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ROLAND REFLECTS ON HISTORIC RUN OBAMA’S FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AFRIGNERS, CAN DESI SHO ladybrillemag.com www.

LADYBRILLE the music edition / MAY 2010 #1 African fashion & entertainment magazine for the west! www.ladybrillemag.com LADYBRILLE the music edition / edition music the

the music edition / MAY 2010 WAX, Ladybrille

MAY 2010 MAY Man of the Month #1 Afric a n f a shion & entert CHOC

zine for the west! for the a inment m g zine QUIB Town

BEST New Afro-Colombian Hip-Hop Band!

www. ladybrille m a g.com AFRICAN DESIGNERS, SHOPPING & MORE! ROLAND REFLECTS ON OBAMA’S HISTORIC RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE WHO’S HOT? AFRICA’S INFLUENTIAL $3.99 MUSIC HEADSwww.ladybrillemag.com TE MLLay 2010 US 3 ! www.ladybrillemag.com Advertise with Ladybrille Magazine [email protected] Ogun, the warrior god of the Afro-Brazilian mythology by Framn Rezende

Photographer: Famn Rezende Stylist: Pilar Cortes Make-Up and hairdressing: Susana Biedma for Mac and Tecni.Art of L’oréal Professionnel Model: Enma

| Ladybrille Contents MAY 40

201046 12 28

COVER LADYBRILLEMAG.COM 11 editor’s Note 38 hot NEWS FROM LADYBRILLEMAG.COM

FEATURES POLITICS 2 fashion Editorial OGUN by Framn Rezende 44 roland Martin Reflects on Obama’s 12 WAX, Ladybrille Man of the Month historic Run for the White House 40 choc QUIB TOWN, Best New afro-Colombia Hip-Hop Band! LIFESTYLE 20 Who’s Hot? Africa 46 - A Visit to the Heart of Darkness 22 Who’s Hot? Nigeria 24 Who’s Hot? Uganda IN EVERY ISSUE 2 Covers In One Editor’s Note FASHION Contributors 26 African Designers, Shopping & More! Man Of The Month 28 South Africa Fashion Week 2010 African Designers, Shopping & More! Hot News From Ladybrillemag.Com

Credit correction: Stephanie Matthews from the April issue was mispelled. 8 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 | ladybrillemag.com

MAGAZINE

#1 African Fashion & Entertainment Magazine for the West! www.ladybrillemag.com

About Ladybrille Magazine Founded in 2007 by fashion model, attorney and journalist Uduak Oduok, Ladybrille Magazine a brand recognized for its sophistication and class ® stands as the authority on African fashion and entertainment for the globally conscious style driven American and European woman.

Breaking the mold and trailblazing a path never traveled before, Ladybrille ® Magazine is a fusion of WWD, Vogue and ESSENCE with a very distinct African perspective. The Magazine has served as a platform for exclusive and in-depth interviews to introduce to the Western world brilliant personalities like Project Runway’s Korto Momolu (NBC granted Ladybrille the exclusive to Korto’s story), Singer Ayo (Interscope Records granted Ladybrille the Exclusive for Ayo’s debut in the USA market), Popular Nigerian Blogger Bella Naija (granted Ladybrille an exclusive interview. BN has since appeared on Oprah) and Maimah Karmo (breast cancer survivor and owner of Tiger Lily Foundation who also granted Ladybrille an exclusive and has since appeared on Oprah). Ladybrille has also profiled Derrick Ashong, who now has his own show on Oprah Radio, Supermodel Iman, Fashion Model Tomiko Fraser, Rapper Common, Mo’Nique and countless American and African personalities worldwide.

Ladybrille’s recognition as a pioneer and relevant authority in its niche market is why companies like media powerhouse CNN, consulting giant McKinsey & Co., Arik Airlines, and numerous high profile personalities and businesses have sought its help on who and what is “Africhic.”

For more information, visit www.ladybrillemag.com.

Publisher LADYBRILLE: Media Group, Inc. For advertising inquiries, please contact [email protected].

LADYBRILLE MAGAZINE 2121 Natomas Crossings Dr. #200-11 Sacramento, CA 95834 www.ladybrillemag.com

Magazine Design Erin Burns Design / erinburnsdesign.com www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 9 May Music Issue Contributors

Framn Rezende Nominating Committee, and Rotten how people gather information on each other. is a Brazilian photographer Tomatoes. In addition to a BA in Black Studies whose interest and experi- from Cornell, he has an MA in English from The Brilliant 5 at Museke.com ence spans fashion, art, Brown, an MBA from The Wharton School, music and photography. Rezende has been and a JD from Boston University. Kam lives Phelele Fakudze published in local and international maga- in Princeton, NJ with his wife and son. is an ardent lover of African zines including Vogue, GQ, Fashion, In Style, music from Swaziland. She Amica, Aviu, Cream, Vision Magazine, Sous Robert Harris attended a United World and Elegance Magazine. He has also photo- is the Chief Financial College, Wesleyan University and Johns graphed some of the most beautiful models Officer of Black Star Hopkins University where she met and in the world including top models Barbara Communications, Ltd., an befriended Africans from many countries. She Fialho, Caroline Trentini, Cintia Dicker, Internet service provider and telecommuni- works in Swaziland as a researcher with the Ana Bela Santos, Bruna Tenorio, Fabiane cations consulting company chartered in the London School of Hygiene and Nunez Gracie Winck, Aline Weber, Anna UK and registered in the Republic of Ghana. Tropical Medicine. Maria Chesa and Spanish top models Nieves Presently, the company is installing WiFi Álvarez, Judith Masco and Clara Más. Internet service in the port city of Tema in Keitumetse Diseko according to Rezende, his “career Ghana and will soon expand throughout is a young South African who is constantly evolving, fashion is an art. Ghana. Harris is also an author of a soon has worked at MTVBase It must be an instrument and vehicle to be published novel, The Unholy Holy, Africa, Big Brother Africa, for people to feel free and good about A Story of India. He is also an attorney amongst other places. She studied at the themselves.” In June 2009, launched his practicing in Sacramento, California with University of Cape Town and the University first exhibition titled “I WANT TO BE a focus on business and bankruptcy law. of the Witswatersrand. She has Africa-wide FREE” at LCREW in Madrid, Spain. He was previously General Counsel for Itex interests and has traveled to many African Four months later, he launched his second Corporation, a publicly traded international countries as part of her MTV work. exhibition, “Celebration” at the Central barter exchange company. He is married Design Di MAD to celebrate the twentieth with one child and one dog. Edward Mabonga, anniversary of the National Fashion Awards originally from , is for new designers. Peter A. Kigony an MIT educated entre- is the founder and CEO preneur, currently working Demola Ogundele of UGPulse.com. Kigonya as a software engineer in Houston, Texas. is a graduate with a BS in holds a Bsc in Computer He is extremely excited about Africa’s Computer Science who is Science from the University of contribution to contemporary/gospel currently working on his Massachusetts, Boston. Like many who music, dance and culture. MBA. He is also the founder of NotJustOk. grew up with parents working for the com. Notjustok.com, founded in 2006, is Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kigonya has Paa Kwesi Imbeah is now the go-to website for the latest Nigerian lived an interesting and rather unique life. a strong supporter of Africa’s music videos, songs and gist. Having grown up in international schools presence on the web. He is a in a number of African countries including native of Takoradi, Ghana. Kam Williams, Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Voted Most Outstanding Kenya, his home Uganda, as well as visited Ato Ulzen-Appiah Journalist of the Decade by a number of African countries, Kgonya has is a young Ghanaian entre- the Disilgold Soul Literary been exposed to much of the diversity that preneur and lover of African Review in 2008, Kam Williams is a syndi- Africa has to offer. Living in the United music. He attended Presby cated film and book critic who writes for States has further broadened his experiences Boys High School (Legon), MIT and 100+ publications around the U.S., , of different cultures. What he finds amazing Stanford University. He also co-founded , Africa, Canada and the Caribbean. He is how much people are all the same, and the GhanaThink Foundation and Bar is a member of the New York Film Critics what makes people different from each other Camp Ghana. He studies civil engineering, Online, the African-American Film Critics is perceptions brought on by not only how loves blogging and has also worked Association, the NAACP Image Awards much they know about each other but by with various startups.

10 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 | Editor’s letter

appy New Month! Welcome to another inspiring edition of Ladybrille Magazine, our May Music Edition.

I am in love with this issue partly because it kicks off our musical celebrations of festivals worldwide: Cinco de Mayo H(my birthday*wink wink*), Summerfest, New Orleans Jazz festivals, hip-hop s ummer jams and so much more!

In this edition, we introduce you to the Afro-Colombian hip-hop band, Quib Choc Town. Quib Choc Town was nominated in 2009 at the Latin Grammy’s as the Best New Act. They also performed at the 2010 SXSW Conference and “wow!” are they good! Also providing brilliant musical sounds is Cameroon’s WAX, our Ladybrille Man of the Month. Wax, who is based in South Africa (SA), began law school at 16years old! Since moving to SA to pursue music professionally, he has successfully established himself as a media entrepreneur, social activist, humanitarian, renaissance writer and musician. He provides great tips for artists in the business and he is truly inspiring.

For our fashion addicts, enjoy our glossy pages of fashion from the runways of the recently completed South Africa Fashion Week, courtesy of one of the most sought after photographers in SA, Ivan Naude. We also feature the intriguing work of Brazilian photographer Framn Rezende titled ‘OGUN.’ I had no idea the traditional warrior and powerful deity Ogun (god of iron) known in the Yoruba mythology is also popular in Brazilian mythology. Intriguing!

We present even more music with our feature/contributions from Africa’s most influential music heads/website owners who tell us the HOTTEST African Acts from the continent. Don’t miss the features/contributions of Demola Ogundele/ NotJusok.com, The brilliant 5 at Museke.com and Peter Kigonya/UGPulse.com.

Our Music May 2010 Edition wraps up with CNN’s Ronald Martin who reflects on Obama’s historic run for the white house and Robert Harris who gives us an interesting review of his visit to Ghana’s Cape Coast Castle.

Have a lovely and brilliant May! I’ll be spending mine shopping for some hot dancing shoes to dance to the many recommendations in this issue now and well into the summer!

FEEDBACK We love and welcome your feedback. It is what makes us work harder and smarter! E-mail your feedback directly to me at [email protected] or send to [email protected].

Brilliantly yours, Uduak Oduok, Esq. Editor-in-Chief

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WLadybrille ManA of the MonthX by Uduak Oduok

What makes a brilliant man? Is it his intelligence, creativity, talents, looks? Is it his commitment to humanitarian causes? His fearlessness in challenging the status quo? For WAX, our Ladybrille Man of the Month, it is all of the above plus as he puts it, “a (readiness) to seize an opportunity and make the most of it; and the ability to know what to say to make a lady smile even if she just broke her stiletto heel.”

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Wax aka Nde music career. Since then, he has gained a more to the global music scene than it is given Ndifonka was reputation as a social activist, humanitarian, credit for. I always say what we call urban pop born in 1981 writer and musician. LADYBRILLE music has its roots in Africa. African World in Bamenda, caught up with Wax, our Man of the music is rich and palatable to every audience Cameroon a Month to discuss his – however, it is not often given the platform place known to compete against other brands. During forW its radical politics. As early as three years LADYBRILLE: When did you discover the period of decolonization, African music old, Wax had already begun a love affair with your talent for music? had a strong international presence because music. At eleven he was making hit songs for WAX: I had an interest in music from an it was a tool of expression of the issues of his college mates at Sacred Heart boarding early age- 3, 4 maybe. We used to watch the time. African musicians seemed to school in Cameroon where he attended a video cassette of the 25th a have moved from that expressionism, and college. In 1997 and at age 16, Wax entered nniversary celebration at home quite often, I think that has affectedA frican music rather Law School at the University of Buea. so I got used to the sound of the Jackson adversely in that the pop culture genres has Bringing the enthusiasm and culture of his 5, Smokey Robinson, Linda Ronstadt, the disproportionately shadowed the more local college days at Sacred Heart College, he 4 Tops, the Temptations and so forth. This genres that do have potential. along with some of his ex-college mates who led to an interest in the guitar, and out of were also in law school with him, created curiosity, I got my dad to teach me three LADYBRILLE: Back to your music and a show business culture at the law school chords that I built on through self-tutoring. your personal background. I note you are where Wax wrote music, performed and I (later) started watching other guitarists from Cameroon but based in South Africa organized music concerts. and following what I heard on radio in order (SA). How did you end up in SA? Wax graduated law school and later to improve myself. I used to listen to this WAX: I never really thought that I would moved to South Africa to pursue his Cameroonian artist called Henri Dikongue move out of Cameroon. But in 2001, I and mimic some of the stuff he was doing. represented the University of Buea, Subsequently, I developed my own style Cameroon at the All African Human Rights of play. But I really only discovered I had Moot Court Competition. When I arrived a talent for music in boarding school back in here, I fell in love with the country, and We used to watch Cameroon. I wrote a song when I was about I decided to come study in South Africa. 11 years old, “Far Away,” and it became a hit So in August 2002, I returned to do a Masters a video cassette among my classmates. Then I started taking degree at Wits University. While studying, of the Motown myself seriously. Several years later, the song I started performing in order to pay my bills, 25th anniversary won a prize during a state song competition. and then the world of music in South Africa celebration at home I still play and write a lot of music by ear. opened up to me. When I finished my Up to the point where I recorded my first course several months later, I knew I wanted quite often, so I got used CD, I have never played with a band or with to pursue music professionally. to the sound of the other musicians, and all my performances Jackson 5, prior to that was solo. But the moment I got LADYBRILLE: You are now pursuing with a band, I had no problem clicking and music professionally, especially in SA. What’s Smokey Robinson, even improvising. the SA music scene like? Linda Ronstadt, the WAX: South African music itself is diverse 4 Tops, the LADYBRILLE: You’ve got so much soul and beautiful, ranging from pop, urban, in your music…how would you describe house, traditional and jazz etc. The quality of Temptations your music? the music is also quite good, and the hip-hop and so forth. WAX: Soul. African Soul with a touch genre particularly has grown tremendously of R&B. both in terms of commercial success and quality since I first arrived in South Africa. LADYBRILLE: Before we really get far I like the fact that urban genres such as into our interview, I am curious your view on and (a genre of hip-hop Africa’s musical mark on the global scene? from the northern areas of the country) have WAX: Africa I think has contributed a lot adopted a local flavor and created avenues to

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promote a unique urban culture. However, South Africa is yet to warm up to music from other parts of Africa. Growing up in West Africa and visiting other countries, the one thing I think South Africa lacks is enough exposure to the urban music of the other parts of the continent. Similarly, South African musicians do not do enough to exploit the following they have in other parts of Africa.

LADYBRILLE: Speaking of music from other parts of the continent, what is the music scene in your country of origin like? WAX: It is very lively. Cameroon has a very powerful ‘cabaret’ (live music bars) culture and the performances there are always stellar. Visitors in cities such as Douala and Yaoundé can always be assured of good entertainment. Of course, Cameroon is renowned for world-class bassists such as Richard Bona and Etienne Mbappe, but the beauty of Cameroonian music is that the different regions of the country have successfully created distinct local genres that have an international flavor. However, quality music produces and production facilities are still lacking in the country, and many of the top artists who can afford it resort to going to Western countries to produce music for local consumption. Personally, I would love to see an improve- ment in local production capacity and also see more artists exploit the good production facilities available in South Africa, which is Winehouse, Damian Marley, and Jay Z for 2008. The compilation also featured closer and cheaper. among many others, to help elevate some another song that I produced for a local Cameroonian artists as well. artist, Peggy, however, the genre of the CD LADYBRILLE: What is your hope was a bit too Cameroonian and folkloric and for Cameroon’s music industry? LADYBRILLE: That is all very exciting so it was not well commercially accepted. WAX: I would like to see an improvement news! Going back to your music, you With my new album, African Dream, in music production and music writing have such cross over appeal even within I shifted into a more urban sound, and it paid and composition. Cameroon has a lot of South Africa. How easy was it for you off because commercial radio stations took talent and this can be exploited even more. to create a sound that appears to resonate note and started supporting it. However, I am working with US producer and multi- with thousands? I managed to keep my unique acoustic and Grammy Award winner, Gordon Williams, WAX: It has not been easy crossing over Cameroonian flavor, whichI think works in on a project ‘The Music Embassy’ that aims into the South African music market. My distinguishing me from other artists. to address this. We are working on using his first commercial release A ‘ frican Soul’ was Now I am venturing into collaboration contacts and experience that has worked praised by many critics. It even featured on with local artists and taking bolder steps into wonders for the likes of Lauryn Hill, Amy the South African Music Expo compilation genres such as House and hip-hop, which are

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more easily accepted by the public. This has LADYBRILLE:Thank God. The hardest LADYBRILLE: Intriguing with the had the result of giving me wider audiences. part is over but I have to take you down Universal deal. Many artists I come across It has been a tough journey, and I am sure memory lane, a bit. (Laughs) Share with are very worried about getting screwed. there are tough times ahead, but form us some challenges from the view of an Fill us in from that point of view? the point I became a brand ambassador for independent artist that you have had? WAX: I think a lot of artists are so eager the City of Johannesburg, I realized that WAX: I have had personal and general to see their music released that they would people were taking note, and that the hardest challenges. My first personal challenge is do anything and sign any kind of contract. part was over. that my alter ego, Nde Ndifonka became a They end up being screwed. The key is to familiar face in the media quite quickly. As inform yourself and know what you are a result, people were, and are still sometimes getting into, so that you have no surprises generally unwilling to accept Wax, the along the way. Artists need to get the habit musician, or they think that I am trying to of getting legal representatives to worry DO not wait for ride on my success as Nde to do music. about that. I studied law so I generally things to happen. Fortunately, the music has spoken for handle my own contracts, and even There are too few itself. On the other hand, I faced general help advise other artists. It is also vital fairy tales in the music challenges such as securing a record deal. to understand basic rules of engagement I became an independent artist because and revenue streams in the music industry– industry – generally I could not get a record deal. That meant publishing, master rights, CD sales, you have to sweat it I had to raise funds for me recording, as well and even new (in Africa) streams such as out. And the bigger as promotion of my product, and even after needle-time. This information often makes such big expenses, many people do not take the difference between a rich musician and you get, the more you seriously if you are not back by a big a struggling artist. challenging it will company. The big companies also have the become so you need habit of filling up promotional space so that LADYBRILLE: Since you are giving us indies are left with very little. For example, tips, which we are gladly taking, share with to brace yourself Universal Music signed a contract wit a TV us more tips on how unsigned artists can and quit thinking that station under which they could play only manage themselves as artists? the life of an artist is Universal artists. This is just one graphic WAX: DO not wait for things to happen. example, but such examples abound and it There are too few fairy tales in the music as rosy as music is a tough space to be in. industry – generally you have to sweat it out. videos depict. My first album was not distributed And the bigger you get, the more challenging because no one would stock an indie artist it will become so you need to brace yourself without any backing. The album A “ frican and quit thinking that the life of an artist Soul’ was licensed to SHEER Sound, but is as rosy as music videos depict. Because even with a license, a lot of responsibility I could not afford a management team at still rests on you as the artist if you want to first,I had to build my own website, draw up see your project go far. That is why I decided mailing lists, and liaise with promoters and to release ‘African Dream’ on my own. The radio stations. Along the line help comes status quo has changed again, and I am and you should use all the help you can get. licensing my upcoming release, ‘African Companies find it easier to deal with proac- Dream Reloaded’ to SHEER Sound again. tive artists. Not everything will work out, but I need to keep assessing the situation to see you always have to be ready to dust yourself what would work best for me – if I were up and start afresh. I have only been in music signed to a big company, I would only professionally for a few years, so I learn a lot have to worry about making good music. every day and I use all the lessons I learn to But even the major labels come with their improve my game. own numerous challenges, and the truth is that the happiest musicians nowadays are LADYBRILLE:On your ‘African Dream’ independent artists. album, you’ve got a track ‘Miss Real, Mr.

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Regular’ which I absolutely loved. Explain A few times, I have dreamt melodies and LADYBRILLE: One of the reasons you what the story on that album is all about? woken up with a song, I think it is because were perfect as our Ladybrille Man of the WAX: ‘Miss Real, Mr Regular’ is the first I am slightly schizophrenic. Recently, I Month and to grace our cover is your love single off the album A ‘ frican Dream’. The have gotten into the habit of going into for charity and humanitarian acts. Where song itself is a love song that praises the the studio and writing a song from scratch did this deep love come from? women behind the lives of superstars. It says in a few minutes but that is because as I get WAX: I discovered I had a passion for that stardom is a hype, but what these people more involved in the industry, I am getting people when I was quite young – in fact mean to them, that is real! The song is also a less and less time to write and produce more my first song was about street children. metaphor – we should not always forget our and more music for myself, my artist, and I just found myself always thinking and true values and the things that really matter for collaborations. writing about such issues. My studies also in life, as we get more and more popular; focused on human rights, but I really got because at the end of the show, you do not into the thick of things when I worked go home to groupies, but to the loving arms for the International Organization for of that special person. Migration as a counter-trafficking specialist. The album itself is about my personal I discovered I had I met probably hundreds of young women growth. I came to a point in my life where a passion for who were enslaved in prostitution, and it I realized that I was not really putting people when I was flipped things for me. It was tough dealing in my best, and I wanted to encourage other with some of the realities. These personal Africans like myself to have the courage quite young – in fact experiences have, I think, changed me to dream and to work to achieve those my first song was forever as I now have a deep appreciation of dreams. The title track A ‘ frican Dream’ is about street different kinds of burdens that vulnerable an auto-biographic song about my move women and children in the world carry. to South Africa and the challenges I faced children. I just With that comes a natural commitment to growing up as a young African, which found myself always be of service to people because all around us, I must now put behind me to fulfill my thinking and people always need help. God-given potential. Some of the songs, such as ‘Faraway’, ‘Ali gets his arms’ and ‘Help writing about LADYBRILLE: What do you say Someone’ reflect my work and experiences such issues. My to artist trying to get to where you are? in the humanitarian domain. studies also focused WAX: If you want to get where I am, look where I am, and think to get way ahead LADYBRILLE: How long did it take to on human rights, of where I am. complete your album? but I really got into WAX: I conceived the themes for just over the thick of things LADYBRILLE: What next for you, a year, but the recording itself was done in when I worked what next for WAX? a period of two weeks. WAX: I am setting up the Wax Foundation, for the International which will focus on promoting primary and LADYBRILLE: What is the creative Organization for tertiary education in Africa. I believe educa- process like for you? Migration as a tion is key to addressing many of challenges WAX: Usually I start with a melody. With we face in Africa. I am also expanding my the melody come lyrics, often based on counter-trafficking record label, Lolhiphop Records by getting my experiences of what I see happening specialist. more into urban genres. The latest artist form around me at the time I am conceiving that my stable is South African Motswako rapper, particular song. I would generally write the Motso, who has produced three big hits lyrics in my head as I drive around or as I do within three months of being signed. May is other business, and just before recording it, I also a significant month for me – I begin a will write down the entire song. Sometimes, new assignment as Visibility Consultant for I start with a few guitar riffs or piano motifs the Food and Agricultural Organization of and make the song as I go along, but I almost the United Nations this month. ★ always do most of the writing in my head.

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| ladybrille features Who’s Hot in Africa Museke is the hottest Pan African Music Site Online Covering the entire continent of Africa. Five Founders from Ghana, South Africa and Kenya tell the Museke Story, the Direction of African Music in general and African artists to watch in 2010. by museke.com

The Museke Story Think Foundation. The mission behind Foundation and Museke.com was born. In 2004, a group of Ghanaian realized the project was to make music fans aware The website would be the home of not there was no website where they could of the messages in the music and especially just Ghanaian but all African music lyrics. find lyrics to popular or famous Ghanaian encourage conscious music or music for After its start in late 2006, Museke has songs. They started a project to collect development. A year later, the database grown to be the home of African music these lyrics and transcribe those that were had gained some popularity and there lyrics and the definitive website forA frican not available. It was done as a Ghanaian was more demand for these lyrics. The music. It’s also been called the Online music lyrics project through the Ghana- team graduated the project out of the African music bible but the Museke team

20 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 | ladybrille features

prefers to call it the home of the African due to the problem of piracy and easy need any record label to promote the song music fan. access to distribute music through channels for him internationally. The focus of the website is still lyrics, like YouTube and other online media, We launched the first ever Museke rarely are artist pages created unless we have many African musicians are providing Online Africa Music Awards (MOAMAs) lyrics to any of their songs. The ‘conscious’ their new singles for free to music fans. in 2010 to honor the best of African mission still holds as we routinely feature The idea is, “you send your single to many music, promote the best of African music socially conscious music campaigns on our outlets, listeners begin to love the song, and encourage more people to learn about blog and website. Museke.com has grown demand grows and it’s a hit!” Once the other African musicians. We hope more from a purely lyrics site to having videos, song goes viral or enjoys massive airplay African musicians will see the importance audios, audio playlists, blogs, interviews, (either through payola or fan demand), of developing bigger online presences, forums, news, polls, artiste info pages, the musician is in high demand and gets collaborating with other African musicians amongst others. to perform the singles at various shows/ and making concerted efforts to promote in 2007, before it became chic for concerts. For many African musicians, their music outside their own countries. African musicians to collaborate across money gotten from shows and perfor- You can vote at http://www.moamas.com ★ countries, the Museke team had been mances pays much more than album sales. praying that Africans would start listening Hence, African music is becoming more Artists to Watch in 2010 heavily to music from other African coun- about the fans, bloggers, youtubers who Breakout African music acts to watch tries. That was the major goal of Museke – drive the popularity of the music. Many for 2010 include Jay Ghartey, Muthoni, to promote all African music to all African African musicians are making singles and Denzyl, Pype, UZ47, Meje 30, Nana Boroo, music fans. Hence, if someone visited promos to test the market even before Game Walla, MC Wabwino, Radababa, the site looking for lyrics to a popular they think of releasing albums. Octave Couplet, Tom Close, Jon Germain, song in Kenya, they would discover what record labels in Africa are also Quick Racka, just to name a few. songs were popular in Angola, and so on. reducing in number as more musicians Some acts whose music will be big Museke has content from over 30 African seek to go indie. With the online channels in 2010 are 9ice, , Kidumu, countries, including the Lusophone and afforded them amongst other reasons, it Juliana Kanyomozi, Jr, Ary, AY, , Francophone ones. is becoming easier to spend less money Dibi Dobo, Debordo DJ, DJ Arafat, promoting your music than before. A lot Ruff-n-Smooth, Becca, Jua Cali, Hussein The Direction of of the popular music in various African Machozi, Teeyah, Terry G, GoodLyfe, African Music today countries is not of the ‘world music’ FOKN Bois, MI, VIP, WinkyD, Daddy African music is increasingly being united African brands. The big Western record Owen, Neyma, DuasCaras, Skuki, General through collaborations between different labels are still signing and promoting some Ozzy, Da-Grin, , Jamal, Pape African musicians. We at Museke are of the new and young African musicians Diouf, Azagaia, Cindy Sanyu, etc. particularly excited when we see this who do the contemporary type of African Some artists you should check out happen. The musician’s market is now music. However, those musicians who’ve include Obiwon, Blick Bassy, Jodi, Echo, beyond their country, with technology been influenced by , R&B, reggae, EeS, Mugdido, Batabazi, Mayra Andrade, growing that market. African musicians dancehall and pop are competing because Koldproduk, Sasha P, Toofan, Dama do will have to develop bigger online pres- the African youth are accepting that they Bling, Baam, Nuno Abdul, Belle, Kaysha, ences and reach out for fans outside their can also make that ‘kind of music’. They are Elex, Celma, K-Lyinn and Avril. own borders. Modern popular African driving the popularity of the music. Hence, music is not ‘world music’, it is dancehall, if a group of Tanzanian youth based in hip-hop, afro-pop, r&b, etc. African musi- Boston organize a party and play Alikiba’s cians don’t need big international record latest song; their African friends may love labels to become global phenomenons. the song and spread the word. Next thing Groups like P-Square (Nigeria), Goodlyfe you know, it’s become a popular shared (Uganda), and Just A Band (Kenya) have item on Facebook and Alikiba’s song is done it in different ways. a hit amongst many Africans. He didn’t

www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 21 | ladybrille features

Who’s Hot in NIGeria Nigeria’s Music Industry is experiencing a rebirth. At the heart of the movement are music publishers like Ademola Ogundele aka MOLA OG, owner of the most popular Nigerian music site online, NotJustOk.com. Ogundele tells us how it all began, the evolving standards in Nigeria’s music industry and the ten hottest artists to rock to in 2010. by Ademola Ogundele/Notjustok.com

22 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 | ladybrille features

I launched NotJustOk.com in June of music from the country. fit on any track be it hip-hop, reggae or 2006. The word notjustOk is equivalent That one reaction along with consis- r&b. I believe he has a long career ahead to anything that is more than okay (ok) or tent and daily updates slowly gave birth to of him if he stays consistent and dedicated above average. I really started truly enjoying the notjustok.com many know today-an to making music and performing. With and appreciating Nigerian music in 1999 online platform where new and high EME behind him, I believe that he can when music groups like Trybesmen, Plan- caliber music from Nigeria (Naija) is become the first teenage music superstar tation Boyz and Remedies initially came posted in a timely and prompt manner. within the country. on the scene. However, I had always been In addition, notjustok.com has become When it comes to veterans, Nigerian a seeker of new, good and unique music a community where music lovers and hip-hop artist eLDee the Don has in order to first enjoy and then share industry insiders come to share their remained the most consistent. Every new with friends which happened a lot in my thoughts freely on music that we post project he has dropped since 1999 has college years where I found out about new on the site. In return, many artists also made an impact in the music industry music via research and frequent visits to stop by notjustok.com to read comments during that particular period. It is no record stores; skills I would later and easily from their fans, which can be very surprise that his new project ‘is It Your transfer to my work on notjustok.com. valuable to their direction on their music. money’ album is currently one of the most NotjustOk.com is the #1 Nigerian There are many websites that are dedi- demanded albums in the market. There are Music site on the internet. The site was cated to posting Nigerian music and doing several notable tracks on the album such created initially out of the intention, a great job, but we’re the best because we as ‘Do it’ featuring one of Nigeria’s female motivation and passion to share remark- are the most visible and most consistent. artist Kel and One Day (E go better). But, able material to whoever cared to listen or You can be sure that what we post on if I were to pick my favorite track from the read. However in 2007, I began noticing notjustok.com will be reposted every- album, it would be ‘Ota Mi’ ft LKT, ‘Ota that music from Nigeria was sounding where else. This has been possible with the mi’ because it is a certified party jam that catchy to my ears and I felt like the quality dedication from the team at notjustOk. has a catchy hook and a possibility for a was good enough to share. In fact, I was com which is made up of myself and Ovie O. popular dance when the video drops. ★ excited to share with my readers and get their opinion and hoped that every song The Ever Evolving The 10 Hottest Acts I posted on NotJustOk.com would begin Standard in Nigeria’s to Rock to from a dialogue, because I felt strongly about Music Industry Nigeria in 2010 most of the songs that I ended up posting The standard in the Nigerian music In no particular order, these are the top ten on the site. industry increases almost every six names to bump to from Nigeria in 2010 as part of looking to share these months, especially online. Some songs are: catchy Nigerian tunes, I started to research that may have been fit to be published 1. Tuface Idibia online for these artists. Their Myspace 6 months ago are no longer so due to 2. D’banj and Reverbnation pages proved very the ever-evolving quality in the music. 3. M.I resourceful because I was able to download The challenge for many artists is staying 4. Naeto C music of these artists from their social consistent and relevant via their content, 5. D’prince media pages. The next and logical step be it sound or visuals (vdeos). 6. SauceKid was to start posting information about the One of the new comers that has 7. Show Dem Camp artists that I felt had a solid sound, voice managed to stay relevant with his music 8. Dr SID or package along with their music on the since he came on the scene in 2008, singing 9. Proto NotJustOk.com site. the hook for one of Nigeria’s most popular 10. Wizkid To be honest, the initial response from artists M.I in his ‘Fast Money Fast Cars’ my audience was not huge. But, after the song, is Wizkid. This young man who is I love Nigerian music and we have not even video of Nigerian artist 9ice’s performance now signed to another popular Nigerian R scratched the surface yet. I see several new at Mandela’s 90th birthday concert, at the &B artist Banky W’s EME Record Label, artists establishing themselves this year Wembley Stadium in London, premiered is one of the new artists that I am truly and becoming household names in 2010. on notjustOk.com, the reaction and spike excited about; especially since release of The future is bright for Nigerian music and in traffic indicated to me that there were his catchy and radio friendly single ‘Halla notjustok.com plans to be there delivering other avid Nigerian Music fans out there at Your Boy’. One of the unique things Nigerian music as the industry heads to such as myself that were looking for a about “Wizie” as he is also known by is that bright future. platform online to listen and appreciate that his style is fluid which makes him www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 23 | ladybrille features

Who’s Hot in uganda East African Music has never sounded so good, especially from Uganda. One website on the lips of many Ugandans is UGPulse.com. “UGPulse.com… has been (become) a major player on the web when it comes to Ugandan content especially for those in the Diaspora,” explains Peter Kigonya, founder of UGPulse.com? Kigonya shares the UGPulse.com story and hottest artists to watch in 2010. by Peter Kigonya

24 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 | ladybrille features

What is UGPulse.com Guide to Africa” and if you google hard of purchasing power… requiring different Truly About? enough you will find traces of what is left types of marketing for different types of I can trace the birth of UGPulse.com back of this early beginning of UGPulse.com. products, the artists to look out for are the to a homework assignment way back in after several transformations, experi- ones that realize this drift in their markets. 1998 during my first semester in college. ences, dramas, and long after graduation, The business is expensive to get into and I was new to the web at the time and had I was in the same industry professionally one has to be smart to succeed. For many chosen Computer Science as my major when I officially launched UGPulse.com it will mean that they will soon NEED to because of some simple Apple Basic coding in February 2005. UGPulse.com now has be properly managed in order to succeed. experience in the eighties that I had had been a major player on the web when it The game is getting tougher in Uganda. fun with and I was wowed by simple stuff comes to Ugandan content especially for Ugandan artists to look out for to take at my job like learning to use Excel. . . those in the Diaspora. One of my favorite Ugandan music to yet another dimension So, I knew nothing about the web projects on the site is raising awareness are guys like Navio... Then there is Toniks and was taking this Introduction to of Ugandan orphans and the efforts of if he makes the right decisions. For the Computers class when our professor gave the Nyaka AIDS Foundation. I also ladies, I say Cindy and Grace. Bella is us an assignment in HTML very early on think we do a lot of work in promoting also another one with potential. These in the semester. I was totally confused African Beauty in a very non-judgmental are already somewhat established artists and lost, and too busy working “unteen” kind of way. I truly think we are having in Uganda but suspecting an increasing jobs to figure it out by myself. So one of a role in making sure that Black is put in demand from outside of Uganda, I believe my new friends, one young William D. the equation of Beauty, especially in the they have huge potential in non-Ugandan Collard, and I made an agreement to go eyes of young Africans themselves. We markets. ★ over to his house so that he could give me also promote the image and power of the a head start in HTML while I helped him African Woman but I do feel we have to with Algebra, which most of my class- start featuring the efforts of African men So my list of mates were struggling with. I’m not sure more. . . Ugandan artists are: how much Algebra he learned as we soon What I especially like about sites like were enjoying beers and eating some good UGPulse.com is the way it has contributed 1. Nick Nola dinner that his wife had cooked. But that in promoting unknown talent and making 2. Navio was not before he had helped me open them big names mainly by inspiring them 3. Cindy up a Geo Cities account and given me a to go even further such that many of them 4. Rabadaba couple of pointers on HTML. are now much bigger than the site that 5. Grace Nakimera Geo Cities was big then and through helped give them a push. 6. Renah (you need to see it, I was able to find this new world of definitely one new such talent to her live performances) different communities, including a site look out for is East African musician Nick 7. Toniks from my old classmates at Sandford Nola. We first used to receive Nick’s videos 8. Jamal Community School in Addis Ababa, from various sources over the years but 9. Level X Ethiopia, started by a sister of an old class- when the last batch of videos came in and 10. Bella mate in Ethiopia, now based in Atlanta, I watched “Nkusiimye”… and re watched 11. Leila GA. Everyone was building a site and the “Habiba,” and watched the reception, I 12. Maurice Hassa (if funded) tools at Geo Cities were easy to use. could tell that this dude has talent and 13. Cassanova (if funded) So I quickly started a website so that greedily signed him on as the first and only I could meet my homework assignment UGPulse artist. He is currently the Face deadline. The site was about all theA frican of UGPulse just like UK based Ugandan countries I had lived in. I was going to add Actress Mirembe Campbell was. Watch many more countries. It was a very simple out for his new album in the summer of site of other people’s images and links but 2010. I was so proud and showed it off at work and to my friends. The assignment that was Who’s Hot in Uganda? meant as a single home assignment due the As Africa becomes more technologically following week in 1998 became an obses- advanced and less isolated, and as new sion. Weeks became months and months generation of Africans, including many became years. I called it “The BestBeeU that are in the Diaspora, claim a new type www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 25 | Ladybrille fashion

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www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 27 Amanda Laird Cherry

South african fashion week

South Africa Fashion Week 2010 gets a new name for 2010, losing its major financial sponsor, Sanlam. Nevertheless, Lucilla Booyzen founder and director of SA Fashion Week forges ahead with a fashion week that showcases the best talent SA has to offer.

Photographs by Ivan Naude

28 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 South african Chimera

www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 29 Colleen Eitzen

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www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 31 DF Couture

32 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 DM Classics

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www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 37 | Ladybrille hot news hot news fr om ladybrillemag.com Stay Connected with hot fresh news from Ladybrille Magazine by logging on to www.ladybrillemag.com everyday! You don’t want to miss the hottest news in fashion and entertainment from Africa!

< South Africa Music Awards It was a big party On April 18th, 2010 at the 16th Annual South African Music Awards (SAMA) held in Sun City. The event televised across the country and also streamed online saw South Africa’s finest grace the yellow/red carpet and party up in style. Winners list and red carpet pictures on ladybril- lemag.com.

< BET Season 3 Sunday Best Auditions in Nigeria BET’s popular gospel talent show “Sunday Best” is back looking for the nation’s next gospel singing sensation! This time, the producers take the show to Lagos, Nigeria where they search for one African artist to compete with the selections made in the USA. The audition video clip is hilarious and a must watch on ladybrillemag.com.

38 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 < Shakira and South Africa’sFreshly Ground Collaborate for FIFA 2010 Colombian artist Shakira and South Africa’s popular band, Freshly Ground have collaborated to create a track titled ‘Time for Africa’ that will be the official World Cup anthem for the 2010 World Cup events. Shakira and Freshly Ground will perform ‘Time for Africa’ on June 10th, 2010 at the FIFA pre-tourna- ment concert in Johannesburg, and also at the start of the World Cup final on July 11th, 2010.

< Sarkodie Sweeps 5 Awards at the 2010 Ghana Music Awards Sarkodie, Ghana’s rising hip-hop star and first ever African artist signed to Akon’s Konvict Music Record label, walked away with five awards for night at the 11th Annual Ghana Music Awards sponsored by MTN and held on April 10th, 2010 at the Dome, Accra International Conference Centre. Sarkodie in a sweeping fashion won the Hip-hop/ Artist of the Year, Best Rapper of the Year, Album of the Year and The Discovery of the Year Awards. Visit ladybrillemag.com for a complete list of winners.

< Korto Momolu Appears on The Mo’Nique Show on BET Project Runway’s Korto Momolu appeared on the Mo’Nique show on April 14th, 2010. Korto is the first designer to have her designs displayed on the Mo’Nique show. Korto talks about her experience on Project Runway, her Liberian heritage, life as a refugee and how she stayed persistent to get to where she is. Watch the full episode on ladybrillemag.com.

< The Figurine Wins 5 Awards at the 2010 African Movie Academy Awards The Oscars ofA frica, African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) took place on April 10th, 2010 in Bayelsa, Nigeria. The big winner of the night was the film The Figurine by Kunle Folayan. The Figurine is a story of two buddies and a girl all down on their luck whose lives changed when one of them discovers ‘Araromire’ a mysterious figurine in an abandoned shrine which, according to legend, bestows seven years of good luck. But no one told them about the next seven years. The film has been screened in Ghana, England, Nigeria and New York, USA. A full Visit ladybrillemag.com for story and winners! ★

www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 39 | ladybrille features choc quib town Best New Afro-Colombian Hip-Hop Band by Uduak Oduok / Cover photo by Salvatore Salamone

The State of Chocó, located in the Pacific Coast of Colombia, is among the poorest cities in Latin America with poor infrastructure, high iliteracy and one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world. Chocó also has the largest community of Africans, many of whom are descendants of African slaves. Indeed Chocó is often overlooked in Colombia’s national identity; but hip-Hop band Choc Quib Town is determined to help change all that by presenting a new side of Chocó through music.

40 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010

| Ladybrille FEatures

director and founder of the legendary percussion. We have African instruments Colombian Salsa Orquestra Niche. The such as the Balafon, and the Colombian group was formed in the City of Cali. Marima de Chonta. We try to mix rhythms We began writing lyrics providing a bit of from the pacific coast that are consisting each one of us or trying to represent what of typical percussion from this region like we think and our experiences. We write the cununos, the bombo, and the marimba about what we were living through at that in our music. Those instruments aren’t moment and our thoughts on displace- African but they’re pretty similar. ment, also about politics or our land. We then began performing at festivals and LADYBRILLE: I am fascinated with different events with other artists. We give the African heritage of the Choco people. Nominated at the 2009 the public an unforgettable performance! I know you three are influenced by music Latin GRAMMY’s for from across the world but specific to “Best New Artist,” LADYBRILLE: We will get into your the African continent, who are some of Colombia’s Choc Quib music soon but I’d like to explore, for our the artists or African music that has influ- Town (CQT) fuses audience, the uniqueness of your name. enced you? hip-hop, , elec- What is the history behind the group CQT: We’re influenced by a variety of Ntronica and to produce fresh Afro- name and why did you choose Choc Quib African music and artists like: K’NAAN, Colombian rhythms and messages that Town as the band name. daara-j, and Cesarea Evora. There are shine the light on Chocó. The band made CQT: Cho, Quibdo is Choco’s capital. definitely hip-hop artists that have heavily up of Tostao, Goyo (female) and Slow We chose “town” because it is our influenced us as well likeA frika Bambaata, who hail from the city of Quibdó in town and it’s a homage to our land and Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, The Fugees, Chocó have made huge impressions across our people. Lauryn Hill, Wiclef Jean, Bob Marley, Latin America among music lovers and and his children’s music. Of course we’re are slowly but surely gaining momentum also influenced by local artists from the with their U.S. debut album ‘Oro.’ Oro Pacific like: La Contundencia, Saboreo, is a compilation of 16 tracks, 9 of which Zully Mrillo, Bahia Group, Socavon, and were previously released outside of the People have been many more. US and features some of their hottest hits listening and like “Somos Pacificos.” LADYBRILLE see the same thing LADYBRILLE: There is a big reawak- Magazine caught up with the band, ening of African rhythms and sounds amidst its hectic touring schedule, to over and over again. in music, globally. Why do you think find out all we could about our Best New People are searching is driving this renewed interest? Afro-Colombian Hip-Hop Band! for new things and CQT: People have been listening and see the same thing over and over again. LADYBRILLE: What’s the story on African-influenced People are searching for new things and how you three met? Did any of you study sounds always catch African-influenced sounds always catch music or was it just a natural thing you people’s attention. people’s attention. picked up? CQT: We got together in Cali through a LADYBRILLE: I also hear salsa, connection of both coming from a region , hip-hop and so many other called the Choco. In 2000, we officially influences. How would you describe formed Chocquibtown. Tostao had some LADYBRILLE: Speaking of paying your music? musical education back in Quibdo, Choco. homage to your land and people, you say CQT: The mixture of music has always Slow and myself are brother and sister who Choco is like Africa in Colombia. What resulted in categorizing and genres. We were brought up in an environment where do you mean by that? know we play urban music but we don’t our mother was a singer and our father was CQT: We do have a lot of African have a specific genre for ourselves because a music collector. Our uncle was a music influence in our music especially in our we don’t always stick to just one style –

42 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 maybe Afro-Colombian hip-hop? It’s a new album Oro. How long did it take fresh new sound that doesn’t restrict itself to produce it? with different rhythms that create some CQT: It took about two months, more …fight for your amazing beats. or less, for the production aspect of our dreams. Don’t album. It took about a year and a half LADYBRILLE: Socially responsible for us to create the lyrics and the play or create and conscious music is a big part of your pre-productions stages of it all. music just for message. Why? approval but CQT: We come from a town where it’s LADYBRILLE: Did the music process do it as the only been exploited for its rich soil, which has come easy for you? made us to be a very poor country that has CQT:Yea, it is a natural process for us – form to share suffered a lot. it completes us. the true art form.

LADYBRILLE: Let’s talk about your LADYBRILLE: I know you all are quite breaking into the USA market. Why the busy so let me give you my final two part USA, why now? questions. You were nominated at the CQT: The music industry is going LATIN GRAMMY in 2009 as Best New through a crucial moment worldwide. Act. How did that feel? Thanks to the internet, people have the CQT: Great! It feels like you just opportunity to listen to what they discover graduated from school. It feels like you and not only what the major companies did well on your homework and they put out on the market. gave you a good grade. It’s something really special to us and all the people back LADYBRILLE: Indeed. Who are you home; that are proud of things like this. targeting in the USA with your music? CQT: We want to reach out to every LADYBRILLE: What advice do you one of all ages and to the listener of every have especially to young musicians that genre. We don’t limit ourselves to a certain will read this article? scene. Whoever wants to listen to good CQT: To fight for your dreams. Don’t music, listens to Chocquibtown. play or create music just for approval but do it as the only form to share the true art LADYBRILLE: Let’s talk about your form. ★

www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 43 | ladybrille politics Roland Martin Reflects on Obama’s Historic Run for the White

House by Kam Williams Between ’s declaring his candidacy for the Presidency and Election Day 2008, Roland Martin filed hundreds of reports about the campaign in his capacity as a political correspondent for CNN and TV-One Networks, as well as a radio talk show host and a nationally-syndicated columnist. Furthermore, Martin was also occasionally afforded access to Obama for intimate, 1-on-1 interviews. So, it only makes sense that he would decide to publish “The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin,” a book recounting Obama’s historic run for the White House.

44 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 | Ladybrille politics

ecently, Roland reflected Obama campaign was doing, so that when with Ladybrille Maga- I went on the air, I would own that space. zine’s Kam Williams We had correspondents covering several about the campaign, the candidates at once, but my approach was, book, his career and his “No, I’m going to own ‘this’ space.” family life. R LADYBRILLE: Larry Greenberg LADYBRILLE: Nice speaking with you observed that this book comes with a DVD again, Roland. Let me start by asking what of your interviews with Obama. He asks, inspired you to publish the book? why did you decide to include that? Roland Martin: I was thinking RM: I said to myself, “What could about the fact that I had written about a make this book unique?” The interviews hundred columns during the campaign, add value and were part of the coverage and I realized I could do a book on it. So, anyway. I started pulling all the radio interviews I did during the campaign, and my blog LADYBRILLE: When did you get a …you certainly posts, and my interview with Michelle good sense that Obama could actually win can tell that the Obama, and I realized I could put together the Democratic nomination? I assume weight of the an anthology from just my coverage alone. earlier than the Iowa caucuses. presidency is there, But then I thought of calling about 15 of RM: No, because, remember, everybody the celebrities I had met on the campaign thought Senator Clinton was going as it is on any trail, like Common, Chris Tucker, Jessica to get it. In hindsight, a turning point president, because Alba and Malik Yoba to speak with them was the debate before Iowa when their looks change about their involvement. And they all said, Clinton stumbled on the question about “Yeah, we’ll do it!” immigrants getting driver’s licenses in in terms of their New York. That crack in the armor gave hair color and LADYBRILLE: How did you decide Obama an opening to turn the tide. Prior their facial on the cover and on the book’s title? to that, he had been having difficulty RM: I knew I wanted it to look like those getting any traction. Obviously, Iowa expressions. It’s “Hope” and “Change” campaign posters. changed the whole game. a difficult job.I t’s Then, I was trying to figure out what the not simple at all. heck to even call it, and I remembered a LADYBRILLE: Did you find it hard book I’d read about the New York Times’ to stay objective during the campaign as If you want to age coverage of Lincoln’s election, presidency a black man? a lot of years, and death, called “Lincoln in the Times: RM: My role wasn’t to be objective. As become president. The Life of Abraham Lincoln, as Origi- a contributor, I was there to be subjective. nally Reported by The New York Times.” I was free to give opinion, and that’s how I apprached it. LADYBRILLE: Barbara Darko asks, when did you start covering the Obama LADYBRILLE: You interviewed Presi- campaign? dent Obama recently. Does he seem like RM: I was already doing my daily radio a different person, given his big drop in show, when I was signed by CNN approval ratings compared to a year ago? in February of 2007. He declared his RM: I didn’t get a sense that because candidacy that same month. At that time, of the drop in poll number things have I was trying to figure out where I fit in. changed. He’s always this person who’s on Everybody was saying, “Hillary Clinton’s an even keel. But you certainly can tell that going to get the nomination,” like it was a the weight of the presidency is there, as it foregone conclusion. But I thought “Hey, is on any president, because their looks I don’t think anybody’s paying serious change in terms of their hair color and attention to this guy.” I decided my niche their facial expressions. It’s a difficult job. was to know anything and everything the It’s not simple at all. If you want to age www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 45 | ladybrille politics

a lot of years, become president. couple of grade levels behind. I believe that charity begins at home, and I take LADYBRILLE: Publisher Sonny Jiles, seriously the role of a godfather to fill who used to be your boss when you wrote the gap when the parents aren’t doing for the Houston Defender, says, “Tell him In terms of my their job. My wife is me, and a part of I love him and to give me a call.” wife and me raising my life. When you hide that relation- RM: No problem. ship, you stop being your authentic self. my four nieces in LADYBRILLE: She also asks, “What Chicago, and also LADYBRILLE: Irene also wonders advice do you have for young journalists, taking in my sister whether when you were webmaster for given the way the industry is changing?” BlackAmericaweb you ever imagined this RM: I will say very simply, “Read! and her two kids at broad-ranging, successful development of Read! Read! Read! Read! What has our home in Dallas, your career? always helped me has been a reservoir of I felt like I couldn’t RM: Yes. Remember, I went to a commu- knowledge. So, whenever something came nications high school in Houston, with up, I could pull from historical elements speak out all around a TV station, a radio station and a news- for assistance in addressing present-day the country paper. I mastered all three media while issues. I am also careful to cultivate profes- about saving our still in high school. They tried to get me sional contacts which might come in to focus only on one in college, but I said, handy at a later time. children, if I didn’t No!” Even while I ran BlackAmericaweb, I do it at home. was news editor of Savoy Magazine, started LADYBRILLE: Children’s book author I can’t talk about the my syndicated column and published my Irene Smalls admires the fact that you education of black first book. And I was doing radio even are a true family man. You often talk before that. And I started appearing on about your wife; you are paying for nieces children, if I ignored CNN in 2002. So, I was doing 5 different and nephews to go to college. She asks, two of my nieces media even then. That was always the plan. is family fidelity and true success who were a couple I never only wanted to settle for 1. ultimately compatible? RM: I was attending an event years ago of grade levels behind. LADYBRILLE: Irene wants to know, where the question “Who are your role I believe that charity what were you thoughts after your recent models?” was raised. I heard people begins at home, trip to China? She says, “Looking at how respond with names like “Oprah Winfrey” China has treated Africa and Africans and “Bill Cosby.” I have nothing against and I take seriously do you see any problems with encour- them but no celebrity ever fed me, clothed the role of a godfather aging greater investment by China in me, helped me with my homework, drove to fill the gap when the predominately minority inner cities me to school or picked me up when it was of America?” late. It was my mom and dad. So, family the parents aren’t RM: First of all, China has invested to me is absolutely vital. Everybody can doing their job. upwards of $100 billion a year in Africa. adore you because you’re on television, My wife is me, and The Chinese certainly want access to but at the end of the day, when you’re no a part of my life. natural resources. But you have to ask longer on TV, who’s still there? It’s family. yourself, who else is investing in Africa? In terms of my wife and me raising my When you hide The Chinese are investing in dams, in four nieces in Chicago, and also taking that relationship, highways, in construction. You don’t see in my sister and her two kids at our home you stop being your the making that level of in Dallas, I felt like I couldn’t speak out commitment to the continent. I don’t all around the country about saving our authentic self. have an issue with Chinese investment in children, if I didn’t do it at home. I can’t Africa as long as there is equal trade, and talk about the education of black children, Africans are getting what they need in if I ignored two of my nieces who were a return. That’s a win-win relationship.

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LADYBRILLE: Is there any question RM: I never thought about that. I’ll have no one ever asks you, that you wish to come back to that one. someone would? RM: You got me. LADYBRILLE: The Mike Pittman question: Who was your best friend LADYBRILLE: The Teri Emerson as a child? question: When was the last time you had RM: My brother and my cousins. You a good laugh? gotta understand. My grandmother had RM: Last night. My wife and I watched 8 children. They averaged 5 kids each. Couple’s Retreat. Man, that movie was We didn’t have room for friends. I have funny! no recollection of having a sleepover at a But you have non-relative’s house. to ask yourself, LADYBRILLE: The bookworm Troy who else is Johnson question: What was the last book LADYBRILLE: If you could have one you read? wish instantly granted, what would that investing in Africa? RM: I read several books at one time. One be for? The Chinese is James Brown’s “Role of a Lifetime.” I’m RM: That not a single black kid would are investing in also reading “Twice as Good: Condoleezza drop out of school. Rice and Her Path to Power” by Marcus dams, in highways, Mabry. And Byron Pitts book, “Step Out LADYBRILLE: The Uduak Oduok in construction. on Nothing.” And Gerald Boyd’s “My question: Who’s your favorite clothes You don’t see Time in Black and White: Race and Power designer? at the New York Times,” an awesome book. RM: Sean Jean. the United States He broke it all down. And I have about making that level 60 more books waiting in the hopper. LADYBRILLE: The Boris Kodjoe of commitment question: What do you consider your to the continent. LADYBRILLE: When you look in the biggest accomplishment? mirror, what do you see? RM: Being a strong uncle to my nieces I don’t have an RM: An unapologetic black man. and nephews. issue with Chinese investment in LADYBRILLE: The Zane question: LADYBRILLE: How do you want to be Do you have any regrets? remembered? Africa as long as RM: No, because even if something RM: As a brother who didn’t give a damn there is equal trade, didn’t turn out well, it’s still a part of me what anybody thought, but he brought and Africans that makes me, me. So, I never look upon his views to every venue in an uncompro- anything as a regret. It helps you regardless. mising and unapologetic fashion. are getting what they need in return. LADYBRILLE: What is your favorite LADYBRILLE: Well, thanks for That’s a win-win dish to cook? another great interview, brother. RM: Gumbo. RM: Sounds good. Alright man, relationship. thanks a lot. ★ LADYBRILLE: The Flex Alexander question: How do you get through the tough times? RM: Through God, and an absolute belief in self.

LADYBRILLE: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory? www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 47 | Ladybrille Lifestyle A Visit to the Heart of

Darkness by Robert Harris In some ways, Ghana is Ireland with palm trees. The foliage of the plantain trees and forest canopy is of the same vibrant green of the Emerald Isle. Even the unexpected herds of goats and cattle, crossing the roads under the staff of a shepherd, remind me of the sheep waiting to surprise an inattentive driver racing down a road in County Cork. While both countries have famous castles, those of Ghana are more painful to explore. They do not offer the mirth of a visit to the Blarney Stone.

ape Coast Castle is for grilled plantains along the way. One dungeon, home to 500 slaves at a time, the a three-hour drive Ghana Cedis ($.70 US) bought four huge men’s dungeons where 1000 men were west of Accra along ones and removed all need for food for the imprisoned, and the governor’s quarters, the coast road. Roads rest of the trip. where we learned of the systematic rape in Ghana can be admission to the castle includes a of the women prisoners. The raging surf teeth rattling affairs. tour with a knowledgeable and hospitable at the base of the castle’s stone walls failed CHowever, the road to Cape Coast is one of guide. There is a museum to view, and to dampen the echo of the screams of the the better highways. It skirts the shoreline a gift shop that sells postcards, history victims of the “civilized world’s” depraved along its entire length, and a day devoted books and blessedly, cold water. The tour indifference. Millions were packaged and to a visit is well spent. There are one involves some considerable walking and sold off into slavery. The ugliness of more or two police inspections on the way, but stair climbing, and the high heat and than three centuries of European rule was we were waved on without questioning. A humidity make bottled mineral water a palpable. Walking through the “Door of few small villages have traffic lights that necessity. On the two tours I have taken, No Return” I could imagine the terror bring traffic to a standstill; street vendors I have met people from all over the world of the manacled slave being pushed to an descend on the cars with sachets of water, who had come to visit this UNESCO unknown fate. bags of plantain chips and inexplicably, World Heritage Site. i was prepared to see dungeons and tubes of super glue. My favorite was a stop The tours took me through the women’s artifacts of the history of the slave trade 48 www.ladybrillemag.com May 2010 that are much discussed in the tourist guides. However, what came as a surprise was learning that, while the ugly business of the slave trade went on, the European masters went about their daily affairs of trade, education and religion physically in the middle of the horror. Particularly jarring is seeing the small church that sits directly atop a slave dungeon. How Europeans could conduct church services, quoting the precepts of both the Old and New Testaments, while fellow humans were dying underfoot, defies understanding. It is an impression that I will never forget a more hopeful scene was the view of the beach from the castle wall. As far as the eye can see, fishermen readied their boats, and children played in the sand. Colorful flags blew in the stiff breeze. Standing on the wall of the castle, I had a clear vision of what it means to be free. The children and men were going about the important business of doing what they pleased when they pleased. In contrast to the horrors of the past their future is now in their own hands. ★

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