Okayafrica TV: Vernon Reid's 'Artificial Afrika'

Okayafrica TV linked up with Living Colour guitarist — and Roots crew favorite — Vernon Reid at his multimedia Artificial Afrika performance:

Things you may or may not know about Vernon Reid: Rolling Stone accurately listed him among their top 100 greatest guitarists of all time, he's the guitar player in Living Colour, he's a mentor and inspiration to The Roots' own guitarist Cap'n Kirk, he's got bands (see Masque and Yohimbe Brothers), and a plethora of projects he either spearheads, participates in and/or collaborates with (see Burnt Sugar, Ronald Shannon Jackson, James Blood Ulmer, and more). What you probably don't know about is a piece of experimental theatrical performance and video art that Reid has been crafting for years entitled "Artificial Afrika - A Tale Of Lost Cities."

And you should.  Luckily the piece is still up in NYC this weekend (Feb. 24 + 25) at Dixon Place.  Watch our exclusive OkayafricaTV piece above where Reid explains his attempt to explore "the Africa of our minds" - the idea of a mythical Africa that exists parallel to the "real" Africa, a space that he delves into with video art, song, guitars, banjos, text, conversation, language, dance, and more.  Then, go see it for yourself.

Shot and edited by Chinisha Scott, sound by Greg Scott.