Big video by SMOD, a Malian Hip-Hop group. Yet another stinging critique of Africa’s dictatorial leaders. Let it out.
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Check out the latest song from emcee Nap Nat, featuring irie production from K-Salaam & Beatnick, is called “Get Control”. The tune is a call to people living life on auto pilot to take control of their existence and be original. It is featured on the forthcoming EP The Wholistic, features contributions from: Chicago’s own Pugs Atomz, dope up and coming producer duo Nez & Rio as well as the prolific production team of K-Salaam & Beatick. The Wholistic is an audio companion to Jesse Childs’ (p.k.a. Nap Nat the Napi Natural) second novel entitled Kam Remembered- available June 16th on Amazon.com
As some of you may know, Circadian Riddims is a Boston-based production camp out of Boston, MA. Since the release of our first mixtape “Four Directions” in December 2010, the crew has been spending a lot of time in the studio working on its next release, the upcoming new full length album Electric Food Vol. I. Our lead producer Felix Fantasia (who also doubles as the crew’s sound engineer) has had to take a leave of absence from his other projects in order to focus on this record, which will be a magical dub odyssey by the time we’re done tracking and mixing at the end of the summer. That’s where you come in! As independent artists, we know we are not alone (at least we hope we’re not). Still, the cost of recording, mixing, mastering, duplicating and promoting a record on a level that everyone out there can hear it, is a burden we are often tasked to bear on our own. As our families, friends and supporters, we thank you for all the support you have given and continue to give us as we keep aspiring to live out our dreams and in so-doing maybe even inspire others to do the same.
> Download free dubcast on iTunes
The short film “The Abbey” produced by kwe on the occasion of the video/DVD release of his 2002 classic “Mr. Prezident” and based on his first collection of poetry “Dirges of Becoming” is now available for viewing online. In the category of experimental films produced by an African artist, “The Abbey” is the first act in a coming saga by this poet and musician. Film and music by kwe. Camera by Mars Jupiter and Invisible Flux. Video slideshow by Cathy Cathodic. Presented by Voices of the New Millennium (VNM).
This album is the fruit of a collaboration with Circadian Riddims. As a project, it illustrates some of the best capabilities of this Boston-based production crew. From entirely live acoustic tracks to studio productions, the sound is nu and fresh. When asked about his approach to making this record, kwe responds: “Lyrically, I want this album to demonstrate the range of my vocal talent. You got some straight-up hip hop tracks (which is my musical foundation), alongside more roots-type beats with chants and singing parts/verses. Finally, you got dub poetry.” Having recently published his first collection of poetry in 2010, this album is a reflection of kwe’s growth not only as an emcee/poet, but also as a musician and artist. In anticipation of this album, a podcast release last year (Astronomy Vol. I) served as a blueprint of sorts for “Tell Dem”.
As a prelude to his upcoming album “Tell Dem”, kwe has just released a hot new video for “Mr. Prezident”. Produced by Cuzmosis and featured on kwe’s debut album “Sonrise”, the tune is being re-released as a digital download by Afro Roots Hop. “It’s a political rap that I felt was quite timely”, says kwe on the timing of this music video, which comes at a moment of great social and political upheavals throughout the Middle East and Africa. Although the song, written in the form of a letter to the president, was originally intended for Paul Biya (President of the Republic of Cameroon, and one of the longest serving leaders in Africa), its message today is relevant beyond kwe’s home-country of Cameroon.
kwe reads his poem “The Wind” at Sankofa Books, Videos & Cafe in Washington, DC (4/21/2011)
This music video shot in a day was made in Chicago for the first single off kwe’s 2002 album, Sonrise (prod. Veras Films).
Jesse Childs’ first full-length fiction novel Isaiah Eleven comes with a 6-song soundtrack featuring original productions by Sekou’deta.
Listen to the author reading excerpts on Afromedia TV.
Akwerius left his home country of Cameroon to study in France at the age of ten. Since coming to the US, he has recorded a catalog of over 100 works of music and spoken word poetry. His debut album – Rocks – came out on September 11, 2008 and is now available for download purchases on popcuts.
What do you get when an African poet-emcee connects with an American producer-emcee? A sound that can be summed up with three short words – Afro Roots Hop. The Afromerican Project started on the Southside of Chicago, where Akwerius and Nap Nat put out their first mixtape A Future Now in 2007.
Since then, this musical collective has released two mixtapes, a novel and an album with many songs and videos available on their Youtube channel – Afromedia.
