza Brahim experience..as I'm writing I am also listening to her music..I like it, I'm bopping my head and enjoying the mix of Rock& Roll, Soul, "desert beats" & Latino influence because she's lived for a long time in Cuba and Spain (some of the lyrics are actually in spanish), Arabic and African rythm..

Her voice is at turn soft, beautifuly harsh, and sometimes it feels like a sharp cry ...maybe one of the reasons why is that her life wasn't easy, because of the Maroccan occupation of her country in the late 70's, her mum and dad just like countless Saharawi people were separated (I will write a post abt this Marocan occupation soon)...her father went on to get remarried and have children that Aziza never got a chance to meet...
She hopes that through her music , the world will open their eyes and their heart to her country..I know that I know want to find out more about the history of the Western Sahara..will share once I do...

Here's her site:
http://aziza-brahim.blogspot.com/
Please check her out, share this discovery people who knows someone around u may like her sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grv86pHu47I

Djaa my people from Western Sahara sont dedans aussi:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

KASI BALLET THEATER GIVING A CHANCE TO THE CHILDREN OF THE ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP!!

Am I doing it right teacher?

2 cute!!
What happened Palessa?
Thandie pushed me ...
Just a joy to see young African children doin ballet

My fav' pic

The Kasi Ballet Theater was founded in order to give a chance to children that would normally not have the opportunity to learn ballet, to take classes , offer them technical expertise... The classes are offered for free by professionally trained ballet dancers, among those teachers is miss Penolope Tholoe who's been in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years...

Strong of her experience as a ballet dancer, her and the other teachers spend time teaching 90 children .
The Kasi Ballet Theater offers 3 types of programs:
-Kasi Ballet Training Academy that offers all types of dance class (african , ballet..ect) to children btw the age of 9-14 years old
-Kasi Ballet Youth Dance Company that offers classes to teenagers btw the age of 15-18 years old
-Kasi Ballet Dance Company for professional dancers, it allows them the room to showcase their work.... All of these different programs that cater to different age groups are wonderful, but to me the kids are the winners,there's a program called "Adopt a Dancer" where through personal donation that can help these children in need....
I am really impressed w/the Kasi Ballet Theater, kudos to them:)
Here's the webbie:
http://www.kasiballet.com

Djaa there are some great programs in Africa that contribute to the social dev' of our African children:)
Eyeee Wayee:)

DR SARAH MKHONZA FROM SWAZILAND,VISITING SCHOLAR AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY!

Pic, courtesy of Cornell Uni!

Dr Sarah Mkhonza fled her country Swaziland because she was being persecuted for telling the truth about women's conditions in her country. This mother of 2 sons in their twenties was forced to take refuge under the writer in residence program w/the Ithaca City of Asylum, a program which protects writers whose work has been destroyed or taken away from them..(I didn't know that such program existed)
So she's been back in America , (she got her Masters and PHD from the states) and has been a teacher @ St Mary's College before currently teaching Zulu @ Cornell Uni.. It's important to point the fact that she was a professor of Creative writing in her native land , her only fault if we can call it a fault was the fact that she published in local journals articles underlining domestice violence on Swazi women..
AID'S rate is really high in this small country, as well as domestic violence..Dr Mkhonza wanted 2 bring attention to this problem..but of course she was "bothering" certain people..
Hadn't she fled her country w/her sons she probably would have been dead according to her, before she left her house & her office were attacked..some of her work disappeared... 2day she has published 2 novels, 1 shedding light on her country called
"Eyes Are Moving", she's a sought after public speaker and activist...

To learn more about the Ithaca City of Assylum , go here: http://www.cresp.cornell.edu/projects/ithaca_city_asylum.php

We thank u, Dr Sarah Mkhonza:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

SHE'S SINCERE-MISS SAYON BAMBA CAMARA!!

I was so impressed by this young lady's eloquence on an African doc that I was watching sometimes this week, that I knew that I needed 2 share this discovery. She's from Guinea but she's lived a good part of her life in France, what was unique abt her was the contrast of her simplicity and her strong french accent to me which proved her belonging to the Western world to some extent.. In the doc, she was saying how she enjoyed spending part of her time in a small Guinean fishing village, where she found her influence listening to these fishermen who sing while working.. W/her svelte figure, her long plastic braids, her clear and strong speech..I was like who is this chick...:) Sayong wants her music to be heard everywhere, she mixes traditional Guinean songs, accoustic guitar...I really dig her...

Here's her webbie: http://www.sayonbambacamara.com/

Djaa my ladies from Guinea sont dedans aussi:)
Eyeee Wayee:)

THE LUXURIOUS RESORT -LE SAINT GERAN OF L'ILE MAURICE!

Tranquilite!
Chetetetet do I really need 2 coment

L'ile Maurice
One of the suites

When I was going through the fabulous pictures of this Mauritius resort, I was like man can't wait for the day when I make mucho mucho mullah..in the meantime why not dream...and be proud 2 see such opulence on an African Island..:) The Saint Geran resort lays on 60 acres of land..it features 3 great restaurants, if I were given the chance to go , I would def' try "La Terasse" which serves local delicacies as well.
The Saint Geran offers 2 types of suites; The Junior Suite & the Ocean Suite..the decoration will remind you of colonial times,Dutch , French influences... Like I said earlier $$$ is an issue bu take this each one of the Ocean Suite offers a private diner room, a master bedroom w/1 king size bed, I heard the view is stuning...looking outside you'll have 1 beautiful view of the Indian Ocean,white sand beach,coconut palmtrees..beautiful sky....
If you wanted 2 stay active they offer windsurfing, kayak , pedal boats,horse riding, beach soccer , tennis,ect..they also special activities for children (special menus, kids games ectt)
That's not it, they also offer spa treatment...man...man..man!! I've looked everywhere to find their official webbie, but to no avail.. I found countless of webbies that offer to find you suitable arrangements ....so anywhoo here's 1: http://www.stayinmu.com/index.php?displayhotel=5
Here's 1 cool blog abt l'Ile Maurice:
www.ile-maurice92.skyrock.com

Djaaa we can have some relaxed time in some luxurious hotels our continent:) Eyeee Wayeee:)