KANYE WEST – We greet first here “at home” in Africa
Boring. That’s the best way we can describe our experience of Kanye… if it wasn’t for our two friends that were Bopping away crazily and who got us a little energised we would have left early. First things first – Kanye West was a complete show. A hot show. But he was a cliche of all things “African American visiting the Motherland”, milking every possible cheesy outlet to remind us that he … is so not from here. The only thing he didn’t go into too much detail about was his religious beliefs and thanking God. Otherwise he ticked all the boxes, speaking lots about his achievements and how great he is – confirming his arrogant and self-involved reputation. .. You may think we’re being a little harsh, that’s because he annoyed us for two main reasons… 1. He never said Hello to us. 2. He went on and on about “coming home.” Cliched. If he really was from Africa, he would know that the most important thing you do when you arrive at a place is to GREET everyone around you. Because he never greeted us, he never quite clicked with us. We weren’t suprised to hear the crowds boo-ing him when he did the whole “I’m home – thank you for making my dream come true.” But to give him a break, it was great to hear Touch the Sky, GoldDigger and other hits… ALso liked his original twist using classical musicians to back him up. Gotta give it to the brother, his show was tight. But lacking in soul and spirit. Next time brother, please MOVE us. ***************************************************** Have you got your Kanye West tickets yet? Best you hurry! Book at Computicket! Recently named in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Kanye West has had significant successes in South Africa with chart breakers on 5fm, Metro FM and Goodhope FM. While his early work suggested greatness, it was on Jay-Z’s now-classic The Blueprint that West first achieved it in a major way. Drawing from the Jackson 5 (“Izzzo (H.O.V.A)), the Doors (“Takeover”) and the Temptations’ David Ruffin (“Never Change”), West created the soulful yet gritty sound behind Jay’s best tracks that his imitators are still trying to copy today. But like any true original, West was in a league of his owncreating the future of hip-hop as he dug back in time with his unique samples to connect the past with the present in a brand new way. Before long, West was being hailed as the future of hip-hop. In the wake of his breakout success, West earned a whopping,...
The 969 Festival – G-town back in J-burg
We know a number of Joburg people who suffered major withdrawal symptoms from the Grahamstown festival this year… have no fear… the 969 festival is kind of like a mini G-town festival… and the bonus is it comes to you in Joburg! Some brilliant creative directors work on show… including Sue Pam-Grant, Andrew Buckland and the young Paul Noko. Here’s how we described it l… ast year: “What a stunning concept – the National Arts festival is held in Grahamstown which is 969 Kilometres from Johannesburg – a selection of fabulous productions on offer at G-town will travel those 969 kms all the way to J-burg so those that didn’t make it get to have their peice of the festival in Joburg!!!” The 969 Festival 2006 Kicking yourself for having missed the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown? Don’t worry, the Wits Theatre can remedy that. Fresh from the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, we bring you:THE 969 FESTIVAL 2006 [ 969 kilometres from Grahamstown to Johannesburg ] from 18 – 29 July 2006 The 969 Festival provides an extended run for Joburg-based productions that have had a successful run at the NAF, Grahamstown. Following the successes of the 2004 and 2005 969 Festivals, the 969 Festival 2006 returns to the Wits Theatre Complex with seven hot new productions fresh from the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown. Not to be missed! The 969 Festival provides an extended run for Joburg-based productions that have had a successful run at the NAF, Grahamstown. Following the successes of the 2004 and 2005 969 Festivals, the 969 Festival 2006 returns to the Wits Theatre Complex with seven hot new productions fresh from the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown. Not to be missed!The 969 Festival 2006 is hosted by Wits Performing Arts and is generously sponsored by the City of Joburg. The exciting 2006 969 Festival line-up includes the following: Downstairs Theatre; COUPý – presented by The Fortune Cookie Theatre Company, directed by Sue Pam – Grant; ” The magic of trains, the sound of them churning in the darkness, this exhilarating experience we call a journey. are the visions that beckoned to me.” The cast includes Sylvaine Strike (Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner for Drama, 2006), Brian Webber, Gerard Bester and Toni Morkel; music composed by Philip Miller Opening of ‘Coupý’ and launch of the 969 Festival, Tuesday 18 July at 18h30; all other performances are at 19h00; run ends Saturday 29 July (no performance on Sunday 23 July). Amphitheatre; Untouchable Productions presents HERO – a new work created by Stuart Stobbs, Craig Morris and Andrew Buckland. Directed by Andrew Buckland and performed by physical theatre...
KINSHASA – the Invisible City
Do yourselves a favour and go and hang out at the Johannesburg Art gallery in Hillbrow next to Noord Taxi Rank& for suburbians it may feel a little hairy getting there but once you’re in it’s an amazing space to hang out in for a few hours. Just wind your windows up and do it. For more on the Johannesburg Art gallery click here … A friend of ours who affectionately calls it KIN, once said that Kinshasa was the scariest place that they had ever been to, but, he added, it also had an attraction to it that made him go back for more, despite his fear. This exhibition seems to examine this very ‘two-sided” experience of KINSHASA and sounds like a fascinating look at URBANITY in Africa. We encourage everyone to go to the exhibition to further inter-cultural understanding in Africa. GO GO GO. It opens on the 11 June. The Johannesburg Art Gallery is please to be hosting the exhibition: Kinshasa, the Imaginary City. The advent of this exhibition in Johannesburg is appropriate not only due to the increasing interest in various forms of urbanity especially in African cities but also because of the need for greater dialogue between the various communities in Johannesburg and other African cities. It is also relevant in light of the large number of Congolese in Johannesburg and the cultural influences that this influx has brought. The exhibition was commissioned and realized with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Flemish Community for the 9th International Architecture Biennale of Venice 2004. The Belgian pavilion received the Golden Lion for the best country’s pavilion. Kinshasa, the Imaginary City is not solely focusing on the city’s material infrastructure or the urban colonial legacy. Rather, it comments upon Kinshasa’s urbanity, which exists beyond the city’s architecture. Underneath the surface of the material city lurks a second, invisible city that exists in the autochthonous mind as a mirroring reality of the visible world. The exhibition explores the constant transactions that take place between these two levels. The exhibition and the accompanying book are the culmination of many years of field research. This anthropological approach aims at stimulating the ongoing debate on the postcolonial African city as a salient site for the renegotiation of ‘modern’ citizenship and for the development of ‘alternative modernities’. RELIGIOUS TV CHANNELS Over the past decades Kinshasa has witnessed the rise of a whole range of Christian fundamentalist churches. Many of these churches have their own private TV channels, broadcasting religious music, masses and prayer sessions. The TV itself, omnipresent in the living room but also in more public...
We get up close with BRUNO of ONE EXIT!
Here’s another local Brand that Represent brings to you You know we are about everything original. We hooked up with another Brother in Fashion and got an up close with him. Go and check out his work and support South African style. REPRESENT our talent. Be a true ZA R – Name? B – Bruno Mungofa R – Occupation? B – Lecturer at Studio05 School o… f Fashion. Designer and Owner of Clothing Label R – Name of label? B – One Exit R – Where does it come from? B – Me. It’s one exit from city life, the hectic-ness of everything that’s hectic I guess J R – What is the Brand Identity? B – Street/ Urban R – What is Street to you? Define that… B – For me it’s comfortable clothes. Clothes that nobody tells you to wear, everyday clothes R – How long have you been in the fashion game? B – Since 2002 R – How did you get into fashion? B – By default. I studied web design and I had just graduated and was jobless and in the process of figuring out what I’m gonna do next. My mother wanted to start this school so she roped me in to work with her and I started out helping to set up the school, doing admin etc. Then I developed an interest in fashion and began to learn how to make clothes. I then did every course we offer here at the school and my label came next. Now It’s my number one passion. R – What are the difficulties of being in the fashion game? B – Production in this country is really expensive. Finding good material is a headache and when you do it’s really expensive so by the time my garment is complete, my pants will cost the same as a pair of Diesel Jeans. People will very rarely spend that much on a local brand they don’t really know. The other difficulty is finding good seamstresses. I have lost lots of money throwing away garments that are badly made so yeah, that gets a little frustrating R – Are you in anyway influenced by international trends? B – Yeah, I look at what is going on in the world and in the streets. The streets are the best catwalk; there is no better catwalk than the streets. And it’s streets everywhere, in the hood too. R – Where do you advertise your clothes? B – I don’t. People come across my stuff at stores otherwise its through word of mouth R – Which stores do you supply to?...
URBAN VOICES FESTIVAL – a three city affair!
Awesome musicians, wonderful wordsmiths, free workshops and it’s being held in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban – this years URBAN VOICES festival is bigger and better than ever! Go go go! Urban Voices once again brings you an exciting Festival programme for 2006. Running from the 28th July until the 5th August 2006, the Festival celebrates its sixth anniversary with a range of conc… erts and free educational workshops. The Festival takes place in Jo’burg, Durban and Cape Town. Urban Voices – International Poetry Festival in 2006 features a star-studded line-up of internationally acclaimed poets from the USA – Saul Williams, Lemon, Suheir Hammad and Sekou Sundiata, as well as a diverse range of established and emerging home-grown poets including Afurakan, Maakomele Manaka, poet and actor Warona Seane, and several young poets from across Durban, Jo’burg and Cape Town. Urban Voices International Poetry Festival Joburg Bassline, Newtown Sat. 29th July 8.00pm! Sharp! Durban Bat Centre Sun. 30th July 7.00pm! Sharp! Cape Town Baxter Theatre Thurs. 3rd Aug 8.15pm! Sharp! International Music Afro/Latin Connection – Celebrating National Women’s Day Urban Voices celebrates National Women’s day with a special double bill featuring two great African performers: Busi Mhlongo from South Africa and Lura from the Cape Verde, West Africa. This Afro/Latin concert will offer you the finest rhythms and voices our Continent has to offer. Not to be missed! One night only! Jo’burg only! Venue: Bassline, Newtown Cultural Precinct Date: Saturday 5th August 2006 Time: 8.00pm Poetry Workshop Info All workshops are free of charge. The Workshop component of the Festival has become increasingly popular and gives artists and fans an opportunity to discuss their craft. To attend and be assured a place at the workshops, please email office@artsexchange.co.za, and specify which workshop in which city, as well as date and time to confirm a place. Joburg – Friday 28th July @ 3pm sharp! At Bassline, Newtown Durban: Monday 31st July @ 3pm Sharp! At the Bat Centre Cape Town: Tuesday 1st August @ 2.30pm Sharp! At Baxter Theatre, Rondebosch Email for more info. Click here for...
Brothers in Fashion
Do you ever feel frustrated when you go shopping and all you see is bland, bad- quality mass clothing that is way over-priced? You can change that. All you have to do is invest your money in our local designers and get them to make your clothes for you. They’re not all over-priced or exclusive… many of them are making clothes for people just like you and me. They’re Proudly South Afr…ican and you should be too. You may have already read about the boys from Earthquake on Represent, now we introduce you to a whole lot of inspirational up-and-comings making waves in the Fashion Industry. We start with an intervies in downtown Jozi with one of our favourite young labels… Dubstar. Represent CHATS to Dub of Dubstars Name: Tabane Hlahatsi A.K.A: Dub How he pays the rent: Fashion designer and clothing label owner Name of label: Dubstars Business owners: Tabane and Paolo (340ml drummer) R – How did you get into fashion? D – For me, it was poverty (LOL). Basically growing up, my friends used to wear these expensive Italian clothes and at some point, my parents couldn’t afford to buy me all those clothes. I used to wear second hand clothing, then one day I decided, screw this, let me learn how to make clothes so that I could lace this the way I want to. It then grew into something I am crazy about. R- Where does the name for your label come from? D- The musical genre Dub. I love and listen to Dub a lot. A friend of mine started calling me Dub a while back&the name then was given to my label. I think it’s also about the kind of style I represent. Dub massive. Rasta massive. Military fire-ness massive! R- Have you received any formal training? D- Yeah, I started out at a fashion school where I learned the basics like pattern construction etc then left due to financial constraints. The rest was self-taught R- Have you done any formal business training to help with running your business? D- None, I have just received some vouchers from the Umsobomvu Fund to lace my website and put together a sound business and marketing plan. So far, I have been doing things instinctively. R- How long have you been in the fashion game? D- Formally making and selling clothes for three years R – What is your brand identity? D – Street R – What is that to you? Define ‘street’? D...
We will be back!
