djafifa

[djafifa]

How does it feel to live in Africa?

Next month will be Christmas. I will end the year in Africa. It is something I am looking forward to.Recently I have been trying to reconcile my different feelings and experiences. Is Africa what i expected it to be? What about the things i am seeing that i could never imagine, like what it means to live in a Muslim country. I am grateful for my experiences, I have spent time in Senegal, Gambia…

[djafifa]

Goree is the Story of Life?

A Courtyard area and marketplace on Goree Island Goree Island is an infamous place. It is known for its central role in the Atlantic Slave Trade. It is called the “slave island”. According to UNESCO between the 15th and 19th century it was “the largest slave trading centre on the African coast. The island was controlled by 4 European nations; Portuguese, Dutch, English and French. One of the…

[djafifa]

The Woman who sat beside me

How can I forget the woman sitting beside me? We did not exchange any words for the 6 ½ hours of the flight from JFK in New York to Blaise Daigne in Senegal, but I will never forget her. She seemed like an older woman maybe in her late 50s or early 60s. She seemed frail. She was occasionally mumbling to herself. I did not know how to understand her. She was not ill but something didn’t seem…

[djafifa]

Learning about listening in a dj Residency

The first series of DJ Residency was held at the SO((U))L HQ on Saturday April 27, 2024. The motivation behind the Dj residency was to create an event which allowed djs and music lovers to explore the idea and practice of creating interesting listening experiences. I have always been interested in understanding more about how people listen to music; what makes a selection of songs interesting to…

[djafifa]

Telling my story

Revisiting some of my early ideas has been crucial to directing how i move forward with my work especially after an unexpected life event. I am grateful i was able to capture my thoughts, observations and ideas in this way and i had them to look back at.  In my writing you get a snap shot of my life and you can understand what has motivated me over the years to pursue art. It also helps to put…

[djafifa]

WhAt is Art Radio?

Art Radio is a project I started in December 2023. After two years of not making or sharing sound projects I wanted to create a space to do that again. Art Radio is a tribute to my love for radio and inspired by the years i spent working on Zanj radio at the SOUL HQ. It is a platform for sharing music and sound art. Each week i share a new selection of music, ideas and stories with new drawings.…

[djafifa]

Will Reggae Heal Jamaica?

The birthplace of Reggae is in trouble. A rising and out of control crime rate is one of the main concerns. The citizens move forward into an uncertain future. If Reggae spreads the message of peace and love what role can its ambassadors (artist and industry professionals) play in restoring peace to the land of its birth? Join me for a conversation on Sunday February 25, 2024 at 6pm-5UTC. In…

[djafifa]

WhY is it important To talk about Afrobeats?

Afrobeats is the sound of Africa today. Internet sources locate the root of the sound in Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom in the early 2000s. Artistes such as P-Square, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Stonebwoy, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Tems, Mr.Eazi and Davido have become the face of the music internationally. The conversation about Afrobeats is important because it gives us an opportunity to reflect on…

[djafifa]

Fele Fele

[djafifa]

Many Rivers to Cross

looking for something or someone to hold on Something or Someone to catch me through this stumble Simphiwe Dana and Thandiswa Mazwai Thank You.

[djafifa]

flashbacks

Sometimes i have flashbacks. Right in the middle of doing something there comes a memory. With the memory comes a feeling of regret. I just want to reach back in time and change my actions. If i didn’t do what i did i wouldn’t be here. It feels like i caused the loss of so many things, like my actions are the reason for my current feelings of sadness and loneliness. The minute i switch out of the…

[djafifa]

Open House Studio Visits

I have lived and worked at the SO((U))L HQ for more than 10 years. A studio apartment in Stony Hill, St.Andrew, Jamaica. The vision for the SO((U))L HQ was a space for discovering and enjoying music and art. Over the years it evolved into a residential art space with up to 3 artist living and working there. It has now shifted into my studio, the place where i am able to invite people to connect…

[djafifa]

The Immaculate Conception

This week. I continue to revisit some of my drawings.In the last year and half i have been experimenting with drawings. I decided to call this series the  Immaculate Conception. These are  sketches from a story i created about MAKOSSA and DAHOMEY the sons of FIFA. It is based on my interpretation of the creation story of the Fon people (Dahomey-Benin).

[djafifa]

Reflections on Art Radio

I am taking some time today to reflect on the Art Radio project. I am thinking about the format that i have chosen to start with and some directions for the future. Each week i select some artist from my library. I organize the music as a playlist which repeats throughout the week. I listen all week as i am doing other kinds of work and even while relaxing. Listening in this way helps me to focus…

[djafifa]

Learning from art

When I started the memory project in 2019, it was from a curiosity about how popular music made us remember or forget events. I wanted to understand how individual memory works different from collective memory and I was hoping to find some music or sound related solutions to memory related illnesses. Now it has become intensely personal in a way I never could imagine. It has transformed my being…

[djafifa]

New cycles

Give thanks for another cycle in the circle of life. Some things feel new and some things feel the same way. I am looking forward to learning more about life but it is difficult to be surrounded by so much violence and death. It affects our ability to experience the beauty of life. We know all this already. What will we do in 2024? This year I am continuing my work on memory. I look forward to…

[djafifa]

Introducing Art Radio

Art Radio is my latest project. It is a platform for sharing music and sound art. You can also listen to Sounds of life releases on ART RADIO. ART RADIO was launched in 2021 at the SO((U))L HQ in Stony Hill, St.Andrew Jamaica as a local broadcast for residents in and around the SO((U))L HQ. Art RADIO is commercial free and is supported by contributions from listeners. If you are an artist,…