"...Despite efforts to silence the sounds of Mali
– whether by torching musical instruments or threatening concert goers
– Kouyate says rebels are faced with a losing battle.
'If someone wants to stop Malian music, that’s like he
wants to stop the heart of Mali,' he says. 'It’s not possible. You can’t stop
Malian music.'"
ROC 2013 is proud to
announce yet another outstanding guest artist to attend this year's festival: DEVIOUS
of THE GR818ERS.
Based out of Southern
California (area code 818), Devious and his coalition of Hip Hop artists
produce workshops, performances, and events that aim to use foundational
elements of Hip Hop culture to empower youth and improve racial and cultural
relations in underserved communities in L.A. and across the U.S. The GR818ERS
utilize dance, visual art, and music to teach constructive self-expression,
tolerance, non-violence, and principles of diversity in communities most at
risk for gang culture, drug abuse, and poverty.
Devious (Lorenzo Chapman) is an accomplished
dancer who has performed widely. He will join Project 401 and additional guest artists from L.A. in putting on a Cypher Jam for dancers, rappers, musicians, and movers on Saturday and Sunday of ROC in Sayles Hall. Get a taste for Devious' moves here, then join us at ROC 2013 to see and work with him in person!
Amkoullel is a
popular rapper and spoken word artist who has received a stream of media
attention from the New York Times and NPR over the last month as his fight
against censorship by Mali’s new government has become a global symbol of the
country’s ongoing political crisis. Amkoullel began receiving death threats from the government upon releasing his hit single, “S.O.S.” This efficacious call to action begs the international community to respond to the Malian crisis before it is too late and pleads with the youth of Mali to wake up from the complacency that the artist sees as one of the country’s root problems.
We are overjoyed that Amkoullel will join Brown's Mande dance class as a guest artist this March. Listen to Amkoullel's music here.
Get us on your calendar! This year's festival will begin with an opening ceremony on Friday, February 22, continue with workshops and lectures all day Saturday the 23rd, and close
on Sunday the 24th after another full-day of workshops.
Artists and scholars have been invited from throughout the US, Africa, and the
diaspora. Classes will include djembe drumming, West African dance,
Afro-Cuban dance, song, yoga, and much more, as well as discussions about arts
in social activism and cultural preservation initiatives.
