July 9, 2003
By Bongani Majola
ARTISTS from Africa and beyond, mixing a potent blend of poetry and music, will be raising their voices and their social issues as part of the International Spoken-Word Festival at Newtown's Mega Music this month.
The two-day Johannesburg leg of the festival starts on Friday 18 July and leading the pack is US spoken-word artist, Ursula Rucker.
This Philadelphia native needs no introduction to the hip hop and discerning poetry community. The socially conscious songwriter, lyricist and vocalist recently released her debut CD, Supa-Sista, in which she infuses poetry into an intricate mix of bluesy sounds, new jazz and hip hop.
Music enthusiasts will recognise Rucker's soothing voice, as she occasionally provides vocals for a wide range of international groups including Bahamadia and the revolutionary The Roots. This is her first visit to the country.
Also from Philly is Black Ice, the first spoken-word artist signed to entertainment mogul Russell Simmons' stable, Def Jam Records. Discovered by Simmons at New York's famous Soul Café, Black Ice has since received standing ovations from audiences as diverse as those attending the annual Hip Hop Summit, the Black Congressional Caucus and The Source Youth Foundation. Also highly socially conscious, Black Ice is noted for dishing out messages to nurture and build character among young people.
Completing the complement of international artists and also from Simmons' Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, is rising provocative poet Staceyann Chin. A lyricist of Black and Chinese ancestry, Chin was born and raised in Jamaica. Much like her life, Chin's words push the boundaries of race, gender, sexuality and nationalism.
Chin is the winner of several Slam Poetry titles in Chicago, Denmark and New York, the place she calls home. She is widely published in newspapers and magazines across the globe and is currently the subject of a documentary film. "Imagination is the bridge between the things we know for sure and the things we need to believe when our worlds become unbearable," she says.
Hosted by the Southern African Arts Exchange, an organisation that brings together artists from Africa and the Diaspora to share experiences through word, music and the arts, the Urban Voices 2003 festival also has dates in Cape Town and Durban.
Urban Voices has, over the years, become the home of slam, dub and hip hop poetry, as well as reggae, Afro/Latin and jazz rhythms.
Last year's programme brought to the country's shores internationally acclaimed artists and wordsmiths including Sarah Jones and Saul Williams from the US, Jamaicans Mutabaruka, Buju Banton and Ernest Ranglin, as well as Papa Noel from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Orbe Ortiz from Cuba.
This year's programme, say organisers, "is attempting to face the challenges of cultural globalisation". Besides the performances, the artists will also be conducting educational workshops.
South Africa's own script master, Lesego Rampolokeng, who has to his credit the script of the local hit flick Hijack Stories, is one of the local artists performing in the festival. He will be joined by Lebo Mashile, another local spoken-word artist who, with her group Feela Sista, caused a stir in Johannesburg recently with her revolutionary poetry and music.
The Afro/Pop leg of the festival - on at the Bassline in Melville - sees the Paco Sery Group from the Ivory Coast. Sery, one of Africa's most gifted drummers, is currently based in France. The group has toured and recorded with musicians such as Angelique Kidjo, Salif Keita, the late Nina Simone and Joe Zawinul, who referred to Sery as "the greatest drummer I've played with anywhere, anytime".
Paco Sery is only at the Bassline in Melville, Johannesburg from 31 July to 2 August. He will not extend his tour to the other cities.
Urban Voices 2003 is on in Johannesburg on 18 and 19 July, in Durban on 20 July and then gets to Cape Town on 23 July. Tickets are available from Computicket from R65.
