This Saturday, 10/24, Okayplayer is proud to present OKAY AFRICA, the hot, sweaty, late-night, rump-shaking CMJ 2009 showcase and closing night party. This ain't your Grandma's world music - instead, think Africa mashing it up with hip hop, electropop, dancehall, and funk. Live and in full, beautiful effect will be: Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, Blitz the Ambassador, Jahdan Blakkamoore and Matt Shadetek, IyaDedE, DJ Zakee Kuduro, and a guest performance by the Sierra Leonean father of Bubu music: Ahmed Janka Nabay. And because the beat won't stop 'til the cops come knocking, stick around for a late-night Afro-dubstep/electro hip-hop set with secret special guests, a rowdy performance by the spirit of the Nigerian master Fela Kuti, and an unruly (but loving) masquerade devil or two. Africa has never been hotter.
If you've got the coveted CMJ badge, it's FREE, and if not it's only 10 bones at the door. Or get your tix NOW! Drink specials at the bar. Doors at 11. Finally, OKayplayer has 2 pairs of FREE tickets to give-away! Just email okayplayercontest@gmail.com with OKAY AFRICA in the subject, and the 5th and 10th person to email will win a pair of FREE tix (2)! Winners will be emailed by Thursday.
New Yorkers, get ready, it's CMJ week, where musical showcases take-over our beautiful city. With today's Okayplayer CMJ mega-post we can help you parse through the mayhem and pick the choicest events. OKP has the privilege of supporting 3 incredible CMJ events this year. Last night's Plug Research event with Blu & Exile, Shafiq Husayn, and Bilal was OFF the hook! With only 2 events left, TONIGHT, catch the Audible Treats showcase, with Souls Of Mischief, Tanya Morgan, Trinity, Kam Moye, Oddisee, Finale, Jern Eye, Truthlive and DJ Keelay. Finally, shut it all down with the closing CMJ party, Okay Africa!, a showcase full of amazing music from the African diaspora, featuring Sierra Leone superstars Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, Blitz The Ambassador, Jahdan Blakkamoore, IyaDedE, and DJ Zakee Kuduro. Even without the coveted CMJ badge, you can still attend all three events for some small dollars at the door. Trust us, they'll be worth every cent. See after the jump for the 2 official flyers to the events left, and click the links above for more info on these events.
On Friday we dropped the 2-track sneak preview of the Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew mixtape, and now we give you the whole thing, Kings Of Salone, available for free download. Produced by DJ Gravy, this tape is pure fiyahhh, a tasty treat before the B+DEC album drops at the top of 2010 (which will include features from ?uesto, Talib Kweli, K'naan, Wyclef, Black Thought, and more). These guys are definitely hard to put in a box, but listen as the flavors of Africa, reggae, hip-hop, and electronica swirl together for their own unique blend of Afro-Futurism. New Yorkers, be sure to come out to the mixtape release party for a full performance from the group (including an 11-piece band full of some of New York's finest), along with DJ ?uestlove and DJ Gravy on the decks. Flyer with full details for tonight's event at Santos Party House after the jump, along with full tracklisting for the mixtape.
Okayplayer is excited to introduce a new group to our OKP fam. Known in their native Sierra Leone as "the voice of the voiceless," Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew are finally ready to make their U.S. debut with a mixtape in anticipation for their album, due out at the top of 2010 (album features include Talib Kweli, K'naan, Wyclef, Black Thought, and production from ?uestlove, Rashad 'Tumblin' Dice' Smith, Fyre Dept., El-P and more). The Kings Of Salone, produced by DJ Gravy, will be available here on Monday. For today, we've got two fresh cuts off the mixtape, with "Bondo Kallay," and "Makossa." If you are in NYC you might have seen Bajah + DEC rock the stage with The Legendary Roots at this past week's Jam Session. In case you missed that, make sure to check their mixtape release party at Santos Party House with DJ ?uestlove on the 1s and 2s, along with mixtape producer DJ Gravy, this coming Monday, 7.27. Check after the jump for the flyer with details.
Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew prod. by DJ Gravy - "Bondo Kallay"
