IGIHE

Category: Entertainment

  • Damon Albarn Made “Local King” in Mali

    Damon Albarn Made “Local King” in Mali

    {He has long supported the nation’s musicians.}

    Damon Albarn has long supported the West African country of Mali. In 2002, he released Mali Music, a collaboration with local musicians. He’s also released two albums (2013’s Maison Des Jeunes and 2015’s In C Mali) with Africa Express, another ongoing collaboration with Mali musicians.

    Earlier this month, he performed in the country at the Festival Acoustik Bamako in Mali, despite a declared state of emergency. In honor of his contributions, Albarn has been given the status of “local king” in Mali, according to a BBC Radio 4 report. Listen to the full report below.

    In addition to his new status, a classroom was named after Albarn and he was given a new Mali name. When asked what the honor means to him, Albarn said, “I’m not used to this sort of thing, but it’s fantastic to see this classroom. And it’s a school dedicated to music and dance. That’s where my heart is, so my heart is here.”

    Albarn’s band Blur released The Magic Whip last year. His last solo record is 2014’s Everyday Robots.

    Source:Pitchfor:[Damon Albarn Made “Local King” in Mali->http://pitchfork.com/news/63671-damon-albarn-made-local-king-in-mali/]

  • Kenya:Sister of late musician Angela Chibalonza found dead

    Kenya:Sister of late musician Angela Chibalonza found dead

    {A sister of the late gospel artiste Angela Chibalonza, Mamy Runinga, was on Saturday found dead in her Nyayo Estate house in Embakasi.}

    Police records show she was found dead in her bathroom.

    Her maid had tried to call her severally but she was not responding.

    “The girl asked neighbours for help. They broke the door and found she had collapsed and was lying on the floor,” Embakasi OCPD Apollo Onyonyi said.

    The deceased was Chibalonza’s younger sister and was her manager before she died in a road crash in 2008.

    Source:Daily Nation:[Sister of late musician Angela Chibalonza found dead->http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Sister-of-late-musician-Chibalonza-found-dead/-/1056/3066912/-/10tuljvz/-/index.html]

  • Rapper A.Y praises President Paul Kagame

    Rapper A.Y praises President Paul Kagame

    {Tanzania’s renowned rapper, who has undoubtedly paved way for Bongo Flava music to stretch beyond the local boundaries, AY has praised President Kagame Paul for his speed to the development of the country.}

    Ambwene Yessayah a.k.a A.Y, jetted in the country on Monday 1 February to visit his Rwanda and his relatives in Kigali.

    The ‘Zigo Remix’ hitmaker, disclosed the information in an exclusive interview with IGIHE.

    “Kagame has brought positive change in Rwanda, EAC and Africa in general. We need Africa we such leaders with vision to turn Africa into a better place,” says the rapper.

    He added our president Magufuli is all bringing change like cleanliness in Tanzania and curbing down corruption on a high speed of course he must have borrowed a leaf from Kagame.
    A.Y has a new collaboration with the MTV EMA 2015 Best Worldwide Act Africa/India winner Diamond Platnumz.

    The new collaboration is an addition to his already successful list of songs which have done well internationally including ‘Touch Me Touch Me’ which features Sean Kingston and Ms Triniti as well as ‘Speak with Your Body’ which features Romeo and Lamyia Good from the US.

    During mid December last year, the rapper whose birth name is Ambwene Yessayah was joined by Diamond in South Africa to shoot the video and was directed by Alessio Bettocchi of Studio Space Pictures.

    The company is no stranger in making videos with the highest quality for A-list musicians in Africa including Victoria Kimani’s Show, The Saga by Anati, Sim Dope by AKA, Thanks for Coming by Mwana FA etc.

    In less than 14 days the video has already attracted more than 1 584 662 views on YouTube.

    AY says he decided to do a video for Zigo Remix because 2016 is the year that he has decided to introduce a new style of work in Bongo Flava music especially in releasing music videos.

    He strongly believes that this will have a ripple effect and create a revolution like the one he started previously which had him perform abroad and have secure successful international collaborations.

    The rapper adds that he decided to collaborate with Diamond on Zigo Remix because he felt that it is better to feature a fellow Tanzanian in an attempt to make Bongo Flava music stronger without being dependent on musicians from abroad.

    “This is just a sign to show that we Tanzanians can do it all by ourselves or as the people of East Africa and we can create something as big as what other people do,” he says.

    Zigo retains the same good and ear-catching beat created by Nahreel (who in 2015 produced more hits than any other producer in East Africa), but the vocals on the remix are mixed by Hermy B from B’Hits Music Group along with, MJ Records’ producer, Marco Chali.

    Ambwene Yessayah famously known as AY is one of the most highly respectable rappers in East Africa. He has won a total of 25 awards. Apart from having multiple Kilimanjaro awards in Tanzania, he is also the winner Channel O Music Awards and has been nominated for Kora and MTV MAMA. He is the rapper with most hit singles and collaborations through being featured by most East African musicians.

    Furthermore, apart from being the artist behind the success of other Tanzanian acts, the rapper who was nicknamed ‘Mzee wa Commercial’ by one of the oldest producers in the game, P-Funk Majani, AY is revered because of his contribution to boost most of other Kenyan artists’ names such as Avril, Jaguar and others.

    In January 2016, he was awarded with the honorary Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mseto radio program on Radio Citizen/Citizen TV (Kenya) for his noteworthy contribution to the development of East African music.

    Rapper Ambwene Yessayah
  • Ambwene Yessayah releases new remix video, plans to revolutionarize local music

    Ambwene Yessayah releases new remix video, plans to revolutionarize local music

    {Tanzania’s renowned rapper, who has undoubtedly paved way for Bongo Flava music to stretch beyond the local boundaries, AY has broken his silence by releasing a video for the remix of his hit single Zigo features the MTV EMA 2015 Best Worldwide Act Africa/India winner Diamond Platnumz.}

    The new collaboration is an addition to his already successful list of songs which have done well internationally including ‘Touch Me Touch Me’ which features Sean Kingston and Ms Triniti as well as ‘Speak with Your Body’ which features Romeo and Lamyia Good from the US.

    During mid December last year, the rapper whose birth name is Ambwene Yessayah was joined by Diamond in South Africa to shoot the video and was directed by Alessio Bettocchi of Studio Space Pictures.

    The company is no stranger in making videos with the highest quality for A-list musicians in Africa including Victoria Kimani’s Show, The Saga by Anati, Sim Dope by AKA, Thanks for Coming by Mwana FA etc.

    In less than 48 hours the video has already attracted more than 130k views on YouTube while over the weekend; its audio was among top ten songs in the world with the most streams on audiomack.com.

    AY says he decided to do a video for Zigo Remix because 2016 is the year that he has decided to introduce a new style of work in Bongo Flava music especially in releasing music videos.

    He strongly believes that this will have a ripple effect and create a revolution like the one he started previously which had him perform abroad and have secure successful international collaborations.

    The rapper adds that he decided to collaborate with Diamond on Zigo Remix because he felt that it is better to feature a fellow Tanzanian in an attempt to make Bongo Flava music stronger without being dependent on musicians from abroad.

    “This is just a sign to show that we Tanzanians can do it all by ourselves or as the people of East Africa and we can create something as big as what other people do,” he says.

    Zigo retains the same good and ear-catching beat created by Nahreel (who in 2015 produced more hits than any other producer in East Africa), but the vocals on the remix are mixed by Hermy B from B’Hits Music Group along with, MJ Records’ producer, Marco Chali.

    Ambwene Yessayah famously known as AY is one of the most highly respectable rappers in East Africa. He has won a total of 25 awards. Apart from having multiple Kilimanjaro awards in Tanzania, he is also the winner Channel O Music Awards and has been nominated for Kora and MTV MAMA. He is the rapper with most hit singles and collaborations through being featured by most East African musicians.

    Furthermore, apart from being the artist behind the success of other Tanzanian acts, the rapper who was nicknamed ‘Mzee wa Commercial’ by one of the oldest producers in the game, P-Funk Majani, AY is revered because of his contribution to boost most of other Kenyan artists’ names such as Avril, Jaguar and others.

    In January 2016, he was awarded with the honorary Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mseto radio program on Radio Citizen/Citizen TV (Kenya) for his noteworthy contribution to the development of East African music.

    Ambwene Yessayah
  • Rwandan gospel music icon campaigns for Uganda’s Museveni

    Rwandan gospel music icon campaigns for Uganda’s Museveni

    {Théogène Uwiringiyimana, a gospel artist popularly known as ‘Bosebabireba’ is a rare sight in Kigali over his current commitment as one of the people campaigning for Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, an NRM party presidential flag bearer in the on-going bid in neighbouring Uganda.}

    Bosebabireba is popular for his songs like; Icyifuzo, Bugacya, and Bosebabireba. He is among campaigners of NRM political party mobilizing people to vote for Yoweri Museveni.

    Bosebabireba told IGIHE that he has been selected to work with other artistes campaigning for President Museveni after a Uganda top official realized how popular he is when he attended his concert.

    “As I said, I am used to preach through concerts. Once I staged a concert in which a Ugandan official was invited and he requested me to help in campaigning for Museveni,” he said.

    In May 2015, Bosebabireba went to spread the gospel in Kampala where he has been since. Rumors do make rounds that he has another wife in Uganda, which he has dismissed as evil talk since he’s fulfilling God’s calling.

    Théogène Uwiringiyimana, a gospel artist popularly known as ‘Bosebabireba’
  • Radio Salus journalist found dead

    Radio Salus journalist found dead

    {Mahoro Giovanni, 28, who has been a Radio Salus journalist has been found dead in his bedroom this morning.}

    Rugira Yves, his fellow journalist at Radio Salus has told IGIHE about the death of the deceased they lived within the same house at Taba in Huye town.

    He said that the cause of his friend’s death is not yet known since they had talked the previous night before going to bed and was in good health.

    “Yesterday on Sunday I was with him. He later told me that he was going to visit people in Mbazi but he didn’t tell me who those people he went to visit were. We met again at night and we didn’t talk much as he was on phone. We have found him dead this morning,” he said.

    Rugira said that he asked his fellow overnight why he slept early and responded that it was sleeping hours.

    The body of the deceased has been taken to University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) for autopsy.

    Mahoro presented and moderated various talk shows at Radio Salus and contributed to news reporting. He was popularly known in talk shows like ‘Hambere’, ‘Intashyo’ and a Sunday morning gospel show.

    Mahoro was born in 1987 in Kamembe of Rusizi district, Western Province. He was single. He was a lone child of his widowed mother. He was among students who completed his studies in 2012 at the former National University of Rwanda in journalism.

    The deceased Mahoro Giovanni
  • Yasiin Bey, formerly Mos Def, pleads to leave South Africa on Kanye West’s website

    Yasiin Bey, formerly Mos Def, pleads to leave South Africa on Kanye West’s website

    {Brooklyn-born rapper Yasiin Bey has released a message about his detention in South Africa with the help of his friend Kanye West’s website.}

    Echoing West’s new song about Los Angeles, Bey began a freestyle with lines saying there would be “no more parties in SA.”

    The hip-hop artist, who formerly performed as Mos Def, was detained for using a “world passport” when he tried to leave the country where he has been living for a show in Ethiopia.

    South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs had said that Bey, born as Dante Smith, entered the nation in 2013 as an American, but then overstayed his visa along with members of his family.

    Tuesday night Bey repeated claims that his passport world service was “not a fictitious document,” and said that there were political motivations for going after him and threatening to deport his family.

    His representative told Okay Africa that the entertainer was detained for at least two nights earlier this month for the passport, which he maintains was accepted by South Africa as recently as August.

    The artist has traveled to perform at gigs around the world in recent years, though it is not clear which passport he used to do so.

    Home Affairs officials had said after his detention that Bey had 14 days to leave the country, though the former Black Star member said on kanyewest.com that he was “prevented from leaving unjustly, unlawfully and without any logical reason.”

    He claimed that he had a “right to domicile” where he wanted, but added that he and his family are prepared to stay out of South Africa forever when they leave.

    Bey also announced another departure, saying that he is retiring from Hollywood and the music industry “effective immediately” and will release his final album in 2016.

    Source:Daily News:[Yasiin Bey, formerly Mos Def, pleads to leave South Africa on Kanye West’s website->http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/yasiin-bey-mos-def-pleads-leave-south-africa-article-1.2502673]

  • Humble Jizzo launches ‘Make a good choice, live a better life’ initiative

    Humble Jizzo launches ‘Make a good choice, live a better life’ initiative

    {Humble Jizzo is launching his new initiative, Make a Good Choice, Live a Better Life, this week on Sunday with his group, Urban Boys who will be supporting and participating in the initiative’s first campaign, Sports for a Better Life. }

    The event will start with a 2km run led by Urban Boys beginning in the car free zone, circling through the downtown Kigali roundabout, past the prison and Ecole Belge and ending back at the car free zone.

    This will be followed by speakers from MYICT, the National Police and the National Youth Council among others, who will encourage youth in behavior change related to negative choices leading to teen pregnancy and drug use with the replacement of positive sports and fitness activities. Urban Boys will then perform a show and help to inspire and encourage the youth as positive role models for change.

    The event will take place Sunday, January 24, 2016 in the Car Free Zone downtown Kigali. It will go from 9:30am to 1:00pm. The event is open to the public for free. Participants are asked to bring their running shoes for the opening run. Coaster buses designated for the event will be transporting participants from Nyamarambo, Remera and Kimisagara to and from the event starting at 8:00am.

    This campaign is among the side entertainment events during CHAN 2016 as it encourages sports participation among the youth. Event sponsors and supporters include MYICT, MINISPOC, the National Youth Council, City of Kigali, the National Police, Premier Sports Betting, Tecno Mobile, The Super Level Records, Kaymu and Konka. Humble Jizzo’s company Impundu Events Promotion is in charge of coordinating and facilitating the event.

  • Filmmaker Spike Lee blasts ‘lily white’ Oscars

    Filmmaker Spike Lee blasts ‘lily white’ Oscars

    {Hollywood figures lead boycott of Academy Awards citing a lack of racial diversity in nominations – two years in a row.}

    Hollywood heavyweight Spike Lee says he will boycott this year’s Oscar awards because of a continued lack of racial diversity in the list of nominees.

    By Tuesday, the prominent filmmaker and director Lee along with actor Jada Pinkett-Smith had announced they would not be attending the ceremony on February 28 to protest the lack of recognition of black actors and others from minority backgrounds.

    All 20 Oscar nominations for acting awards are white – for the second year in a row.

    Lee called the Academy Awards “lily white” in an Instagram post on Monday, which was Martin Luther King Jr Day.

    “40 white actors in two years and no flava at all. We can’t act?!” he wrote.

    “As I see it, the Academy Awards is not where the ‘real’ battle is. It’s in the executive office of the Hollywood studios and TV and cable networks. This is where the gate keepers decide what gets made and what gets jettisoned to ‘turnaround’ or scrap heap. This is what’s important.

    “People, the truth is we ain’t in those rooms and until minorities are, the Oscar nominees will remain lilly white.”

    Also on Monday, Pinkett-Smith – who is married to actor Will Smith – posted a video on her Facebook page with the caption: “We must stand in our power.”

    Will Smith was recently nominated for a Golden Globe award for his role in the film Concussion.

    “Begging for acknowledgement, or even asking for it, diminishes dignity and diminishes power, and we are a dignified people. And we are powerful. Let’s not forget it,” said Pinkett-Smith.

    Her video has been viewed more than seven million times.

    The lack of diversity has revived a hashtag on social media from last year: #OscarsSoWhite.

    David A Love, editor of blackcommentator.com, told Al Jazeera: “It is really disconcerting to see that even though it’s 2016, America is still dealing with the same problems of lack of diversity in various institutions.

    “I think the problem really goes to the heart of the fact that the motion picture industry – like so many other institutions – is very slow to change.

    “You have a situation where essentially white males are dominating the industry, and as a result you don’t see diverse voices – blacks, latinos, other people being allowed to really express themselves… It’s an ongoing problem that people should be concerned about.”

    Some have argued there were no non-white actors in the running this year.

    However, some Oscar watchers had expected actor Idris Elba to be nominated for his role in Beats Of No Nation, as well as Smith for Concussion.

    There were also hopes that actors in Straight Outta Compton, of which the screenplay has been nominated, would also be recognised.

    “When you consider the fact that there were a number of outstanding actors, actresses and directors who were considered for the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and other awards – the fact that none at all have been considered for the Oscars, it really makes one wonder what is going on here,” said Love.

    African-American actor Chris Rock will host next month’s ceremony. Addressing Rock’s role in the awards, Love said: “You can’t have symbolism to make up for years of systemic discrimination.”

  • Hobe Africa to entertain CHAN participants through Rwanda’s talents

    Hobe Africa to entertain CHAN participants through Rwanda’s talents

    {Hobe Africa is a festival coordinated by Hobe Agency in partnership with RDB and Minispoc from January 16 to February 7th in parallel to CHAN 2016 to represent Rwanda’s sense of hospitality and pride as host of this major competition. Every week, we bring to you a series of events: concerts, live DJ, and other entertainment in Kigali, Rubavu and Huye. These events are an opportunity for visitors and Rwandans to meet around exciting activities and to showcase Rwanda’s vibrant talent. }

    Local artists will perform in the three cities, exciting trivia will invite everyone to participate in the movement, comedy shows, fashion shows, fooddegustation, crafts and cultural activities will keep your schedule filled with excitement and encounters.

    This week, enjoy the variety of musical events, comedy shows and promotions at different venues.

    Your week shall be marked with unforgettable moments.
    As we look forward to seeing you enjoy, your pleasure is a priority
    To us. To keep you updated follow our weekly schedule made for you.

    January 16thin Kigali, Rubavu, and Huye, we will be having various activities to entertain the crowd. Find the detailed and updated program in the following table.

    Hobe Africa festival is organized in partnership with RDB and Minispoc, and co produced in support of Bralirwa, Regus, Positive Productions, KigaliUp, Afrogroov, Ishakwe Arts, local media houses, and other creative houses.