Arenadbaby........ am so inspired: February 2012

THE RETURN OF ROOFTOP MCS

The conscious Nigerian rap duo, Rooftop MCs are back!

The duo, Sokleva and Soul Snatcha have been off the radar since the release of their last album, a free LP called ‘Back At One’. Now, they’re ready to release their 5th album ‘CROSSEYED: Minority Report 2’ in September 2012.

And to usher this album, Kleva and Snatcha say they’ll be releasing their first ever mixtape. Titled ‘SERIES: Season One’, the mixtape will ‘take its concept from Popular TV series and in some instances sample the theme music’.

‘We enjoy a lot of these TV shows and they have become a steady source of entertainment for people everywhere so I just told Kleva let’s do this and that’s how we got to work’, Snatcha, who recently got married, says.

The music will be released by putting out a new song every Sunday in the month of March 2012 Via the group’s official twitter handle @rtmcsupdates, Facebook fanpage (Rooftop-MCs) as well as blogs and social media networks using the Hasgtag #SeriesSundays.

The complete body of work will be then be put out on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

The mixtape is hosted by UK based producer Shabach Nwaname of Beautiful Soundz.

YES – DIDDY WON AN OSCAR TOO!

Rich Middlemas, left, T.J Martin, second from right, and Daniel Lindsay, right, pose with P Diddy with their Oscars

Last night at the 84th Academy Awards, hip-hop wasn’t left out as Bad Boy label chief, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs walked away with an Oscar too!

The entertainment mogul won the award for ‘Best Documentary’ in his role as executive producer for the film ‘Undefeated’. Undefeated is a film about a high school football team from Memphis, Tennesee that undergo the struggles of life in a rough Memphis area.

The movie was directed by African-American documentary filmmaker T.J. Martin and Daniel Lindsay. This is the first time an African-American director has won the prestigious award.

‘Congrats to Oscar Winning FilmMakers @dan_lindsay @TJMckayMartin !!! And Coach Bill Courtney!! #Undefeated LET’S GOOOO!!!’ Diddy excitedly said on Twitter. ‘And special Congrats to @TJMckayMartin-Hes the 1st African American director to win an Academy Award!!! #UNDEFEATED !!!! RT!!!’, he continued.

Get a full list of the 2012 Oscar Winners here…

GIRINGORY DIES AT 70

Giringory died battling for good health

Veteran actor James Iroha popularly known as Giringory from the nationwide-watched New Masquerade TV comedy series has died at the age of 70.

The news of his death was disclosed by the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Segun Arinze, who confirmed it from his son. ‘We at AGN commiserate with his family. May God grant him eternal rest’, Arinze’s statement read.

Earlier this year, the veteran performer granted Nigerian tabloid Saturday Sun an interview where he lamented being poor, sick, and blind. According to the interview, Mr. Iroha could hardly afford the bills for medication to keep him in good health.

‘I am almost begging for food; so I need money to pay my rent, buy my medicines and maybe repair my car’, he said.

‘Giringory’ was a regular on the popular television soap, Masquerade, on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), holding Nigerians spellbound with his acting prowess, especially owing to the comical bent in his performance.

STORY DEVELOPING

FUNMI IYANDA TO CLIMB MT. KILIMANJARO

Funmi Iyanda at the Occupy Nigeria protest, Jan. 2012

On Monday, March 5, 2012 Journalist-Broadcaster Funmi Iyanda will join climbers from over 32 African countries in an advocacy climb up Mount Kilimanjaro.

The project, organized by the Africa UNiTE campaign group, is part of a crusade to end violence against women and girls.

The ‘climbers’, which include Iyanda, South African rock band the Parlotones, SA actress Rosie Motene, human rights lawyer, Ann Njogu, Congolese singerBarbara Kanam, and many other African women and men, are expected to arrive at Africa’s highest summit on Thursday, March 8, 2012, which falls onInternational Women’s Day.

As part of activities, all African national flags will be displayed and the Africa commitments will be read out.

The climb is expected to last for three days, as the climbers will hike up Kilimanjaro in freezing temperatures,camping outdoors and sleeping in sleeping bags without taking showers. They will then return on the fourth day.

Through this climb, Africa Unite plans to raise global awareness on ending violence against Women and Girls in Africa, as well as secure concrete national commitments from African governments to be implemented by 2015 to end violence against women and girls.

Iyanda is not new to humanitarian causes. She was actively involved in the Occupy Nigeria protests in January and was nominated at the 51st Monte Carlo Television Festival category for ‘Lagos Stories’, an episode of ‘My Country Nigeria’, her three-part documentary on Nigeria.