YouTube has revealed the names of African creators who have been selected to join a global cohort of 135 from around the world, in its flagship #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund initiative.
As part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund Class of 2022, each of the 26 African YouTubers selected will receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels. They will also take part in bespoke and hands-on training, workshops, and networking programmes.
The African
Read more »Join Bands, Not Gangs offers music lessons to vulnerable teens in dangerous Western Cape neighbourhoods, encouraging those at risk to choose an instrument rather than a gun, Jan Bornman of New Frame reports.
Join Bands, Not Gangs works with prevention and intervention in mind. The music classes prevent at-risk youth from entering gangs by giving lessons to children between eight and
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Despite low rates of internet access and high data costs across the continent, many African musicians, comedians and artists have boosted their online presence during Covid-19 to forge links with fans and potential backers overseas. Overthrust, a small heavy metal band in Botswana was forced to also go digital - a move which helped them find new audiences abroad and unexpected financial support as donations started pouring in - from cash to guitar strings.
Another group known as the
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For most people around the world, the music industry represents glamour, fame, riches and influence. On the inside though it is famously opaque, litigious and corrupt. If South Africa is to create a vibrant local industry that will benefit aspirant musicians, then far more transparency is needed.
South African musicians say the local music industry has gone into a catastrophic decline, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Whoever controls the money, controls the industry. And part of
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Africa is representing the best artists in the game.
Nigerian music superstar, Ayo Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has bagged two nominations at the 64th Grammy Awards. Wizkid was nominated in the 'Best Global Music Performance' category for 'Essence', his collaborative song with Tems. Essence recently became the first Nigerian song to crack the highly coveted music chart and the third in
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Somali filmmaker Khadar Ahmed has won the top prize at the FESPACO film festival in Burkina Faso for The Gravedigger's Wife, which he wrote and directed.
The film is also Somalia's first official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2021 Academy Awards.
The popular festival was initially set for February 27 - March 6, 2021, but was postponed because of the novel coronavirus pandemic and six years of a brutal insurgency. Burkina Faso is also in
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An ambitious project to raise awareness about rising insecurity and mass displacement in the Sahel has resulted in an original musical score from Mali songwriter Vieux Farka Touré. In partnership with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Toure's A Song For The Sahel, highlights the crisis in many countries of the region, while also spotlighting its rich musical heritage.
"This song
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The music label, Tuku Music and Promotion, owned by the late music icon Oliver Mtukudzi, has been summoned to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of failing to submit income tax returns and Value Added Tax to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. The label allegedly failed to submit tax returns from July 2019 to December 2020.
The popular musician died in 2019 in Harare after a long battle with diabetes mellitus. Tuku released his 67th album 10 months before his death and was
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Controversial politician and member of parliament for Norton Constituency Temba Mliswa has told Dendera music prodigy Sulumani Chimbetu not to involve himself in politics, but rather to stick to his music. This comes after the singer popularly known as Sulu, ruffled some ruling party members with the lyrics of the song Chirwere. Sulu says it is taboo to install a king during the month of November, which in most Shona cultures is considered a sacred month. President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed the top
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The 27-year-old dancehall musician Stephen Kudzanai Mamhere, popularly known as Enzo Ishall, has hinted at plans to quit the music scene in 2021. In an Instagram post, he said that his last offering will be dropped on September 1, 2021. He however did not disclose his future plans. The singer rose to fame in 2018 with hit track Kanjiva, dominating the airwaves. He churned out several chart-topping tracks including; Smart Rinotangira Kutsoka, 50 Magate and Mhamha, among others that have done
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