We were introduced to vENv at the always dope Sehiii (“Pronounced Say-Hi, don’t forget the third eye”) in Brooklyn, NY. “Simply put, Victor ‘vENv’ Arumemi is a creator. A multi-hyphenate (I promise, it’s a real word) who believes in the power and purpose of bringing the things that lie within the imagination to life. Whatever the medium may be, art is all around us and it should be embraced and experienced by every soul, starting with yours.” Watch the videos below for a sneak peek into vENv’s artistry. Check out his instagram @venvthetrbldhrt and soundcloud for whole shebang!
With all the unnecessary fuss over the tweet from @AyeshaCurry regarding game six of the 2016 NBA Finals and the general capitalistic nature of entertainment, I feel like we need to show this Black woman some love! In this June tweet, the famous Mrs. Curry defended her husband on social media.
She has nothing to apologize for. Ayehsa’s name is legendary. And since there are already a dozen stories out there about the tweet, we’re taking this in a totally different direction. Here at @TajiMagazine, we ADORE Ayesha and we want to celebrate her with the rest of the powerful Black women out there. Here is a list of 10 of the greatest songs featuring powerful Black women from the year Ayesha Curry was born: 1989. (They also happen to describe how we feel about her royal Curry-ness).
10. Aretha Franklin: Think
9. Janet Jackson: Rhythm Nation
8. Salt-N-Pepa: Expression
7. Anita Baker: Giving You The Best That I Got
6. Patti Labelle: If You Don’t Know Me By Now
5. Roberta Flack: Oasis
4. Jody Watley: Real Love
3. Soul II Soul: Keep On Movin’
2. Karyn White: Superwoman
1. Janet Jackson: Miss You Much
Of course, we couldn’t close out this list and neglect this classic honorable mention. That’s rigght, you guessed it. Another Bad Creation: “Iesha”
So Ayesha, for the moments when the money hungry machine known as the NBA aint your type of hype or you feel like the media is criticizing every little step you take, we love you!
The Soweto Street Culture Arts Festival #SSCAFest2016 is proudly South African with authentic local street culture, live Contemporary Jazz & Hip Hop music, Literature, Art & Independent Film screenings.
Here, visitors can experience authentic street culture, fashion, music, stalls, gourmet, colour festival and so much more! The perfect way to experience Soweto and socialize with all of the artists.
VILAKAZI STREET in Soweto, South Africa is well-known for its rich history, particularly for its place in the struggle against apartheid. Given this, it is one of the main tourist attractions in Joburg, and the country.
‘Talent Over Everything Sessions’
‘TOES’ is a hip hop based duo consisting of musicians Thabiso Thabethe and Prodigenius. The band blends alternative folk music with rap to create a unique hip hop sound and style. Their music is influenced by artists such as HHP, Freshly Ground, and The Parlotones.
The band originated in Winterveld (Sgandi), South Africa in 2014, when this dynamic team started off by performing concerts in Prodigenius’ father’s backyard. This developed into door to door music sessions, music mobs on the streets, performing on trains in Winterveld, and around Pretoria. TOES is currently performing music from Thabiso Thabethe’s 9 track EP tiled “SHEBAH” and The Genius Touch’s 10 track EP titled “Kastom Kult,” both released in 2016 independently through hard copies and Soundcloud.
‘Zimbabwe Showing Flames’
LYNOL BROWN
This multi-talented young man born in Gweru Zimbabwe was named after legend Lionel Richie. He is an Afro Contemporary artist with a mixture of Pop and Afrisoul.
“Copying denies collaboration as it is a trade amongst artist. It also affects musicians and lead to them forgetting they are the product.” When he arrived in SA, he realised that he’s going to represent his identity and culture. His main aim was to send a clear, outspoken message understood by all.
“Copying kills the potency in the art.”
Ringo Madlingozi and Oliver Mtukuzi better watch out for the tremor approaching!!!
“You’ll never go anywhere nor be recognised if you do not want to learn. Team effort is success, and with our different skills the world is just an oyster. Learn to stand your ground and take yourself seriously in order for people to. Believe in your craft and be unapologetic about it, and most importantly give and receive.” His advice to people is to wait for your time, stick to what you do best and let it manifest as our fruits have different seasons.
“Happiness is what keeps me going.”
Many thanks to the @THEBOXSHOP for hosting this prestigious event…
DEAR AFRICA…
‘MY SCARS’
“The more difficult the process to become whole again;
The pain may fade but scars serve as a reminder of our suffering, and make the bearer all the more resolved and never to be wounded again.
So as time moves along, we get lost in distractions, act out in frustration, and react with aggression giving into anger and all the while we plot and plan as we wait to grow stronger, and before we know it, the time passes. We are healed, ready to begin a new…”
‘MAMA AFRICA’
BY MANTALA NKOATSE
A seed like myself only needs to develop into roots
Feel the breath of Mother Earth in my Habitat; give a Shelter to Bugs or Sparrows.
I need to feel Mother Earths tears in my habitat, Let her Sunshine nurture my lungs.
I need to grow, I need to be an example of strength, I need to be a firm stem.
I need to be like Green Leaves Clothed in Mamas Favourite Green dress, I need to be Chlorophyll.
I need to gain beauty from my petals, I the seed; want to become a Flower!
I want to make butterflies smile as I take my duties of Brightening the World.
For the World needs to be mothered before it turns an orphan.
Dear mama Africa; I need my Great Gran Children to Enjoy the Pleasures of your beauty like my ancestors did before they died.
I don’t want to fear War that will leave my habitat in draught, I don’t want to see my Petals wither, chasing butterflies away.
I don’t want to fear the Sparrows that will be left homeless. I don’t want to fear anything.
I want to be in nature, I want your picture to inspire me to emancipate my mind. I want to relish on your ground after I’ve turned an ancestor.
Mama Africa, I want your beauty to remain timeless
Now, Dear Mother! Hear my cry when I call upon your name. Forgive my sins for I have polluted your breath with smoke and I let the World disturb your music, created by birds and the Ocean.
Forgive me for I have demolished some of the habitats to gain the pleasures of my material self, I have realized that the World is not as Important as you are because you gave birth to the World.
Mother, without you there’s no more me, or birds or butterflies or trees or the ocean
Dear Mother Africa. Stay Strong and quench my strength with your mountains, inspire my beauty with all that you are, provoke my emotions with your ocean. Mama Africa, please keep clean for the sake of your legacy.
DanceAfrica 2016: The photos say it best. DanceAfrica always brings out the most beautiful melanated beings of all ages and eccentricities. The festival has tons of Black Owned vendors and the actual DanceAfrica show held at BAM is cultural significant, magnificent, and necessary!!
In this edition of Lindi Roaming the Streets, Lindi explores South Africa’s The Social Market Pretoria.
“The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Being black is not a matter of pigmentation – being black is a reflection of a mental attitude.Black Consciousness is an attitude of the mind and a way of life, the most positive call to emanate from the black world for a long time” ~ Steve Bantu Biko’.
She labels herself as a socio-artist for the reason that she does her social work through art. This 23 year old was born in the dusty streets of Alexandra (Johannesburg, South Africa), a one square mile township filled with music, art, and the reality of nature’s life. She discovered a poet in herself at the age of fifteen, when she was introduced to Hip-Hop. In 2011 she became a part of a global girl activism movement; The V-girls and has been an art-activist since. She was inspired to host intellectual dialogues in her community as she saw the need for discussions in her community. Her highlight of 2012 was when she performed for an opening speech of the South African President, Mr. Jacob Zuma during the Alexandra Centenary Celebration. Her first book, published by Diaspora Publishers (2014), was titled “Psychological Cripple,” with the help from a beautiful soul named Barbara Mhangami-Ruwende.
Born of South African/Zambian decent and the influence of fine arts within the family, he started photography straight after high school. “Oh haha, did I mention that this was done with an iPhone?”
Ron Ndlovu’s passion for photography gradually became hunger, which led him to refrigeration and other odd jobs to save up for his dream. His first baby was a SONY NEX F3, a small entry level camera which did the job.
Through his regular posts on social media he was spotted, and did small gigs at kid’s parties and lifestyle shoots which later developed into a series of NOIR shots. This became his niche and led to the birth of GreyScale.
At an amateur stage, he did charity to large scale events, learning the ins and outs of the industry.
This multi-talented young man takes time to consult with up and coming musicians helping with song writing and production. “Secretly, I too can hold a note” he reckons…
“The world is black and white, but every story has a shade of grey”
Is that even possible in the conformed world we live in? Is it???
Well, these young geniuses from Venda (Limpopo Province) South Africa have flipped the stereotypes to what we call “CULTURE”. The Social Market Pretoria started in September 2014, whereby a platform for young entrepreneurs was created, to uplift and showcase their work in an inviting atmosphere of color, fashion, music, artistry and, most importantly, freedom of self-expression.
“We like everything about this movement, to us it’s like a beautiful African sunrise. One of the many signs of a very much alive African youth – the future not only looks beautiful, but also business minded and fierce in its expression.”
“We saw a demand for a space in Pretoria where people with the same artistic, creative mind set could meet up and enjoy good music and company while being themselves,” says co-founder Maitele Wawe. Creating a social economy in the capital city, the market provides a platform for budding entrepreneurs to sell their products in a fresh environment.
From thrift stores to the latest hair products and the tastiest gourmet food, it’s all there to be explored.
“The difference is the nonconformity of the fashionistas that gather every first Sunday of the month, rocking crazy beautiful outfits that left us feeling as though we were flipping pages from a 3D fashion catalogue.”
Before the Social Market, Pretoria had very limited spaces for creatives to come together and share ideas. Since its birth, word has been traveling across social media networks that the Social Market is the place to be.
Pretoria has always had an inscrutable nature about it, particularly where art and creativity is concerned. The social market is a brilliant concept thought of by a vibrant collective of creatives who want to not only build and preserve culture and fashion in Pretoria, but also want to empower other young people, creative or not.
Champions aren’t made in gyms. They are made from something they have deep down inside them – a desire, a dream, and a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.
This trio is what we refer to as the FASHION REBELS!
“The challenge about success is keeping quiet about it”
Recently Ms. Reign released a music video for her track “Boom Boom Clap”. The song focuses on political influence and how it affects the 99%. Or, in layman’s terms, it’s about politics, prostitutes, education, and fighting the system. We encourage you to watch it, enjoy it, and feel free to share it! Check for more Ms. Reign on MissReignProductions.bandcamp.com.
Oya: Rise of the Orishas is an action packed superhero film starring resurrected mythical deities from African Folklore, known as the Orishas, as modern day superheros. Oya is written, directed and produced by rising filmmaker Nigerian Nosa Igbinedion.
The films’ main star, Adesuwa, is administered with the mighty task of channeling the energy of goddess Oya to find her kidnapped missing daughter Rebecca. In the beginning of the story we witness as Adesuwa humbly calls upon her connection to Oya and is given electrifying new powers in the face of evil. Ade’s job is to keep the doorway between the world of man and the Orishas firmly shut because if the Orishas pass through they will reap their revenge and wreck havoc on Earth.
Ade’s challenges are no small feat. She is up against an army of many dangerous men and woman who would love nothing more than to kill her for sacrifice like her daughter – or worse – trap her and hold her hostage to use her powers against her will.
As we see in the Orishas’ trailer, Ade is strong, powerful and precise. While Ade’s challenge is no small feat, she skillfully knocks out the Orisha gatekeepers to get closer to saving her daughter only to be put knocked down in a trance by the next challenger who claims that the daughter she seeks was not the key to the Orishas, but Ade herself is the key and she has walked right into the trap.
We are left hungry for more as the twelve-minute trailer ends with Ade and her daughter being reunited only for Ade to realize that her daughter has been captured to be a hypnotized medium between Ade and the Orishas and it is Ade who the Orishas truly wanted.
According to OkayAfrica.com we can expect to see more from Igbinedion in the future as his talent has recently scored him a Rising Talent award for the Oya: Rise of the Orishas film and a 2015 Screen Nations Award in London. Oya: Rise of the Orishas has enjoyed successful screenings in Nigerian, Brazilian, American, and European film festivals and Igbinedion’s production company Igodo Films revealed that the film has been adapted for the silver screen1.
Igbinedion says he made the film “in order to prove that there is a market for sci-fi films revolving around African Characters and storylines1.” Plans have also been confirmed for a comic-book spin off of the film.
Currently the twelve-minute trailer can be viewed below:
Black Girls in Rome is a scripted web series that follows the life and adventures of a young Black woman who decides to give Italy a try after suffering a broken heart in New York. The storyline is loosely based on the life of Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, a native of Texas who has spent the better part of the last decade in the eternal city. Dr. Pizzoli is the writer, director & executive producer of the project. Renowned Dominican-Italian actress Iris Peynado plays a role in the series and serves as an associate producer.
Black Girls in Rome: Ever consider quitting your life as you know it and starting fresh… abroad?
Comprised of eight episodes, the show highlights not only typical Roman life, but the type of existence that can be crafted, honed and enjoyed in a new and drastically unfamiliar environment if one simply has the courage to leap. A reflection of modern times and struggles both in New York and Italy, Black Girls in Rome depicts a thirty-something year old woman of color’s narrative with an exciting amount of international mobility. Scenes for the show were shot in New York, Rome and Marrakech, Morocco. At a time when the need for positive Black imagery and narratives as well as accurate representation of Black culture is sorely needed, Black Girls in Rome offers a visually and mentally dazzling getaway for viewers and looks to delight with its content.
Black Girls in Rome will debut in the spring of 2016. The trailer can be viewed here:
For additional information and updates, you’re welcomed to visit pizzolimedia.com.
Chef Quincy and his team beautifully caters Mary Ann’s surprise birthday party! Watch the video below for a look at how wonderfully it was executed! Follow him on instagram at @chefQuincy and check for him in the “Featured Dish” section of Taji Mag Vol 6!
The Soweto Street Culture Arts Festival #SSCAFest2016 is proudly South African with authentic local street culture, live Contemporary Jazz & Hip Hop music, Literature, Art & Independent Film screenings.
‘MY SCARS’
This young lady spews Consciousness.
Born of South African/Zambian decent and the influence of fine arts within the family, he started photography straight after high school. “Oh haha, did I mention that this was done with an iPhone?”
Oya: Rise of the Orishas is an action packed superhero film starring resurrected mythical deities from African Folklore, known as the Orishas, as modern day superheros. Oya is written, directed and produced by rising filmmaker Nigerian Nosa Igbinedion.
Black Girls in Rome is a scripted web series that follows the life and adventures of a young Black woman who decides to give Italy a try after suffering a broken heart in New York. The storyline is loosely based on the life of Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, a native of Texas who has spent the better part of the last decade in the eternal city. Dr. Pizzoli is the writer, director & executive producer of the project. Renowned Dominican-Italian actress Iris Peynado plays a role in the series and serves as an associate producer.