NEWS: The Africa Express Musicultural Festival on Wheels

Musical politics on The Africa Express

Today The Africa Express rolls into London, a train carrying musicians from both the African and Western sphere. Having toured Middlesbrough, Glasgow, Cardiff and Bristol, Gorillaz and Blur frontman Damon Albarn is leading the crew of over 80 musicians back to Kings Cross.

Kano, Paul McCartney & Damon Albarn

Arriving at the point of multiculturalism, the creatives coming out of their respective genres including Hip Hop, Rock, Afrobeats and Electronic have all mixed, jammed and caboosed in the name of musicianship. Achieving influence from environment including schools, factories and shopping centres, the forged musical assortment has built a platform to display genuine artistry.

Cotching within the festival on wheels are the UK’s own Afrikan Boy and Kano part of the West collective, met by reps of Africa Tony Allen and Nneka. Spontaneity, mash-ups and relentless advertising of diversity are clear. It almost reads like a bunch of musicians re-living their glory days that are too real for this gimmick stuff. Shame it’s sponsored by London 2012. Screams post-racist Britain but makes you wonder if there’s a class system in place among the carriages. But I suppose the point is if Rizzle Kicks can manage to vibe well with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble or land a successful soundcheck with Femi Kuti, then genre crossovers should be a thing not reserved only for remixes and diversity campaigns.

www.africaexpress.co.uk

REVIEW: Izzy Veron @ The Fiddlers Elbow

Unintentional low profile gigs remind me of busking: Unpretentious, raw, yet still a demand for attention. Musicians are more honest during their humble beginnings, and quietly confident grafter Izzy Veron testified to this when I rolled up to The Fiddlers Elbow - a fitting modest setting detached from the buzz of Camden.

Izzy, centre-stage, remains a strong voice to resuscitate UK R&B

Izzy managed to blur the punk-postered venue to set a potent chill R&B feel. Among the supportive accolades and braps from friends, Izzy led us through the emotions of three self-written tracks. Conveying desire via voyeuristic lust in Alien Boy, Izzy wrapped the set up with He Said (Acoustic), her most worked on track (prod. by Enjay) which she noticeably came alive in that narrates the echoes of the deeply felt past we hear on second track, Reminisce:

I need to wake up in about three hours, get in the shower, gotta go to work, 'cause I like getting money...

Striking the correct chords in her ability to vibe and emote an independent South London sass that resonated through Fiddlers, pouncing wall-to-wall of a venue with room to be filled. Guided by the impressive capabilities of guitarist Elliott Blackler and drummer Tom Clarke, Izzy kept it short, sweet and effective in her particular range of timeless romantic tales. Check out the one on false promises, her debut video He Said:

REVIEW: Watch The Throne, The Divine Right of Kings

Righteous album art, Watch the Throne

The announcement of Jay-Z and Kanye West's European Watch the Throne Tour and acquiring tickets has given me the push to bump the album review I wrote in August, when it was released. It's done very well, mainly because they figured out a way to amp listeners up while also discussing status issues. Remember when Kanye would frequently go on ostentatious Twitter rants? Turns out that was relevant and not the musings of a mad man without a Publicist. Note: Niggas in Paris is rinsed, but rightly so. That Mary-Kate & Ashley pun is tough, but when Kanye asserts:

What’s Gucci my nigga?/What’s Louis my killa?/What’s drugs my dealer?/What’s that jacket, Margiela? 

He is performing two jobs. On one hand, he's saluting the hood. On the other, he references aspects of luxe life in a crescendo as he graduates into higher status; second in command to Jay-Z. It's an identity game where he almost says recognise me, hood to Hollywood. During his early College Dropout days Kanye's extent of fashion awareness was limited to Louis Vuitton. A bit Mickey Mouse, he used to go by Louis Vuitton Don. But he's developed, and he wants us to know work ethic has him able to identify and stunt in Maison Martin Margiela. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Check it out:

Jay-Z & Kanye West perform Niggas in Paris over 3 times @ London 02

In a genre where flossing remains prominent, razzle dazzle is a great strategy for a rap release. Wrapped in a sparkling gold album cover with tag-team rhymes in between extended king metaphors, the  conflations of greatness that classifies Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne bedazzles listeners into an examination of their rap Kingdom. Moving from mature insights into material wealth (Gotta Have It) and justified bragging rights (Niggas in Paris), to a humanised inspection of their status as rap Gods introduced by 'New Day', the pair crush anticipations of an anticlimactic album laced in currency rhymes by driving their regal theme home: ‘I tried to teach niggas how to be kings’ (Why I Love You). Acting as lyrical instructors on how to "crawl before you ball", Carter and West claim authority, asserting that we watch and learn and prove that they are befitting kings by consistently offering creative conceptual raps, fulfilling their duties. Bow down.