Films We Love :: The Burial of Kojo by Samuel “Blitz” Bazawule
I had the pleasure of seeing Blitz’s mind-blowing directorial debut at the Pan African Film Festival a few days ago and I HAVE NOT stopped thinking about it. If you’re going to do anything on March 31, please mark your calendars and get your remotes ready- Ava DuVernay recently picked up the film for distribution through her company Array and will be releasing it worldwide on Netflix.
I had the pleasure of seeing Blitz’s mind-blowing directorial debut at the Pan African Film Festival a few days ago and I HAVE NOT stopped thinking about it. If you’re going to do anything on March 31, please mark your calendars and get your remotes ready- Ava DuVernay recently picked up the film for distribution through her company Array and will be releasing it worldwide on Netflix.
About:
Through a magical realist lens, THE BURIAL OF KOJO follows the story of Esi, as she recounts her childhood and the tumultuous relationship between her father, Kojo and her uncle, Kwabena. Directed by TED fellow, music composer and musician Samuel “Blitz” Bazawule, the film chronicles the tale of two brothers through the gifted eyes of a young girl who transports the audience to the beautiful lands of Ghana and other worlds that exist between life and death.
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We got a chance to shoot 120 Seconds with Blitz the Ambassador as he shared his love for filmmaking and the importance of having native voices behind the lens telling their stories.
Shorts We Love :: To Be Loved by Mike Vargas
A look into what happens when a perfect song sends you off into a new dimension.
A look into what happens when a perfect song sends you off into a new dimension.
A Mike Vargas Short (2019)
Music: The Pentagons - "To Be Loved" (1961)
Edited entirely from stock footage.
Musicians We Love :: 1010 Benja SL
Last year while listening to Benji B doing his thing on Radio 1, a totally different type of track was dropped that had my ears instantly perk up. That track was called “Boofiness”, by a singer called 1010 Benja SL. As I played the shit out of that song, I went on a little mission to find out more about the song and the artist behind it. The more I explored, the more elusive the artist became. There were stories of him deleting everything he’s ever put out online and “starting fresh”, moving to NYC, then NYC, etc.
Last year while listening to Benji B doing his thing on Radio 1, a totally different type of track was dropped that had my ears instantly perk up. That track was called “Boofiness”, by a singer called 1010 Benja SL. As I played the shit out of that song, I went on a little mission to find out more about the song and the artist behind it. The more I explored, the more elusive the artist became. There were stories of him deleting everything he’s ever put out online and “starting fresh”, moving to NYC, then NYC, etc.
Anyway, thankfully for me I was able to find a few old Youtube videos of his time in NYC belting out some incredibly beautiful tunes down in the subways. Fast forward a year later, and much to my delight the the Kansas City singer-producer dropped his debut EP, Two Houses.
In a time where a lot of shit out there is sounding the same, it’s very refreshing to hear a new voice creating his own lane with a sound all his own. Enjoy!