Why I didn't attend the Grammy Awards" - Femi Kuti

"Everybody was worried why I didn't go. I said I would not travel because it's not my thing. After the Kora Awards, I didn't like the feelings I got. I nearly suffered high blood pressure. 'And the winner is...' Everybody was apprehensive. And when they pronounced me the winner of West Africa, and they wanted to do the overall, I refused to come out. I didn't go into music because of that; not to go and sit in one hall and be pronounced a winner or not. I didn't want that.

I know how I started, I was playing for three people who were my friends. They used to laugh at me. I would play for five hours until I got a break in France, Switzerland and Germany, then I moved all over. I was in Spain, Italy and I conquered Europe and I then I entered America. It took me nearly ten years before I entered America. To be nominated, is it a small thing? Do you know how many artists we have in this world? Already I have drank champagne over it.

I'm not disappointed one bit about not winning. The resaon I did not win are technical reasons. It's not by the sale of the album. There are judges and they must have their reasons for picking whoever they picked. I was even shocked to have been nominated again, because the first time I went to the awards during my first nomination, I walked out in annoyance. First I thought we were going to be televised, but it wasn't. They only televised the Madonna's, the Jay Z's and the Beyonce's of this world. I was 41 then and everybody by my side was apprehensive to win and I could not stand it. I was upset.

When I arrived at the red carpet, nobody came for me, my record company didn't come, I felt stupid and so I knew I could not win. I sacked my manager, a French man, and they sacked me too. The journed back home was very long. I felt sad. Since then I vowed never to attend the Grammy Awards again. My father never went for any awards, and where they presented him an award, he didn't go personally and when they brought the award to him, he would send them back with the award. One day, I was at the World Music Awards and I brought the awards, he said did I send you? You better take it back. As I grew older, I understood what he was saying then." ~ Femi Kuti.

Fifa President Sepp Blatter blasts South Africa critics

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has hit back at critics of South Africa hosting the World Cup.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has said awarding the tournament to South Africa was "the biggest wrong decision" Fifa has made.

But Blatter says these comments mask a disrespectful prejudice.
"It's an anti-Africa prejudice. There is still in the so-called 'old world' a feeling that why the hell should Africa organise a World Cup."

Hull manager Phil Brown has previously said the terrorist attack on the Togo team bus in Angola which killed two members of the support staff put a question mark against this summer's finals. But Blatter said: "I think it's a nonsense to combine what has happened in Angola, a terrorist attack for political reasons, and mix it up with the World Cup in South Africa.

"In Germany people like Uli Hoeness and also representatives of the professional leagues are saying we should not go there. But every year 11 million tourists go to South Africa and nobody says they should not go there.

"Colonialists over the past 100 years have gone to Africa and taken out all the best things, and now they are taking all the best footballers. There's no respect."

Africa's first ever World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg on 11 June.
BBC

Beyonce and Alicia Keys in Brazil for video shoot

Here are pictures of Beyonce and Alicia Keys on set in Brazil for the video for their duet “Put It In A Love Song”. Alicia’s shots were filmed near the historic Jesus Christ The Redeemer statue, but most of Beyonce’s shots were set on a bus. Check it out...

Spotted at linda ikeji blog

Wale- My Sweetie (Official Video)

Wale- "My Sweetie (Official Video)"
(WAVY Exclusive), off "Attention Deficit".

Goodluck Jonathan now Nigeria’s president

For once, democracy is working in Nigeria. Jonathan told the nation in a televised address Tuesday night that he had assumed power as acting president and commander in chief of the country of 150 million people. He urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for elected President Umaru Yar'Adua, who left Nigeria for Saudi Arabia on Nov. 23. Yar'Adua's physician has said the 58-year-old, who long has suffered from kidney ailments, is being treated for acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.

"The events of the recent past have put to the test our collective resolve as a democratic nation," Jonathan said. He later added: "We have all shown that our unity as a people, our love for this country, and our hope for its great future cannot be shaken."

Yahoo News

Seun Kuti Talks about FELA! on Broadway With Afropop

In late December, 2009, Seun Kuti came to New York City to see the Broadway show FELA!, which presents the life of his late father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Seun now leads his fathers band, Egypt 80, and along with his older brother Femi, carries Felas torch for a new generation of Nigerians. Afropop was curious to know how Seun felt about seeing Felas life laid out on a New York stage.


Seun knows as well as anyone that Fela himself was extremely protective about his art and image. In this exclusive interview, Afropops Banning Eyre, Sean Barlow, and Matt Payne spoke at length with Seun in his hotel room, and the conversation roamed well beyond the subject of FELA! on Broadway, to Seuns plans for a second CD, and even his opinions about films, Hollywood, Nollywood, and even Bollywood.

  

Quote of the week

 

Very conscious of the fact that an effort was being made to destroy my mind, because I was deprived of books, deprived of any means of writing, deprived of human companionship. You never know how much you need something or someone until you're deprived of it. 

     --Prof. Wole Soyinka                                                                           

The Nigerian Future Awards 2010 Winners

 

After months of intense voting & waiting, the Future Awards 2010 is here. The Future Awards (under the umbrella The Future Project) is the biggest youth event in Nigeria. This year's award night happens to be the 5th edition of the award - poses to enpower the young Nigerian in practical ways especially towards entrepreneurship and value creation, with a 2025 target for the present cadre of young people to take over the direction of our country.  - olamildentertainment.com

The winners for the 2010 The Future Nigeria Awards are ,
Ify Aniebo- Young Person of the Year
Ify Aniebo- Best Use of Science
Mase (Wazobia FM)- On-Air-Personality of the Year (Radio)
Andre Blaze (Nigezie)- On-Air-Personality of the Year (TV)
Mr. Incredible, MI-Musician of the Year
Jesse Jagz- Music Producer of the Year
Sound City Blast- Magazine of the Year
Kemi Lala- Actor of the Year
Tolu Sangosanya (Dustbin Estate Children)- Best Use of Advocacy
Bade Adesemowo(Bincom)- Best Use of Technology
Debola Lewis(Yvent Couture)- Business Owner of the Year
Ruona Agbroko(NEXT)- Journalist of the Year
Fatima Zara Modibbo- Excellence in Public Service
Adekunle Samuel Owolabi- Creative Artist of the Year
African Youths Unite for Change- Team of the year
Linda Ikeji (Blackdove Communications)- Style Enterpeneur of the Year
Janet Dung- Sportsperson of the Year
Kenneth Yang (Finding Aisha)- Screen Producer of the Year 2010

Just like the Great Fela said, suffering and smiling. We Nigerians will never fail to appreciate what we have done, even at a worst situation. In the present state of affairs, when there is instability at the federal government level, the Nigerian people will continue to send the message that there is need for a change! Although I haven’t been a fan of the future award because I felt it is celebrated just within some group of people. But, with this 5th season, they have been able to prove that the award is growing with time.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS! Super congrats to the author of my favorite blog, Linda Ikeji, Style Entrepreneur of the Year!!
List of winners spotted on ladybrillenigeria.com

For more info. about the award
Visit www.thefuturenigeria.com

Libel: Asa slams N700m suit on magazine

 

Award-winning Nigerian-born jazz and soul musician, Bukola Elemide,  a, k.a  Asa, has slammed a N700 million ($4,600,000) suit against publishers  and editors of a Lagos based soft-sell magazine, ‘News of the People’ magazine at the Lagos High Court.

In a writ of summons instituted on her behalf by Lagos lawyer, Mena  Ajakpovi, the musician and her manager, Janet Nwose, have sued the reporter of the alleged defamatory story, the editor of the magazine and the registered parent company of the magazine.

The claimants have sought an order of court, declaring the allegation of lesbianism against Asa and Janet as false, illegal and a violation of their rights, more so that the allegation is entirely false.

They argued that the defamatory statement is calculated to discredit and malign them in their unblemished careers as international music artistes with high moral standing which they have consistently conveyed in their songs and interactions with their teeming fans in Nigeria and abroad.

It will be recalled that in the Dec 14-22, 2009 edition of the ‘News of the People’ a story captioned “Lesbianism trails Asa and Manager” was published, alleging that the two ladies were involved in a lesbian relationship.

Odili.net

New Audio- God Bless you- M.I

It’s definitely nothing groundbreaking but it is worthy of 2.98 MB on your iPod – need I say more?

DOWNLOAD: M.I. – God Bless You

ZAMBIAN Lukundo Clinches Face of Africa Title

22 year old Zambian model, Lukundo Nalungwe, was last night crowned the M-Net Face of Africa 2010 at a glittering event held at the Eko Hotel Exhibition Centre in Lagos, Nigeria.

The business administration student fought off stiff competition from a bevy of continental beauties, including Zimbabwe’s own Tholakele Dhlamini and Rosanna Hall, who made it to the top ten.

After a night of what can only be described as high fashion with most of Nigeria’s and Africa’s fashion elite in attendance, the coveted Face of Africa crown went to Lukando.

"I started trying when I was 17 years old, Face of Africa crew came to my country, I tried it, I couldn't make it, the following year again I tried, unfortunately I wasn't lucky again. Then after two years they came back to my country, I was 19, I tried again, I could make it, never gave up, I always told myself go for it...and finally they came to my country last year and then unfortunately just the previous night before I was picked to represent my country my little brother past away," said Nalungwe.

Apart from the Face of Africa title, Lukando also receives $50,000 dollars from MNET, a modelling contract with O Modeling Agency (CEO Oluchi Onweagba) and a chance to take part in New York Fashion Week in a few days. As if that wasn’t enough to make any girl happy, Zenith Bank are also giving Lukando a $5,000 shopping spree, while in New York! Some girls just have all the fun! We wish Lukundo and all the remaining 9 contestants all the best in the future.

The final was beamed live to the continent via DStv.

Texts from ukzambians.co.uk