Sean Jacobs's Blog, page 570

Paris is a Continent N°8

Loads of Paris suburbs get shouted out in this song by a cast of the city's rappers.

75 (Paris), 77 (Seine Et Marne), 78 (Les Yveline), 91 (Essonne; my suburb), 92 (Hauts de Seine), 93 (Seine Saint Denis), 94 (Val de Marne) and 95 (Val d'Oise). This a break from the usual enmity between suburbs (often manufactured to aid record sales), like the long-standing "beef" between Rohff (from the 94th) and Booba (the 92nd).

The Nordic Connection

Nordic collaboration has never looked like this before. In terms of Hip Hop this is not the first time the northern European region comes together, not even the first (or second) time Finland and Sweden collaborate, but this one goes a bit deeper as the artists that have teamed up not only represent Stockholm and Helsinki, but also the lands they fleetingly mention in their bios: Congo and Gambia. Finnish-Congolese Gracias released an EP last year and was subsequently voted as the top Finnish future musician of any genre by professionals from various music industries. The new song '40k Volts' (which comes with the above video shot in Stockholm), is from his forthcoming album (which he recorded together with the producer JTT), and it features Swedish-Gambian Eboi who to some is known as a close collaborator of Swedish-Finnish-Gambian artist Adam Tensta (his Nollywood inspired video is recommended viewing). Gracias has been making music together with Finnish-Nigerian Noah Kin and Finnish-Liberian Ekow amongst others (more about Hip-Hop artists of African origin in Finland: here).

It's all very international and drawing lines here might be both unhelpful and unnecessary. National identities are complex and it would be rather arrogant to start allocating them to artists who probably already feel frustrated over various genre and sub-genre allocations. Never mind the national identity: the artists' shared identity here is a global cultural one – the one of Hip Hop; the one adopted around the world by legions of youths of past and present who can relate, but perhaps don't fully belong, and not just in a sense that their origins lie elsewhere, but in a sense that they haven't felt embraced by the mainstream of the society they live in – regardless of their hue.

'The Real Tarzan' and other colonial fantasies

Blackbookmag.com reports that two British artists have built a "Heart of Darkness"-themed hotel in the shape of a steamboat on the roof of a Thames River arts center in London. It is named Roi des Belges (King of the Belgians). They charge between 120 and 185 pounds for singles or couples per night to stay in the hotel. "Inside, the cozy paddle steamboat is lined with timber, vintage books, and props that echo details from Conrad's works, such as maps of Africa." Two days ago, The Guardian (of all publications) put up a travel piece with this introduction: "I was alone in the middle of deepest, darkest Congo. Worse still, I was being chased by eight angry tribesmen in two dugout canoes – and they were gaining on me." We figured it must be a joke. Then there's this guy, DeWet Du Toit (in the images above and below), who left South Africa to work as a security guard in Manchester, and returned to George, a coastal town in the Western Cape region of South Africa (where else?), where he lives out his fantasy as 'the real Tarzan', complete with promotional video (he wants to break into Hollywood like Charlize and District 9), animals, black helpers (see the picture below) and friendly news coverage.

Africa is a Country on Twitter and Facebook

This is just a reminder to not forget that we also have a new @Africasacountry account on Twitter where we tweet and retweet media criticism and analysis as well as new music, sports, arts and photography. Follow us there. The same goes for our Facebook page. Like us there too.

Music Break. 2Face

The music video for "Raindrops," the latest by Nigerian pop star 2Face. Btw, what was his stance on #OccupyNigeria? Anybody know?

The Bubu Ambassador

We've posted on Janka Nabay, the Bubu King from Sierra Leone now creating his music on the US east coast. (See our previous posts here.) He has a new single, 'Eh Man Ah'. Here it is below.

Some African Cup of Nations History

This item, below, from The Guardian's (excellent) Sports Blog's weekly round-up of Youtube videos (basically random stuff they dug up from the history of sports) can help get you into the mood for today's last first round matches:

With the Africa Cup of Nations in full swing, what better time to look back at some of the tournament's standout matches and moments. In the 86th minute of the 1998 third-place play-off Ibrahima Talle put the host nation Burkina Faso 4-1 up against DR Congo. Sparked by a horrendous piece of goalkeeping, what happens in the next 180 seconds of play is remarkable. Congo would go on to win on penalties; In a similar vein, one of the best games of the 2010 edition was Mali's comeback from 4-0 down in the last 12 minutes against Angola (well worth watching for the commentator's evil-supervillain laugh as the equaliser goes in); The 1992 final that ended 11-10 on penalties; One of the best goals scored in a Cup of Nations final – Chérif Oudjani hammering home after a nine-pass move to secure Algeria their first ever title in 1990 in front of a six-figure crowd in Algiers; Zaire's Mulamba Ndaye [that's him above in a recent picture] still holds the record for goals scored in a single tournament with nine in 1974 – including both goals in the final. From way back in 1968 – highlights of the final between Congo and Ghana (featuring a unique bit of 'stretchering off'). And last but not least, here's Mido calmly accepting his substitution in the 2006 semi-final.

Oprah Winfrey's expensive South African education

The 'world' cares about South African education! OK, that's not really true. But it did pay attention recently to one school … sort of. Earlier this month the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, or OWLAG, held its first graduation. 72 of the original 75 girls walked down the aisle, to much applause and with good reason. The young women worked hard, and now they're off to University and hopefully to all that a very high-priced education can offer. One can hope.

Of course, OWLAG has had its difficulties and controversies. Allegations of abuse by staff. Allegations of slander against Oprah. Discussions of the real lesson of the Academy. After all, more than $40 million for 70 some students is a high price tag, in any country. How does that speak to the lives of disenfranchised girls and boys in South Africa … or anywhere? Must every low- and no-income community wait for a wealthy member of the rescue industry to show up?

There are many other questions about the school and many other reasons to celebrate the various accomplishments of its students, alumnae, and staff. But where does OWLAG fit, or sit, in the landscape of South African education? You won't get that answer from The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, ABC News, or CNN.

Their story is more or less the following. Once upon a time a woman named Oprah Winfrey had tea with a man named Nelson Mandela. He persuaded her to care. She invested money, lots of it, in a school for 'underprivileged' girls, girls who had suffered terrible hardships, in particular sexual violence. The school had its ups and downs. Now, the class is graduating, Oprah beams, cries and is really a very "proud mama". The end.

Context is not that much work. Why couldn't we get some?

The Guardian report did have a bit:

Results at the school, which is equipped with computer and science laboratories, a theatre and a beauty salon, stand out in South Africa's troubled education system. Of the 1 million pupils who enrolled in 2000, more than half dropped out before the final exams. Only a quarter of those who graduated did well enough to qualify for university. Earlier this week, a stampede at a Johannesburg university campus killed a mother who had accompanied her son to an application day. Thousands were vying for a few hundred spots at the university.

It's not much, but it's something.

Al Jazeera's coverage was spot on. Here's their version of the story: The school has much to celebrate. South Africa, on the other hand, has much to worry about. Even though matric passage rates this past year were at a record high, the passing grade is quite low. Many schools are without water, electricity, books, teachers, buildings. Yoliswa Dwane, of Equal Education, explains that the situation in rural and township schools is catastrophic, and that it's the fault of the State, that has persistently refused to address inequality in education … or anywhere else.

That was then, two weeks ago. Since then, nary a peep from the world press about South Africa's education. Except for The Economist, which visits Forte High School in Soweto and describes the situation as 'dysfunctional'.

Yoliswa Dwane and others blasted the State for closing down 4,500 public schools over the past five years. And guess which ones in which communities they were? Go ahead. Guess.

Various provinces report that they have a lack, in some cases a practical bankruptcy, of math and science teachers. Some schools have no electricity, while the 'posh schools' (that's private and former white schools) are using iPad 2 tablets … for every student.

The University of Cape Town's Centre for Higher Education Development estimates that less than half of the 98,000 who enrolled in universities in 2010 would pass the courses they had signed up for in three years.

And tertiary students across the country are struggling with, and protesting, rising school fees.

Meanwhile, the nation faces a crisis in which too many qualified aspirants seek too few places in University. And guess who gets left out? Go ahead. Guess. The Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has released a green paper that may or may not address that. The debate continues. The struggle continues. The nation worries about 'a lost generation'.

People beam and cry at graduations, and that's wonderful. When news organizations beam and cry, that's a blurring of vision … at best.

Friday Music Bonus Edition

It's Friday night, so we're unwinding with some nice videos. We start with Liberians Nasseman and Takun J, on a pan-African roots reggae tune.

Gin i Grindith on Johannesburg's Iapetus Records:

Emeli Sandé, the Aberdeen, Scotland pop singer:

Lil Kiss representing Angola on the House-y side of things:

And I couldn't help but Love this Brooklyn shout out by Pete Rock, Smif N Wessun & Freeway.

Thandie Newton cast in Biafran War movie; some opposed: she's "bi-racial" and "not Igbo"

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I confess that I have never been able to finish Chimamanda Adichie's second novel, "Half of a Yellow Sun," set during the Biafran War in the late 1960s. (Btw, it won high praise from mainstream Western critics. See here, here and here.) By the time I finally do finish it, the film version will probably be in theaters. The Nigerian-British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (highlights: Dirty Pretty Things and Inside Man) has already agreed to star in the film adaptation, alongside with Dominic Cooper (Captain America). This week Screen Daily reported that Zimbabwean-Brit actress Thandi Newton (credits: Crash, Mission Impossible) will be a female lead. Not everyone is happy with the choice of Newton as a female lead. There's already a strange online petition to have Newton replaced with a Nigerian actress. The petition notes, among others, that "… Igbo people do not look like the bi-racial Thandie Newton." You can read similar comments on posts about Newton's casting at the popular film blog Shadow and Act here and here. 

* Btw, separate from casting issues, the previous credits of the two producers of "Half of a Yellow Sun" include "The Last King of Scotland" and "The Constant Gardener," both films noted for their problematic treatments of African subjects. As for Ejiofor, he has played Africans on screen before. In "Dirty Pretty Things" he was excellent as an African migrant caught up in the goings on at a seedy London hotel, while in the not-so-good "Red Dust" he played an activist appearing before South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He has also played Thabo Mbeki in the made-for-TV movie "Endgame."