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Showing posts with label Benin. Show all posts

Front Row Fabulosity! Kimora Lee Simmons And Djimon Hounsou At Cape Town Fashion Week

Written By: MIM!—Beautiful power couple Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou were spotted in the front row (seated next to next to Africa Fashion International's Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe) at Cape Town Fashion Week's Lisp, Nucleus and Lalesso Front Row Social. Look out for the next issue of MIMI, where we will have full coverage of all of Cape Town Fashion Week's fabulosity!

(Photo Credits: © Simon Deiner / SDR Photo)

Achieving 8 Goals For Africa

Written By: Jamelia Mmari—Launched by the UN Development Group, 8 Goals for Africa, is a campaign song by eight of Africas best known musicians, calling for commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals—a set of eight internationally-agreed upon goals designed to reduce poverty, hunger, disease, and maternal and child deaths by 2015. 8 Goals for Africa features Yvonne Chaka Chaka from South Africa, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Angelique Kidjo from Benin, Oliver Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe, Eric Wainaina from Kenya, and the Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa with world renowned jazz musicians Hugh Masekela and Jimmy Dludlu from South Africa are instrumentalists on the track. Watch the inspiring music video below:

8 Goals for Africa from UNDP on Vimeo.

Runway Photographs: Vlisco Et Moi, Une Poesie A Reveler (Vlisco And I, A Revealing Poem)

Vlisco Et Moi, Une Poesie A Reveler (Vlisco And I, A Revealing Poem)

Written By: MIMI—For an entire week, from 30 October to 6 November, Cotonou, Benin was awash in the world of Vlisco. The Palais de Congrès provided the setting for the exhibition "Vlisco et Moi; Une Poésie à Révéler." The entire story was told as a museum exhibition, starting with trade relations between the Netherlands and Indonesia during the time of the Dutch East India Company, followed by the shifting of trade relations to Africa and the establishment of Vlisco, and ending with the current and future strategies of the Vlisco brand. Take a look at runway photographs from the event below.

Written By: MIM!—Exhale! After what seemed like an eternal holding pattern, today Angelique Kidjo's fans can finally enjoy the release OYO. On her new album, Kidjo revisits the music that was instrumental in her artistic formation in Benin, the country whose communist dictatorship she fled in the early ‘80s. Although OYO is primarily comprised of covers, the music is instantly recognizable as Kidjo’s: rhythm and blues, soul music, jazz, and Beninese melodies.

(Photo Credits: Alexei Hay)

Angelique Kidjo Pushes Back US Release Date

Written By: MIM!—Looks like Angelique Kidjo's US fans who were expecting to hear her new album, OYO, on February 9th are going to have to wait just a little bit longer to hear her CD. According to Amazon.com, OYO's US release date has been moved to March 29th.

(Photo Credits: Alexei Hay)

First Look: Angelique Kidjo's OYO CD

Written By: Nani Hapa—I am really looking forward to the February 9th release of Angelique Kidjo's album, OYO! The cover definitely stands out, but I wouldn't expect any different from the woman who Time Magazine deemed "Africa's premier diva." Click on the "Read More" link for the details from her press release.Read more »

December 2008: Moving Forward By Giving Back

MIMI moves forward by giving back in the December 2008 issue of MIMI. Fittingly, Benin-born superstar Angelique Kidjo (who really needs no introduction to any fan of African fusion music), is on the cover of this monumental issue where MIMI explores serious issues affecting women such as access to education and HIV/AIDS. Read about Angelique Kidjo's advocacy on behalf of African women in: Angelique Kidjo: Africa's Bold Crusader. Because December 1 is world AIDS Day, learn about the efforts to educate Africa's youths about sex in Better Sex Education Needed For African Adolescents, and remember those living with HIV in Healthy Sexual Lives For People Living With HIV.

All About MIMI Link: Volume 4, Issue 9: Moving Forward By Giving Back www.mimimagazine.com/2008/december

The Leading Man: Djimon Hounsou

With raw talent and handsome looks to back him up, Benin born Djimon Hounsou makes MIMI's cut for the ultimate leading man. Nomitated in the Best Performance by an Actor category for the 79th Anniversary Academy Awards, here is is with fellow nominees in the category at a recent luncheon.

Pictured clockwise from upper left: Djimon Hounsou for Blood Diamond; Mark Wahlberg for The Departed; Jackie Earle Haley Little Children; Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine; and Eddie Murphy for Dreamgirls. We'll all be rooting for Djimon Hounsou when the Oscars air on February 25.

(Photo Credits: AMPAS)

And The Movie Nominees Are ...

Djimon Hounsou (Benin) is an award show favorite, already picking up 3 nominations this year for his role in Blood Diamond. In 2006 Hounsou was nominated for and won two awards in the Best Supporting Actor Category at the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards as well as the National Board of Review. 2007 is looking even better with 4 nominations for: (1) a Screen Actors Guild Award (Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role), (2) a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award (Best Supporting Actor), (3) a Black Reel Award (Best Supporting Actor) and (4) an NAACP Award (Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture). Is an Oscar nod next?

Chiwetel Ejifor (Nigeria) is on a role as well (excuse the bad pun). His roles in Kinky Boots and Children of Men have earned him 2 Black Reel Awards nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He is also nominated for 2 Golden Globes; first, for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television for his role in the HBO TV Series Tsunami and second, for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Kinky Boots. Two is definitely Chiwetel's lucky number and maybe he'll walk away with all two awards at the two respective award shows where he has been nominated!

African actresses are definitely holding their own in the award show circuit. Thandie Newton (Zimbabwe) picked up an NAACP Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nomination for her role in the The Pursuit of Happyness and, for her role alongside Chiwetel Ejifor in Tsunami, Sophie Okonedo (Nigeria) picked up a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television.

As for movies about our favorite topic--Africa--that are doing well, so far The Last King of Scotland (a fictional account about former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin Dada) and Blood Diamond (a fictional account about conflict diamonds originating from Sierra Leone) have generated a lot of positive critical buzz.

MIMI Mambo Link: Coming To Theatres www.mimimagazine.com/november2006/02-08-movies01.html