OBITUARY | Agencies | The death of famed Zimbabwean musician and social commentator lovingly known as “Tuku” on Jan.23 plunged the African continent in mourning. He died at Harare’s Avenues Clinic after battling diabetes for years. An inimitable lyricist and charismatic performer, he was a shining beacon on the …
Read More »Officials arrest rapper 21 Savage saying he is in US illegally
New York, United States | AFP | Rapper 21 Savage, who has long said he is from the US state of Georgia, was detained on Sunday by US immigration officers who say he is actually British and overstayed his visa. The news sent shockwaves through social media as the Grammy-nominated 26-year-old …
Read More »Nshuti Mbabazi: The girl who covers the greats
`If the music is good, I fall in love and do a cover for it’ Kampala, Uganda | AGNES E NANTABA | Nshuti Sarah Mbabazi has become famous for doing cover versions of songs by some of Uganda’s top musicians. Her Facebook videos have become a sensation. She has covered …
Read More »‘Black Panther’ wins big at screen actors guild awards
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ground-breaking superhero blockbuster “Black Panther” on Sunday won the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards — a major boost to its campaign for Oscars happening this February. AFP reports that the film won for best ensemble cast, besting musical romance “A Star Is …
Read More »Hip-hop turns 40 — and its parents are beaming with pride
Washington, United States | AFP | Forty years ago, hip-hop was little known outside its birthplace, New York — until the Sugarhill Gang decided to record their rhymes, launching the genre’s rise as a dominant cultural and commercial force. The result was the group’s 1979 smash “Rapper’s Delight” — which is …
Read More »As R. Kelly outrage festers, will music embrace #MeToo?
New York, United States | AFP | The #MeToo movement has shaken a number of industries including Hollywood in recent years, but the world of popular music has mostly shied from embracing the crusade. In a business long associated with seedy behavior, few artists have faced rejection for actions or allegations, …
Read More »Beautiful art waits in Kla’s non- traditional spaces
Beautiful art: More energy, creativity, and innovation without traditional hindrances of space or materials Kampala, Uganda | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | Kampala is witnessing a mushrooming of non-traditional art spaces on the local art scene. Different from traditional museums and galleries, none traditional art spaces in Kampala include Design Hub …
Read More »Oscar nominations: all the fun facts
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | The nominations for the 91st Oscars were announced Tuesday, with “Roma” and “The Favourite” leading the pack. But the statistical quirks that the annual event throws up can be as intriguing as tracking which movies get the most nods. Here are some fun …
Read More »US video game industry scored $43.4 bn record sales in 2018
San Francisco, United States | AFP | From “Fortnite” to “Pokemon Go,” play in the US drove video-game industry revenue to a record-setting $43.4 billion last year, according to data released Tuesday. Spending on games in the US in 2018 climbed 18 percent from the previous year, according to figures from …
Read More »‘Gov’t regulations on music not aimed at Bobi Wine’
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The proposed regulation on artists and music is not in any way targeting Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, according to the Gender, Labor and Social Development State Minister. Recently, government published a set of regulations targeting artists and the music industry. The proposed …
Read More »