Kenyanpoet - A Kenyan Artistic Space

The Pharaoh of Knowledge

When you think of the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation(also check Ta - Seti) when you think of the Pharaoh, Tutankhamun, when you think of the Egyptian people, does it ever cross your mind that they might have been(could have been) black!!!

I would encourage you to adopt an open mind as you approach this rather controversial level of thought.

The Afrocentric Leader

On the 7th of February, 1986, Africa lost one of her illustrious sons, Cheikh Anta Diop, an exceptional African whose singular destiny and contributions were in tune with an Africa sometimes (promising), hopeful and some times despondent.

While leaving us, Professor Cheikh Anta Diop bequeathed to Africa a heritage of liberation without precedence: the knowledge of one's origin.

Cheikh Anta Diop (29 December 1923–7 February 1986) was a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, and staunch defender of the world view known as Afrocentricity, which places emphasis on the human race's African origins and on the study of pre-colonial African culture and its connectedness to the rest of the peoples of the world. He has been considered one of the greatest African historians of the 20th century by some, and a racialist scientist by others.On 7 February 1986, Diop, who by now was regarded by many as the modern pharaoh of African studies, died in his sleep in Dakar. Diop was survived by a wife and three sons.

Thus we read: "This false attribution of values of Egypt qualified as white to a Greece equally white reveals a deep contradiction which is not the least proof of the black origin of Egyptian civilization" (Nations Negres et Culture, page 40, Vol II, Presence Africaine, 3 em edition).

"Bullet Cry" - (A commemorative poem on Malcom X,)

Was you there?
was you, ever there?
in a place you never been but you knew you was there before and you was never there,
I was.

In a place I knew me to be when I was never really there,
I was there.
on a sunny harlem sunday,
I was there.
was you
in a ballroom on a beaming gleaming harlem corner in a sunny sunset ballroom
did you hear?
in a shiny shinning wildlife ballroom
did you hear the bullet cry?

did you see the man fall?
on a bright and bossom sunday?
on a bossom bright street jam
spare me a dime stale bread
bossom brother sunny sunday Harlem
was you there?..................................

Known as the Janitor of History, poet/essayist Louis Reyes Rivera has been studying his craft since 1960 and teaching it since 1969. The recipient of over 20 awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award (1995), a Special Congressional Recognition Award (1988), and the CCNY 125th Anniversary Medal (1973), Rivera has assisted in the publication of well over 200 books, including John Oliver Killens' Great Black Russian (Wayne State U., 1989), Adal Maldonado's Portraits of the Puerto Rican Experience (IPRUS, 1984), and Bum Rush The Page: A Def Poetry Jam (Crown Publishers, 2001).

Considered by many as a necessary bridge between the African and Latino American communities, he is a professor of Pan-African, African-American, Caribbean and Puerto Rican literature and history whose essays and poems have appeared in numerous publications, including Areyto, Boletin, The City Sun, African Voices, and in five award-winning collections: In Defense of Mumia; ALOUD: Live from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Of Sons And Lovers, Bum Rush The Page, and his own Scattered Scripture.

Since 1996, Rivera continues to host a bi-monthly Jazzoetry & Open Mic @ Sistas' Place (where he also conducts his writing workshop), in Brooklyn, and has appeared in Jazz clubs and festivals with The Sun Ra All-Stars Project, Ahmed Abdullah's Diaspora, and his own band, The Jazzoets.
Watch his performance, "Bullet Cry"

Homeward Bound

For the last several months I have been watching the first 4 seasons of DefJam Poetry over and over like I am studying for a practical or rehearsal of the pieces performed. Several poets captivated me due to their stunning performances. I will be highlighting them here in the months to come. When I watched Homeward Bound(you can view that clip here)I was enchanted by everything about her, from the piece that she was performing to her stage presence to the artistic way in which she as able to tell her story.
Bassey was born in Ikom, Cross River State, Nigeria.
At the age of 4, Bassey’s family migrated to the small college town of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Life in Stillwater was difficult for young Bassey, but it was through books and television that she learned to negotiate this new cultural existence.
As a child, Bassey’s wild imagination and outgoing personality often found her in hot water. It was a teacher in elementary school who helped Bassey discover creative ways to channel her energy. She was introduced to the poetry of Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni at the age of 8 and soon began penning her own work.

She has appeared several times on DefPoetry Jam with similarly poignant pieces.

Performance Poetry

I always dread standing infront of a crowd to perform and despite participating in various Kwani readings and WAPI, I still get uneasy, shaky, frightened, knots, nervous and outright confused.

I had a talk with Shailja Patel (of Migritude) during the Kwani LitFest and her advice was Practice, practice, practice. I have been doing just that. While searching on the net for some more tips on performing, spoken word and Slam Poetry, I came across a very informative site dedicated to poetry writing and performing.

For all those poets out there who go through the same thing(s) before a performance, this one is for you. Enjoy.

If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)

That is a title to a song by Meshelle Ndegeocello Her only other Billboard Hot 100 hit besides "Wild Night" which peaked at no. 73 in 1994.

Meshelle Ndegeocello was born Michelle Lynn Johnson in 1968 in Berlin, Germany.

She is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, bassist, and multi-instrumentalist. Her music incorporates funk, soul, hip hop, reggae, R&B, rock, and jazz. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career and has had ten career Grammy Award nominations.She is often credited for having "sparked the neo-soul movement."

Her music has been featured in a number of film soundtracks including How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Lost & Delirious, Batman & Robin, Love Jones, Love & Basketball, Talk To Me, The Best Man,Higher Learning and Down in the Delta.

She has appeared on recordings by Basement Jaxx, Indigo Girls and The Blind Boys of Alabama. On The Rolling Stones' 1997 album Bridges to Babylon she plays bass on the song "Saint Of Me". On Alanis Morissette's 2002 album Under Rug Swept she plays bass on the songs "So Unsexy" and "You Owe Me Nothing in Return". On Zap Mama's album "ReCreation" (2009) she plays bass on the song "African Diamond".

The only local show that I have ever heard her music being played is The Capital Jazz club by Jack Ojiambo.

Her personality, virtuoso remain an enigma to me. You just can't contain her. Watch one of her videos here

Kothbiro

Would you believe it if I told you that hundreds of youth booed Ayub Ogada offstage during a Sawa Sawa African Music festival last year organized by Sarakasi Trust? well, I was there and I have never been so embarrassed in my life. This was despite the fact that the show was free and the guy was pouring his heart out having come home after years in Europe.
It just goes to show the extent of ignorance of true music legends. They would rather pay Ksh. 5,000 to watch Jay-Z than listen to an artist who has risen from Lake Victoria to the world map because of his originality and use of his traditional instrument, the Nyatiti.

Well, the same crowd would be suprised to realize that his song "Kothbiro" beat Eric Wainaina's as the choice track for the movie, "The Constant Gardener".

Ogada co-founded the African Heritage Band in 1979 and played kit drums, bass and percussion for many years before departing for London, England, where he initially occasionally busked London streets, singing accompianied by Nyantiti and leg rattle or ankle bells.

Ayub arrived in the United Kingdom in 1986, and in 1993 recorded the album En Mana Kuoyo on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. His music has also been heard on the soundtrack of the 2000 release of I 'Dreamed of Africa' and the 2005 film The Constant Gardener and collaborates with Susheela Raman on several tracks on her "Salt Rain" album, such as "O Rama". His music was used in the soundtrack for Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman's BBC series Long Way Round. In addition, Ayub Ogada has collaborated with the Afro Celt Sound System on their first and fourth releases.

Another artists who seems to be taking in the steps of Ayub is Winyo who seems to have disappeared not only from Kwani but also Kenyan music scene. We hope to get an album from you soon.

Afrocentric

JIMMY DLUDLU was 13 years old when he first picked up a cousin's home made guitar and started teaching himself to play by imitating the jazz and African music he heard on the radio. His first performances were at township weddings and functions with his cousin.
His career took off in earnest in the mid-1980's, when he worked with various southern African bands including Impandze from Swaziland, featuring Jamaican singer Trevor Hall, Kalahari and Satari from Botswana, as well as Anansi, featuring the Ghanaian saxophonist George Lee. A highlight of this period was his performance with Anansi at the Botswana Independence celebrations in 1986, alongside a range of African stars including Thomas Mapfumo.
Jimmy Dludlu's style includes wide-ranging influences, combining both traditional and modern elements of jazz drawn from among others Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Pat Metheny, to South African legends Miriam Makeba, Letta Mbulu, Hugh Masekela, Themba Mokwena, and Allen Kwela. He is particularly drawn to the sounds of west and central Africa, as well as Latin America, but says jazz remains his first love. His numerous original compositions fall within the tradition of what has been loosely termed Afro-Jazz.
In March 2000, Jimmy was further acknowledged by the South African music industry, winning the "Best Male Artist" category, and with "Essence of Rhythm" taking the "Best Contemporary Jazz Album" prize at the SAMA Music Awards

Kenyanpoet - A Kenyan Artistic Space

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

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