SAMA Award Winners 2008
May04

SAMA Award Winners 2008

Sadly we couldn’t be at the SAMA‘s in Sun City last night but from what we hear – they rocked yet again! See the official press announcement below filling you in on the evening’s entertainment and the winners. Well done to the PR team behind the event… great online presence! The only award that really puzzled us was song of the year… please share the appeal of “Maputo Song” with us… we’re not getting it. Otherwise, we’re touched by the Lucky Dube tribute and that Lira and Tony Cox were recognised and of course that SA’s king of music HHP got propped yet again… Now can we please take Jabba and Lira global? It was all that the fans had expected – and more. The Main Awards Ceremony on Saturday the 3rd of May at the 14th Annual MTN SA Music Awards was a triumph for the local music industry, an opportunity to showcase our country’s extensive talent to the audience in the Sun City Super Bowl and to the millions of fans who tuned in to watch it live on SABC 1. This was truly South African music’s biggest night, an event that has come to be considered as one of the highlights on the local entertainment calendar. The event was hosted, for the second year running, by kwaito kingpin Kabelo, and the energetic artist proved that he’s much more than just a musician – he’s an all-round entertainer. The nominees were announced, the winners were called up, the acceptance speeches were delivered and the audience got involved in an absolutely electrifying evening of blinged-out lighting, phenomenal dancing and uplifting animation. And then there were the live acts, a selection of SAMA 14 nominees who proved how richly diverse our musical landscape is. The show kicked off with an emotive performance by Jub Jub and Jaziel Brothers before the party really got going when dance-floor doyens DJ Sdunkero and T’zozo en Professor got a massive response to their kwaito hits. Kurt Darren showed his range with two hits – one for the feet and another for the heart – before a very moving tribute to much-loved deceased singer and Lifetime Achiever Gé Korsten. MXO and Zonke got together for a power-packed collaboration that celebrated their shared roots before The Parlotones took to the stage to entertain the exited audience with their melodic rock. Freshlyground performed next and the got together with Kwela Tebza and Lucky Dube’s band One People (the house band for all live performances) to pay a touching tribute to the late reggae legend, the evening’s second Lifetime Achiever. The party got going again when DJ...

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Represent Recommends: David Goldblatt
Apr28

Represent Recommends: David Goldblatt

We’re delighted that David Goldblatt, one of our favourite South African photographers, is being shown at the Goodman for an entire month. This exhibition, entitled Joburg, will showcase photographs by Goldblatt from 1960’s to the present time, including amazing scenes shot in Hillbrow in the 70s. GO GO GO! David Goldblatt is renowned for his documentation of the progress of societal changes and how these impact on the landscape and South African communities, without being judgmental. His works are widely collected, both locally and abroad, in public and private collections. His work is a real statement about the changes currently taking place in South Africa. Goldblatt says about the show, “Over the years I have become interested in different aspects of the city. Some of these photographs I have not printed before, some I have not exhibited before, some I showed at the Market Theatre Photography Gallery in the 70s and 80s, others I have shown more recently. Together they come from attempts to get to grips with something of the life and places of this city.” The exhibition will include early black and white images of Johannesburg, some of which have never been seen before, as well as Soweto, Structures, and more recent colour works from the Johannesburg Intersections series. The exhibition opens on the 26th of April 2008 at noon and closes on 24th of May 2008. David Goldblatt Photo from the Goodman Gallery website: She said to him: You be the driver and I’ll be the Madam. Then they picked up the fender and posed. Hilbrow, 1975 Image size: 50.5 x 50.5cm | Print size: 56 x...

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What we’re listening to right now.
Apr28

What we’re listening to right now.

These two tracks have got us going C R A Z Y….. We just wanted to share them with you dear Representers. LISTEN NOW! Kanye West has outdone himself on the massive chart-climbing hit, AMERICAN BOY where he collaborates with British soul singer Estelle . It’s a gorgeous playful conversation between Kanye and Estelle that plays on the US and UK accents and references… Catchy, funk-driven, soulful, bringing out the dance moves… American Boy will without a doubt be one of the global hits of 2008. “Take me on a trip I’d like to go some day… Take me to New York I’d like to see LA…” Put it on to get the dancefloor bouncing! Click here to listen NOW or watch the video below. By the way,let the song play on into her second song ‘Wait a minute -Just a Touch’, how similar is the beat to TofoTofo by Pitch Black Afro??? Please educate us if it’s a sample they’ve both used. Then, we can’t stop whistling the refrain from the hit track Young Folks, coming from the simply named Swedish trio Peter Bjorn and John . Our only question is who sings the lady’s voice in this all male band? Visit their MYSPACE site and take a listen to YOUNG FOLKS, which bears the accolade of being Apple’s iTune song of the year in 2007. Or watch the video below. Kanye West and Estelle – American Boy [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IY5ILcKF3A[/youtube] Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks...

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Must-attend: Fashion Battle in Jozi
Apr24

Must-attend: Fashion Battle in Jozi

What a fascinating concept, for anyone interested in fashion and culture, don’t miss this Fash-off. It started with people dressing up in Kinshasa… In January 2007, French artist Jean Christophe Lanquetin staged an exhibition of portraits photographed over a period of two years in the streets of Lingwala, Kinshasa (DRC). The images captured the legendary ‘Sapeurs’, documenting a practice that primarily revolves around street fashion and haute couture, the competitive rituals and performance of dressing up. Implicitly, the practice of ‘sape’ raises arguments around ‘body politics’ and its agency: how to claim one’s own, ‘clean’ and exclusive space in contrast to a disintegrating city and world at large? ‘100 Year War’ is the name of one of the ‘sapeurs’ gangs in Kinshasa and references the extended series of wars that started in France in the 14th Century. The practice of competing in the streets against other groups, such as the ‘Japanese’, to show off the most expensive clothes and ingenious poses, styles and dances, is a highly popular tradition in Kin’. Each ‘sapeur’ challenges the other’s territory – the codes of display, resistance and aspiration towards all that ‘Europe’ represents for them: colonialism, globalism, an affluent world of choices… And in Johannesburg: Continuing with this theme, Lanquetin is collaborating with Joburg designer and artist Athi-Patra on a series of public interventions that aim to explore the local geographies of ‘body politics’, as they are taken up by the Congolese Sapeurs in Yeoville, the Emo-kids and NuKool skool of Melville to Pantsulas and Swankers of Jozi. Leading up to the event on the 30th, the artists stage performances that include the posting of large prints of the ‘Sapeurs’ on the walls of the Fashion District, Yeoville, the Zone and the Drill Hall. This project developed out of the Artist-in-Residency programme facilitated by the Joubert Park Project at the Drill Hall and supported by the French Institute of South Africa in the framework of EUNIC projects, and the National Arts Council of South Africa. With thanks to: Nadine Hutton, Mbuso Kagebe, Lolo Veleko, Ra Ngoato and the Kelektla! Team, Vuyo Gope, Djoca Paulo, Frans Radebe, Tau Skosana and Sakhlie Madi, Adam Levine, Cleo-Patra, Laurent Clavel and the IFAS team, the sapeurs of Kinshasa and all particpants. A project developed by artist-in-residency JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LANQUETIN & ATHI-PATRA RUGA & the Joubert Park Project in association with the French Institute of South Africa WEDNESDAY 30 APRIL, 6:30pm till late Drill Hall, Corner Twist and Plein Street, Joubert Park Opposite Noord Street Taxies /Shell Garage Free Entrance, Secure Parking & Cash...

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‘BACK TO THE CITY’ Street Festival
Apr23

‘BACK TO THE CITY’ Street Festival

Freedom day is on Sunday – we hope everyone is celebrating this special day, remembering our past, celebrating our vibrant present but also looking to the very promising future of South Africa.  The second annual Street Festival is taking place in Newtown, so get amongst!  On the morning of the 27th of April, a wave of urban youth will stream into downtown Newtown for the popular, annual Back to the City festival. Disciples and converts of the hip-hop movement will celebrate the art and urban culture through a day of live performances, street art, extreme sports and exhibitions. The one-day event was launched with critical acclaim from the hip-hop media and masses last year, winning accolades such as Hype magazine’s event of the year. The second edition promises more historic performances, boasting a Fiery line up of 22 mc’s, 10 dj’s, 8 graffiti crews and thousands of young people celebrating the birth of South Africa’s democracy. Cutting edge performers from various parts of the country will deliver hot commentary and entertainment in diverse indigenous languages while artists will be expressing their freedom in colours. This event will take place outside RITUAL STORES at corner Bree and Henry Nxumalo streets in Newtown. Aside from being entertained, audiences will get to attend an educational summit, which will be held at City Varsity. Hosted by the British Council, the workshops offer an exchange of knowledge. Individuals working in the mass media industry will cover topics such as publishing, distribution, recording, music videos, and independent vs. mainstream, entrepreneurship and advertising. Performances by: Zuluboy, Mo Molemi, Driemanskap, Prokid, Ben Sharpa, Fifi, Cuba, Hymphatic Thabs, Substance, The Scavengers, Koldproduk, Reason, Mawetu, The Anvilz, Damola, Bianca Williams, Abantu, The Federation, Zeus, DJ’s Kenzhero, KGB, Blaq T, Raiko, Soosh, Medicine, Graffiti Crews: PCP – MSE – SEC – FUK – IAP – TK – DS – UN ENTRANCE: FREE DATE: 27 April 2008, Freedom Day TIME: 10:00 – 23:00 PLACE: Ritual Stores Cnr Bree & Henry Nxumalo Street...

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