BLINKY BILL AT NAIROBI RAPSODY NEXT TUESDAY

Just A Band producer Blinky Bill will be playing cool hip hop vibes and progressive music on the decks at the hip hop industry night Nairobi Rapsody at Choices next week. Every week a different DJ plays at this night as the hip hop industry. This night is intended to bring back true hip hop culture and take the Nairobi party scene to other parts of the city. FREE ENTRY. Don't Miss it.

More Info on Facebook: Nairobi Rapsody

NAIROBI HIP HOP RAPSODY

Finally the day is here when hip hop has a home in Nairobi. Tired of listening to hip hop in dingy spots well look no further every Tuesday Choices Pub on Baricho Road will host Nairobi Hip Hop Rapsody an industry networking night and authentic cultural night. Different DJs will play at the night and sometimes artists who play live with a DJ will perform. This is the place where we will host hip hop activity, hip hop album launches and all that good stuff. The month of May will see DJ Zaq playing followed by DJ Gapp, DJ Blinky Bill of Just A Band and then DJ Supafly. Every Tuesday, be there. Entry is FREE.

Find Nairobi Hip Hop Rapsody on Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/525287994198045/?fref=ts

May 7th - DJ Zaq

One of the top hip hop DJs in Nairobi - Kenya. Hi love for hip hop has sen him be the DJ for Mwafreeka on the radio show 'The Joint' on YFM radio. he later became resident DJ at WAPI. he later moved to Ghetto Radio where he played lost of great hip hop and is now at HomeBoyz Radio as producer of the massive show; Bassment. 

May 14th - DJ Gapp

DJ Gapp's 12 years in the DJ games has seen him playing hip hop, RnB, Neo Soul in Cyprus before coming back to Kenya where's he has played at Psys in Langata, Bar Code in Westlands, Alfajiri in Kilimani. He also plays at Kenya Harlequins, Blanco's Sports Grill in Karen and now based at Tribeka Lounge in Nairobi City.    

May 21st - DJ Blinky Bill

DJ Blinky Bill is the main man in the biggest experimental group in Kenya; Just A Band. He has huge love for hip hop and is heavily influenced by the culture.  As an artist and producer he paves way in how other African musicians should approach their craft - with diligence and interest. 

May 28th - DJ Supafly

DJ Supafly is a Nairobi based DJ from the original old school days of Q-Stakes and Crooked Q. He is known for his New Jack mixes and has played at various clubs around the city including nights such as 'Back & Forth' at Volar, New Jack at Chequers, Fabulous Fridays at Bavaria Sports Bar, Soiree Gardens and Counter at Museum Hill. 

MTV BASE & KWAZULU NATAL PROVINCE PRESENTS AFRICA ALL STARS

This is a unique partnership between music and African tourism, the Kwa Zulu Natal Province, South Africa Tourism has linked up with MTV Base to promote a series of parties called Kwa Zulu Natal presents MTV Africa All Stars. These parties will be going on across Africa and the Nairobi one will be held on Friday April 5th at Tree House from 9pm onwards.

The party will be headlined by top African musical stars including Camp Mulla, P Unit, STL, Madtraxx, Kanja, Big Nuz and DJ Tira. So much music, fun and partying at Tree House this Friday, Nairobi is about to be on fire!!!

For More info on MTV All Stars and Tickets check: MTV BASE

Get more info on facebook:  MTV Base Verified

KAMA & BLAZE AT 8th ANNUAL TRINITY INTERNATIONAL HIP HOP FESTIVAL IN CONNECTICUT

As a hip hop head, every now and then I must do a cultural pilgrimage that sees me visiting the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut; USA. Trinity International Hip Hop Festival

Lots of hip hop activities, markets, discussions and love. The festival is attended by students, artists, graffiti writers, teachers, professors, break dancers, industry players, scholars from all over the world. The festival is an opportunity for students and world hip hop players to connect with each other through workshops, cyphers, film showcases, art exhibitions. This year the festival will start on April 4th and end on April 7th and will be headlined by Dead Prez and will have a wide range of artists from all over the world including Kama from the legendary Kenyan hip hop crew Kalamashaka. The festival will also have Aisha Fukushima (Japan), Teddy Yo (Ethiopia), Bideew Boo Bess (Senegal), Humanist (Burkina Faso), Mandeep Sethi (India), Las Krudas (Cuba), Rael (Brazil) just to name a few. The schedule: Festival Schedule

Kama who is a Kenyan hip hop pioneer will perform on Friday 5th April 10pm at the Washington Room of Mather Hall. On Saturday 6th April at 2pm he will be a part of a hip hop panel discussion about "Hip Hop and Human Rights through Education". This will be a major comeback for Kama of Kalamashaka who has started his solo career after a long silence from the group Kalamshaka. Follow Kama on twitter @KamaKshaka to see more of his moves hear his music and see what he's up to. Also check out his new music here Kama of Kalamashaka.

During the festival, yours truly (Buddha Blaze) will also hold a lecture in Professor Seth Markle's African Studies class about "The influence of African hip hop on contemporary African society". The class will take place on Thursday 4th April at Trinity College be in class.

Representing Kenya to the fullest.

CELEBRATING WALTER RODNEY'S LEGACY WITH HIP HOP

Tonight in downtown Atlanta, Georgia we celebrate the life and legacy of one brilliant black scholar, writer, pan-Africanist and historian; Walter Rodney. Artists to perform are Humanist from Burkina Faso via Paris and Waterflows from Senegal via DC. The show will be hosted by yours truely Buddha Blaze.

CELEBRATING WALTER RODNEY WITH HIP HOP

Venue: Soundtable, Space 2

Address: 482 Edgewood Avenue, 

South East Atlanta, Georgia

Date:  Friday March 22nd

Time:  8.30pm

WALTER RODNEY (March 23 1942 - 13 June 1980)   

He is a Guyanese history scholar and lecturer who has written and lectured on the need for Europeans to accept their part in under-developing Africans. By the age of 24 he earned a Phd. at the London School of African & oriental Studies. His lectures were against capitalism and in 1968 he led a revolution of poor workers in Jamaica an action that led him for being banned in Jamaica for ever. The riots came to be known as the Rodney Riots. Rodney went to teach at Dar es Salaam University in 1969 where he built a centre of African knowledge and education. in 1974 he returned to his native Guyana to take up a position at the University of Guyana but the government of Guyana resisted his return, this led to riots in that country. he then formed a powerful opposition political party called Working People's Alliance that was opposed to the government's capitalistic tendencies. He was later arrested and charged for various allegations. He was assassinated in 1980 after falling victim to a car bomb. he was one of the first black scholars to really take on the capitalism system. His most important book is called How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, where he described how Europe had a calculated plan to exploit Africa. He is a celebrated figure of Black freedom all over the world with lecture halls, history syllabuses, libraries, and school spaces named after him. The city of Atlanta Georgia hosts the headquarters to the Walter Rodney Foundation at Marketplace Boulevard on East Point. Visit the foundation here: Walter Rodney Foundation

DISCUSSION: IS AFRICAN HIP HOP A SOCIAL MOVEMENT??

African Hip Hop or Hip Hop in general can be viewed in many ways. Many people have used it as voice of the poor, some have used it as a tool to riches  others have used it as channel of expression. Do you see Hip Hop as a Social Movement?

Join Me as I host this Discussion in Atlanta, Georgia. Is African Hip Hop a Social Movement?

Thursday 21st 7pm;  The University Amphitheatre - Kennessaw State University - Northern Atlanta, Georgia.

Performers will include Humanist from Burkina Faso, Waterflow from Senegal, Ambassador for Ghana, Sol Messiah from Atlanta just to name a few.

DONT MISS OUT:  

WHY DON'T KENYAN ARTISTS GET POLITICALLY INVOLVED?

The Kenyan General election has just ended and what an interesting time it was. I took time to do an article for Okay Africa about some of the hip hip artists that had brought us some great music that had political messages.

There were artists who got paid to do songs for political parties and that's their right. But then there were artists who refused to take money and did songs about how they felt. The artists included Muki Garang, Jemedari and Octopizzo.

Read the article: Kenyan Political Tongues

Jemedari wrote a Letter to the President

Bro Muki is tired of living on 'A Dollar  a Day'

Octoppizo reveals what happened on Toboa

DJ CORTEGA & ELECTRIQUE DJS AT TREE HOUSE

If You Love Afro & Soul House Music This Saturday Night at Tree House Nairobi, Museum Hill this is the place to be. DJ Cortega and Electrique DJs Present ELECTRAFRIQUE

Saturday 12th January 2013. Starts 9pm - 5am. Entry: Ksh 500/-