Whatshot
Record Company Uses Music To Fight Xenophobia
Record Company Uses Music To Fight Xenophobia
A Durban record company is using music to fight the scourge of xenophobia facing the country. This emerged at the launch of Black City Record's (BCR) single "Signs" at the Chairman in Durban on the 11th April 2019.
"Signs" is the work of talented DRC national Gloire Espoir Mapenzi, now living in Durban. The song showcases his alluring voice and guitar skills, backed by the production and song writing abilities of the in-house BCR creative team.
BCR spokesperson Ms Chenee Green said it was symbolic that they are launching this record with a powerful African unity theme just a few hundred metres from where people were killed in xenophobic violence just four years ago.
"Africa is more than just a sense of place, it is also a sense of mind. Daily we are still confronted by challenges of prejudice and stereotypes, including racism, Afrophobia and sexism. Thus, this launch event for Gloire and the accompanying BCR vision serves as credible platform for embracing that larger identity of being African in our country, the greater continent and the wider world. Music has always been and always will be an important instrument to build a united African continent that stretches from Cape to Cairo and through our enterprise we can promote Pan-Africanism, cultural renewal and identity to champion the African Agenda.
MORE
"The City of Durban and the continent of Africa abound with supremely talented musicians. BCR aspires to harness these assets as the African music industry, both traditional and modern, has grown exponentially and can have a direct impact in scaling up the city's creative economy and just as importantly, has the potential to create much needed jobs, which in turn will reduce poverty.
In this regard, BCR recognises music and its power as a unifying asset and in supporting the growth and development of African music, both traditional and modern, views this enterprise as a critical element of Africa's developmental agenda and cultural reform", the MD of BCR Yogan Naidoo said.
Mr. Ndabo Langa, owner of the iconic jazz club "The Chairman" described "Signs" as a tour de force. "This is a wonderful piece - it's heartfelt, soulful and catchy and will certainly resonate with our audiences. Furthermore, Gloire has what can only be described as an amazing voice. He is simply brilliant. As a live performer, he now walks the predestined path as a recording artist.Gloire is a self-taught musician who started playing guitar at the age of seven.
Black City Records (BCR) is a Durban based independent recording label focused on delivering world class and meticulously crafted popular music to local and international audiences. The label is named after the famous "Casbah" area of Durban, which was a hive of political resistance and musical evolution in the 50's, 60's and 70's, hence earning the nickname "Black City" by apartheid's security forces.