Entertainment News. Titbits

Salif keita; Learn to tweet!

When Malian singer Salif Keita joined twitter on April 19th 2009, he tweeted excitedly “I am on twitter…trying to figure out how this works”.

More than four years later, he has tweeted a modest eight times @salifkeita. Not surprisingly, two of his tweets were campaign messages. “Hello to everyone”, he tweeted on April 16th 2009, “let’s fight racism and stereotypes”. On Apil 17 2009, he posted a link titled “Fight for Albinos”. The same day, he posted another link to his music on myspace. His last tweet December 8th 2010 was a messaege @ThePatriciashow. Then his account went dead. Well Mr Keita, you need to learn tweet tricks to survive in this tweeting universe. We can offer our services to your twitter account for a small fee. Tweet!

ROZAY: Young Banker with a million dollar voice

Zambian born Rose Msisha is a banker, but has managed to sing her way into the music industry with ease.

She has released a nine-track album titled “Nafuza”, Some of the songs include “Awisi Junior” and “Wenye”.

Rozay. Mixing bank notes with musical notes

Rose the banker still likes the feel of money so has not left her banking post but Rozay the singer has decided to remain a singing banker.

When singing, she never tells her fans she also works for a local bank.

Rosay explains to Iroko Africa why she is keeping both jobs:

“Music for me is a passion. I was born a singer, but I was made a banker. That is enough to keep me in the studio. I know that there is this wrong perception about musicians especially here in Zambia but it doesn’t matter to me. In fact, sometimes people smile when they see me working in a bank and they look forward to coming again”.

 Produced by Marrie, Rozay’s debut album is dedicated to victims of broken relationships though to single mothers. The album features T.Sean, Naso and Flexville Marlley Valetta among others.

 Born into a family of singers (her sister Franciar is a rapper) Rozay started singing in 2006 when she released her first single.

London/Africa;  African Fashion week London kicks off Thursday.

Tickets are fast running out for the 3rd edition of African Fashion Week London whick kicks off this Thursday August 1-3 2013. The event will now take place at the much larger Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane in London. Organizers say all exhibitions open at 11am and close at 10pm on Thursday and 10.30pm on friday and saturday.

Those interested in buying tickets must do so before they run out. Check for information from their website here

AFWL models. Bringing African fashion to London

 Nigeria. Sales of Americanah By A Chimamanda doing fine

There are indications the sales of the latest book by Nigerian born writer Adichie Chimamanda Americanah are doing well. The book recounts the story of two Nigerians who have to make difficult choices in and out of Nigeria, the country of their birth.

Ifemelu and Obinze are lovers while they are in school in Lagos, Nigeria.  Ifemelu is forced to flee the country because of the brutality of the military regime. While abroad, she faces all kinds of difficulties, falls in and out of love but later publishes a very successful blog. Her school sweetheart Obinze cannot get a visa to meet her in America. She later returns to Nigeria and re-ignites her love with Obinze, now a successful businessman.

The two lovers must now make the biggest decisions in their lives. Americanah treats the issues of race, love, fidelity, loyalty and love for country in a compassionate way as only Chimamanda can do. It is a must read.

Adichie Chimamanda. No one like you

Congo DR. Patrice Lumumba remembered

His time as Prime Minister latest for just six weeks but the legacy Patrice Lumuber left in fomer Zaire still affects the country five decades later.

 “A season in the Congo” is a play about the meteoric rise and then quick fall from power of Zaire’s first democratically elected Prime Minster Patrice Lumumba. According to the play’s director Joe Wright, “It’s about how the injustices of the past have shaped the injustices of the present…how economic colonialism is still being perpetuated today by a different cast of politicians, nations and corporations”.

“A season in the Congo” is a dramatic portrayal of the 1960s play by Caribbean writer Aime Cesaire but it brings back to life things that happened 50 years ago and that shaped Congo DR today.

Patrice Lumumba. Ghose still haunting Congo DR 50 years later

In killing Lumumba with the help of some foreign powers, then military Officer Mobutu Sese Seko invariably killed democracy in Congo DR,

Mobutu went on to rule the mineral rich central African country for 32 years and was only driven out of office by rebel leader Laurent Desire kabila who assumed power but is himself killed in office. Congo DR is today a war ravaged country led by the son of the assassinated kabila. Lumumba’s ghost is apparently still running amok in Congo DR; he wants revenge. “A Season in the Congo” is a 3 hour extravaganza that has been shown in London but the director is hoping to take the play to Congo DR very soon