Researcher Asheda Dwyer On Chile, Garvey and Rastafari.

One of the benefits of attending an event like the AfroLatiino Festival in New York City is the cultural learning experience. In 2015 Afrofusion TV got a new lesson on Garifuna communities in the African Diaspora. This time around we ran into a young researcher, Asheda Dwyer, who let us in on the work she’s doing on Garvey, Chile and Rastafari, and the afrodescendant communities that are still fighting for recognition there. Turns out that Chile has one of the fastest growing Rastafari populations in the world. Dwyer, who is based in Toronto, Canada, is intent on exploring and doing further research on the roots of the Pan-African movement happening in Chile. The northern port city of Arica, the area in Chile with the greatest number of African descendants, had around 8,500 Afro-Chileans at last count by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). However,

Donisha Prendergast on the Occupy Pinnacle Movement

Donisha Prendergast speaks after a screening of the documentary “RasTa: A Soul’s Journey” at the Roots Public Charter School

At the Roots Public Charter School in Northwest Washington, DC late last month, Donisha Prendergast was talking passionately about a growing movement in Jamaica that has become central to her activism efforts. The occasion was really a screening of the film, RasTa: A Soul’s Journey, in which she seeks out the truth about the history of Rastafarians and their influence throughout the world. But amidst the colorful red, gold and green hats and scarves, and the Ethiopian and Jamaican foods on display at Roots, was an awareness that something serious is happening that needs the attention of all conscious people. And so Donisha, who happens to be the granddaughter of Rita and Bob Marley, spent a chunk of time talking about what is going on in Pinnacle; indeed, she has become one of the faces of the Occupy Pinnacle movement, an effort to reclaim hundreds of acres of land in the hills of

Dutty Bookman on the Reggae Revival Movement

Since returning from one of the world’s largest reggae festivals – the Rototom – in Spain this past August, Jamaican author and cultural activist Dutty Bookman has been more encouraged to spread the vibes of the new reggae revival. He was invited to speak at the “Reggae University” there about the new consciousness in reggae music, the return to the message of Rastafari and Pan Africanism, and to the live, organic sound  that has been the hallmark of roots reggae. There was so much to cover when Dutty sat down with Afrofusion TV to talk about his passion for the Reggae Revival. His book Tried and True: Revelations of a Rebellious Youth,  published in 2011, was kind of the springboard for his involvement in the

ZIMBABWE: Capleton – “I Feel at Home” | i-reggae, + Morgan Heritage Photos (Interview coming soon!)

Capleton Answers a question during a press conference in Zimbabwe

Reggae artists from the Caribbean have been finding they have a lot of love waiting for them in Africa. Several artists in the past year have either included African countries in their tour schedules, or have responded to individual countries’ invitations to perform there. Reggae dancehall star Capleton, who is known affectionately as King Shango to his fans, was given royal treatment during his recent stop in Zimbabwe. He is the 11th reggae star to visit Zimbabwe in recent years. In an interview with Zimbo Jam, he admitted that he had not expected that kind of welcome. Throngs of fans were waiting for him, 

A Patient By the Name of Gregory

His was surely one of the most soothing voices in all of reggae music. You could say he put the “lover” in Lovers Rock. The “Cool Ruler,” as Gregory Isaacs came to be known, joined the ancestors last night after succumbing to cancer in London, England. I was introduced to his sound at a young age, a time when reggae artists found they had their fingers firmly on the pulse of what moved the young masses in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions of the world. By the time I got to my teens, I found myself swaying to the groove of songs like “Substitute,” and “Sad to Know that You’re Leaving.” Born in Jamaica, he was a member of the vocal trio The Concords until he went solo in 1973. Isaacs was greatly influenced by American soul singer Sam Cooke, himself a silky-voiced crooner, and went on to release more than 300 albums of his own material in his 40-year career. His most commercially successful record, Night Nurse was recorded at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica. Its title track (my favorite Gregory Isaacs song) is probably his most popular. “Substitute is gonna put you down,” he sang back in ’81. I’m sure most would agree that there will likely be no substitute to this reggae giant and his music. You can read how other reggae singers, including some of his contemporaries, have reacted to his passing here. R.I.P. Gregory. Bless…

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Gyptian to Light up Crossroads Nightclub

The ladies are in for a real treat tonight at the Crossroads Nightclub in Bladensburg, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. Jamaican reggae star Gyptian will be lighting up what’s billed as “Liquid Wednesdays” at the club – ladies free until 11pm – belting out his smash hits “Hold Yuh” and “Nah Let Go.” Afrofusion TV got a chance to chat with the young singer about the worldwide popularity of “Hold Yuh,” his inclusion on the recent “Distant Relatives” tour with Nas and Damien Marley, and his own trip to Africa a few years back. We’ll have a preview clip for you soon, I promise. In the meantime, watch Gyptian below big up Afrofusion TV inna lovers rock/dancehall stylee! And if you can’t be at Crossroads tonight, never fear! That’s why Afrofusion TV is here! We’ll bring you the action you missed, cause I can assure you, it’s going to be a MASH UP! Bless….

Gyptian getting ready for his interview

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Another Sneak Peak

Promised to bring you a quick preview of what AFROfusion TV was up to at Zanzibar on the Waterfront in Washington, DC when Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars came into town on tour… You can check it out below! Thanks to super concert and artist promoter Raymond “Juju” Paris for facilitating it all! We arrived just as they were getting ready to do their soundcheck. Their tour manager Alex was gracious enough to allow our cameras extensive access. And Reuben and his bandmates were patient enough to sit down with us for a chit-chat – even though they were hungry as heck (they had been promised some good rice and cassava leaves by Juju.) We will have much more on the concert, including some of what we spoke about with Diamond Saj, who opened the show. AFROfusion host Khadia has already revealed more photos from the night in a previous post. Stay tuned, it’s all coming soon…

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Damien Marley and Nasir Jones

Nasir Jones performing at the "Distant Relatives" tour in New Jersey

“To come together and do some music on behalf of Africa. That is really what the whole thing’s about…” Those words from the mouth of Damien “Jr. Gong” Marley synopsize the appeal of “Distant Relatives” for me. Since I first heard about the collaboration between hip hop artist Nas and reggae/dancehall artist Jr. Gong, I’ve been waiting for a chance to see them perform. That chance comes August 30th when they bring their Distant Relatives Tour to the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. AFROfusion TV’s trendy host Khadia – a huge fan of both – already got a chance to see them when they performed in New Jersey. Needless to say she took some pictures with her phone, and you can view some of them here. The tour has been given high marks by most critics so far, and that’s not surprising. Both artists are at the top of their game, both are extremely skilled lyricists. But who better to hear such good and conscious lyrics and music from than these two. Nas, son of Jazz trumpeter Olu Dara. Damien Marley, son of Bob. “Africa must wake up…” he sings. As if in continuation of his father’s own lyrics: “…cause Jah children they wanna come home, yeah!” Amen to that. Stay tuned for more… tomorrow night is just hours away!!!