Sister Carol delivers the conscious message

Sister Carol sat down recently with Afrofusion TV to talk about her US tour with Black Uhuru’s Michael Rose, her music and acting career, her daughter’s foray into music, and the politics of reggae. We posted a short clip of her and Michael Rose chatting with us before their Washington, DC show on our blog. Here is the full interview with Sister Carol. Check it out. Bless…

The New African Films Festival showed another election film,  Jarreth Merz’s An African Election, about the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana. In similar fashion, the focus of the film was more on the fragility of the democratic process than on any one particular candidate. Although the filmmakers seemed to spend a great deal of time with former President Jerry Rawlings as he campaigned for his party’s candidate Prof. John Ata-Mills, it provided a balanced, wholesome view of the nail-biter that ended with Ata-Mills as the victor. The re-election of Johnson Sirleaf has provided fodder for a sequel that Khasu is working on, and he will soon return to Liberia to complete filming. You can watch Khasu and his dad talk to Afrofusion about their film, and about women and politics in Africa after the jump. For more information on the film, including upcoming screenings, click here. The New African Films Festival continues this week. Bless…

Director Sengbe Kona Khasu discusses his film at the AFI after the screening

Executive Producer James E. Roberts and Director Kona Khasu take questions from TransAfrica Forum's Mwiza Munthali at the AFI following the film's screening

Angolan Actor Hoji Fortuna takes questions after Viva Riva's DC Opening

won Angolan actor Hoji Fortuna a best supporting actor award for his role as Angolan gangster Cesar in the film. Viva Riva! also won best feature Film at the 2011 Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles. It was during the question and answer session at the AFI with the film’s director Djo Munga that a woman in the audience took issue with the film’s scenes of sex and violence, that she felt would serve to reinforce stereotypical images of Africa. Read more on this on our blog Afrofusion Lounge.

Loide belts out Afrolusophone Jazz at Bohemian Caverns

to Sade and Cesaria Evora. On that night in July it was her first time being back at the historic jazz club since she recorded her Live at Bohemian Caverns CD there a few years ago. As Loide made her way through covers and original compositions, she exchanged lively banter with the audience in between the songs. That interaction is vital to her, an important part of her sets, she revealed to Afrofusion TV in an interview several days after her performance. And it partly explains her repeat choice this summer of cosy, intimate Bohemian Caverns. An attorney by trade, she lists both law and singing as her passions, while acknowledging that the day job takes precedence – for now. As much as we respect her service to people as an immigration lawyer, we’d love to see and hear more of what she gives out to audiences on any given night. Loide has her next gig scheduled at another of DC’s popular jazz clubs, Blues Alley in Georgetown in October; if you missed her performance at Bohemian Caverns you might want to catch this one. In the meantime check out a portion of the interview she gave Afrofusion TV, above. For more information on Loide, you can visit her music site. Loide’s music is also available on iTunes. Bless…

Junior Marvin at Africa Underground

Afrofusion TV caught up with Junior Marvin, former guitarist with Bob Marley and the Wailers, at the Smithsonian’s Africa Underground event at the National Museum of African Art in Washington, DC on May 20. Turns out he lives in the DC area, and comes out to “have fun,” as he put it, on occasion. His pal Lenny Kurlou was the live attraction – with his Reggae All Stars band – at the second edition of Africa Underground, and they brought the heat on an already warm day to the open air Haupt Garden on the grounds of the museum. Junior Marvin graciously granted us an interview (big ups to Papa Wabe for the hook-up), revealing his new solo effort that’s on the verge of release. He has also been touring as part of his band The Original Wailers, which he formed with Al Anderson in 2008. Check out the interview, and be sure to buy his album when it comes out; it’s called “Smoking to the Big M!” You can see a video clip and more photos of some of what went down at Africa Underground 2 on our blog Afrofusion Lounge. We’re honored to feature Junior Marvin on Afrofusion TV! Respect… Bless…

Selita Ebanks in a dress by Sierra Leone's Madam Wokie's Couture

The very first Arise Magazine Fashion Week kicks off in Lagos, Nigeria next week, and runs from March 10-13. The show will feature the work of 50 top African designers that were selected by invitation only. Arise Magazine just released the schedule and, as expected, Nigerian designers dominate the list. African designers based outside the continent will also make a strong showing, with a few from the US, UK, Belgium, and France. But the panel of experts obviously didn’t just stick with established names like Nigeria’s Deola Sagoe and South Africa’s Black Coffee. Sierra Leone’s Madam Wokie’s Couture, who recently got Victoria’s Secret model Selita Ebanks to wear one of her designs, was one of a number of hot newcomers selected to showcase their collections.

Mataano means "twins" in Somali

Liberian Project Runway grad Korto Momolu was also invited, and Somalian-American (raised in DC!) twin sisters Mataano will roll out their designs on the final day. The event will kick off with a Business of Fashion conference in the morning, and each day will close with a live musical performance. Brit Music Award-winner Tinie Tempah, UK-based Estelle, and Nigeria’s own D’Banj are all scheduled to hit the stage. Arise Magazine has had successful runs with their Arise African Fashion Collective Shows at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week in 2009 and 2010. And last year they brought over 50 designers from

20 countries to the Arise Africa Fashion Week in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are hoping this year’s event in Lagos will become an annual staple to close out the world fashion week season. An award show at the close of Arise Magazine Fashion Week will announce the best of the African fashion designers, who will then participate in an inaugural Arise Magazine Fashion Gala in New York in September 2011. Stay tuned to Afrofusion for updates on all the fabulous designers putting African fashion on the world map! For the full schedule of events for Arise Magazine Fashion Week, click here. Bless…