2gether - Celebrating Africa`s inspirational icon - Oct 2013
Transcription
2gether - Celebrating Africa`s inspirational icon - Oct 2013
C U LT U R E • S P I R I T • B E L I E V E • L I S T I N G S • V O I C E w w w. oht v. co. uk/ 2 get her B R I N G I N G U S TO G E T H E R ISSUE06 MANDELA BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL CELEBRATING AFRICA’S INSPIRATIONAL ICON VICTIZZLE LETTING HIS LIGHT SHINE ON UK GOSPEL # 2 G ET HE RMAGAZ INE OCTOBER 2013 OMOTOLA THE REAL NOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR OUT AND ABOUT WITH OH TV’S LOLA OGUNBADEJO UK GOSPEL NEWS ISBN - 65 7569MI KOVE143 STEF 1975 AN UPDATE ON YOUR FAVOURITE GOSPEL STARS now available £5 500MB included Pass for BlackBerry® • BBM™ • Push e-mails • Internet To activate call 40090 4p Nigeria mobiles a minute 30 day Monthly Pass for just £20 To buy, text 500 to 65088 Get 500 minutes for £20. Rates quoted based on full usage of minutes during the validity period . FREE Lebara to Lebara Calls & Texts when you top up Always by your side Valid for 30 days from activation; call 40090 to unsubscribe. Pass for BlackBerry® does not include data streaming, MMS and other high usage activities. See www.lebara.co.uk/blackberry for applicable terms. BlackBerry® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. Used under license from Research In Motion Limited. lebara.co.uk Pass only includes calls to selected destinations: all other calls and services will be deducted from your remaining account credit at Lebara’s standard PAYG rates. Minutes valid for 30 days. You may only have 1 Monthly500 Pass active during the subscription period. *UK landlines are those made to area codes 01, 02 and 03 excluding Channel Islands & Isle of Man. † FREE Lebara to Lebara UK calls and texts are subject to a fair use policy. The validity of the FREE minutes and SMS depends on the top-up amount, ask in store or visit lebara.co.uk for further details and full Ts&Cs. OCT TWENTY THIRTEEN Pg18 Pg14 • PG 30 CONTENTS • DONNIE MCCLURKIN • • PG 06 • NELSON MANDELA • • PG 34 Pg6 THE INSPIRATIONAL ICON OF AFRICA, THE MAN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD • UK GOSPEL NEWS WITH BEE SUAREZ • PG10 • OMOTOLA. • EXCLUSIVELY AT RCCG OXFORD, PRAISEGATE 2013 • Pg10 LIFE'S JOURNEY - ON AND OFF CAMERA. KEEPS US IN THE LOOP OF WHAT’S POPPING OFF IN THE THRILLING WORLD OF UK GOSPEL! • PG 38 • PG 14 • MEET THE TEAM • VICTIZZLE • • • PG 42 KEEPING IT REAL IN AN INTERVIEW ABOUT HIS CAREER, NEW ALBUM AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS. • HARD TIME BUS. • PG 18 • Pg42 • OUT AND ABOUT WITH LOLA • PG 22 • WHO IS THE REAL ROSEMARY LARYEA? • AN INTERVIEW WITH PRESENTER OF OH TV'S CULTURE VULTURES SHOW • PG 26 • TOP 10. • FEATURING THE TOP SHOWS ON OH TV. AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR DEAN CHARLES. • PG 46 OH TV LOLA OGUNBADEJO GIVES US THE LATEST SCOOP ON WHAT SHE HAS BEEN UP TO! . Pg22 EDITOR'S NOTES: Wow! Welcome to Issue 6 of 2gether magazine beloved readers! Once again I want to extend a further greeting to all our Festival of Life readers, as the year is drawing nearer to a close, may there be a release of fresh oil, anointing and favour upon us all! (Psalm 23: 5-6). I’m very excited about this issue as we celebrate Black History Month 2013 with a feature honouring the life of our dear Nelson Mandela (Madiba!) We give you the inside scoop on Donnie Mclurkin in London! A very in-depth interview with the one and only Victzzle, who has produced for practically everybody in UK Gospel! He EDITOR IN CHIEF | Adeola Idowu | CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | Adeola Adebayo Owojori, Bukky Alabi, Jessica Onah, Lola Ogunbadejo, Michael Ayo, Nicole Gregory | ART DIRECTION & DESIGN | Axel Taylor | PHOTOGRAPHY | Michael Mba | PICTURE RESEARCH | Adeola Idowu, Lola Ogunbadejo, Michael Ayo| PUBLISHING MANAGEMENT | Contract Publishing | OH TV MANAGEMENT | Akin Salami, Patrick Campbell, Vidal Juba, Kristianna Paraskeva | OH ACCOUNT & PRODUCTION MANAGER | Garmei Chan | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | Yemi Adeshina | OH CREATIVES | Andrew Webber, Daniel Cameron, Daniel Sosanya, Emily Hutson, Tobi Israel Peters | SPECIAL THANKS TO : Blackgrape Media, BeeSuarez. Movies Hair and Beauty Politics Music and Entertainment Fashion and Culture Food and Education talks to us about his soaring career and release of new album Time 2 Shine. Speaking of Time2Shine! Season three has sadly come to an end! Check out all the pictures! We have new features such as 'UK Gospel News' with blogger BeeSuarez, 'Out and About With Lola', the funpacked segment that makes you wish you had more of a social life! Check out our interview with Omotola, a true ambabsador for Nollywood film. We have an exclusive interview with Dean Charles Director of new movie 'Hard Time Bus' who explains why he wants to change the face of Black British Filmmaking. All this and so much more! #2GETHERMAGAZINE • THE TALENT THAT MAKES OH TV. • INSIDE OH: • FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE CHANNEL • PG 50 • AND... THAT'S A WRAP! • TIME2SHINE SEASON THREE COMES TO END. Enjoy and Stay Blessed! Adeola Idowu com, Heavens Reflection, PraiseGate RCCG Christ Love Assembly, Press Association, Ruvimbo Gumbo, Arinola Idowu, Yetunde Farinloye, Victizzle, 2HOT FILMS | 2GETHER is an OHTV publication. OHTV airs on SKY channel 199 in the UK, on free-to-air satellite across Africa and via OHBoX in the USA, Canada and Australia. OHTV WRN Broadcast Media Village, Wyvil Court, 10 Wyvil Road, London, SW8 2TG Tel: 020 7720 8210 | www.ohtv.co.uk | twitter.com/ohtv | facebook.com/ohtv.sky199 | Twitter @OHTV #2gethermagazine A Copyright 2008-2018. Except where explicitly stated, all content of this magazine is A Copyright Open Heavens Media Ltd, all rights are reserved, and content should not be copied, adapted, redistributed, or otherwise used without the prior written permission of Copyright Open Heavens Media Ltd. Any unauthorised publication, copying, hiring, lending or reproduction is strictly prohibited and constitutes a breach of copyright. This publication has been produced by the OPEN HEAVENS MEDIA LTD, All rights reserved. Production in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors in adverts or articles, although 2GETHER has endeavoured to ensure that all information is correct at the time of printing.Opinions expressed in 2GETHER are necessarily that of the publishers. 6 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 7 Black history Month was expelled for joining a student protest and did not complete the degree. He then went on to complete his BA at the University of South Africa. He later went on to study for an LLB at the University of Witwatersrand. He decided to leave the university in 1948 without completing the course. A two-year diploma in law on top of his BA allowed Nelson Mandela to practice law and in August 1952 he and Oliver Tambo established South Africa’s first black law firm, Mandela and Tambo. In 1989, during the last months of his imprisonment, he obtained an LLB through the University of South Africa. Nelson Mandela has six children from two wives of whom both he divorced. He married a third time. Graça Machel (m. 1998), Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (m. 1958–1996), Evelyn Mase (m. 1944–1958). CAMPAIGN FOR EQUALITY Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944 where he helped form the ANC Youth League. The ANC was established to increase the rights of the Black South African population. The ANC protested at the many laws surrounding the apartheid system at the time. In 1949 the ANC took on a more radical policy named the programme of action In 1952 he was part of a joint programme between the ANC and the South African Indian Congress who were campaigning against six unjust laws. Nelson Mandela, along with 19 others were charged under the Suppression of Communism Act for their part in the campaign and sentenced to nine months of hard labour. HIS ARREST Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1956 for treason along with 156 activists. After a trial which lasted five years, Mr Mandela was acquitted on 29 March 1961. During the treason trial, a demonstration was held against the apartheid in an area near Johannesburg called Sharpeville. 69 people were shot dead and the government called the country’s first state of emergency, blaming the ANC and banning it. Once the trial was over Mandela went underground and became the leader of a secret army known as Umkhonto We Sizwe or ‘Spear of the Nation’. He left South Africa secretly in 1962 under the adopted name David Morsamayi. He travelled around Africa, receiving military training in Morocco and Ethiopia. He also visited England to gain support for their fight against apartheid in South Africa. Written by Jessica Onah NELSON MANDELA THE INSPIRATIONAL ICON, THE MAN THAT CHANGED AFRICA AS WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WE HONOUR NELSON MANDELA, THE MAN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD AND PUBLICALLY FOUGHT AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. JESSICA ONAH LOOKS AT THE LIFE OF THE INFLUENTIAL FIGURE THAT REVOLUTIONISED THE WORLD’S VIEW OF RACIAL EQUALITY. WHO IS NELSON MANDELA Nelson Mandela is best known as the revolutionary icon that changed the world by struggling against oppression in his home country South Africa and spent 27 years in prison because of his views against apartheid. Mandela showed the world that people should fight for what they believe in. Till this very day he will always be regarded as the key player in the war against racial discrimination. HISTORY OF NELSON MANDELA History will forever note Mandela as the prolific freedom fighter against apartheid and the first black President of South Africa. Actually called Rolihlahla Mandela, he was named Nelson by his primary school teacher. Mandela, is known as the black icon and leader that believed in good governance, a non prejudice society and peace amongst all. The man who spent 27 years in prison for attempting to overthrow the pro – apartheid government and worked towards human rights and a better future for all in South Africa is still remembered and celebrated today. He was born in South Africa on July the 18, 1918 to Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela in the Transkei part of South Africa. His father died when he was just 9 years old and the local chief became his surrogate dad. He studied a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University College of Fort Hare but ‘There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires’ – Nelson Mandela HIS BOOK ‘LONG WALK TO FREEDOM’ IS AN EPIC ACCOUNT OF THE INSPIRING LEADERS LIFE STORY. BRITISH ACTOR IDRIS ELBA BRINGS THE BOOK TO LIFE AS HE PLAYS NELSON MANDELA IN THE FILM TO BE RELEASED THIS WINTER. 8 | OCTOBER 2013 “I have f ought against white domi nat i on, and I have f ought agains t black domination. I have cher ished the i deal of a democr atic and f r ee society in whi ch all per sons live together in har mony and w i t h equal oppor tunities. It is an ideal, w hi ch I hope to live f or and to achieve . But i f needs be, it is an ideal f or which I am pr epar ed t o di e.” spEL UpA GOs 2010 AwstAcoRnDtribution to l e Be n of Gosp promotio (Media) Music spEL UpA GOs 2010 me – AwAdRioD program Best ra onight Gospel T iwa with Muy AfRicAUsic M GOspELDs 2012 AwcAonRtribution to thne a Best n of Afric promotioel Music Gosp After returning to South Africa in 1962, he was arrested in a police roadblock outside on the 5 August while returning from KwaZuluNatal where he briefed ANC President Chief Albert Luthuli about his travels Nelson Mandela was accused of sabotage and plotting to overthrow the government in what became known as the Rivonia trial. His famous ‘Speech from the Dock’ on 20 April 1964 to the court followed at the end: “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” HIS IMPRISONMENT On 11 June 1964 Nelson Mandela and seven other accused were sentenced to life imprisonment. One of the accused, Denis Goldberg was sent to Pretoria Prison because he was white while the others went to Robben Island. During his imprisonment, Mandela was unable to attend his Mother and eldest sons funeral. In 1988 he was treated for Tuberculosis and transferred to another prison. In this same year the South African government began to make some changes, allowing black students into white Universities. After 18 years of hard labour and a total 27 years in prison, he was released from prison on Sunday 11 February 1990, nine days after the unbanning of the ANC and the PAC (Pan Africanist Congress). BECOMING SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT In the 1994 black people were able to vote for the first time and the ANC who had Nelson Mandela as their leader won the election. Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first black president. After promising to carry out just one term, Nelson Mandela retired as president in 1999 and gave up politics completely in 2004. Since then he has continued to work with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund he set up in 1995 and established the Nelson Mandela Foundation and The Mandela-Rhodes Foundation. NELSON MANDELA NEVER WAVERED IN HIS DEVOTION TO DEMOCRACY, EQUALITY AND LEARNING. HIS LIFE IS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL. ‘I lear ned that cour age was not the absence of f ear, but the tr iumph over it. The br ave man is not he w ho does not f eel af r aid, but he who conquer s th at f ear ’ Nelson Mandela DAB digital radio in London www.premiergospel.org.uk THE UK’s NUMBER ONE GOspEL MUsic sTATiON Tune in for the very best in jazz, hip hop, reggae, latin and traditional music DOWNLOAD THE APP 10 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 11 Fashion and Culture A LOT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN GOING FOR YOU ON THIS YEAR! BEFORE WE GO INTO ALL YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR ALONE LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR SHOW THE REAL ME! A HIT ACROSS AFRICA! IS THAT REALLY THE REAL YOU? like an achievement and something that would help a lot of others. I am pursue a lot of other things that many people don’t even know about. Some people think they may know everything about Omotola but there’s so much more! (Laughs) It has to be right! THAT’S WHY WE NEED THE SECOND SERIES OF THE REALITY SHOW! SO WE CAN BEGIN TO SEE ALL THESE GREAT THINGS YOU’RE DOING IN THE BACKGROUND! WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO A REALITY SHOW? My manager came to me and said I know you’re a very private person and you’re a workaholic, but everybody’s really eager to know how you manage being a mother, wife and a professional. People would love to know how your day to day activity goes. I thought it would be boring and wondered why people would want to know that but I sat down and thought about it. I realised that it would be give people a chance to see another side of me and so I thought let me give it a try. [Laughs] I know! Well there’s so many other things that happen in the background, but we’ll see. But yes, I must say the Times 100 recognition was a very big acclamation for me. IT TRULY WAS BECAUSE ALL THE BLOGS, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER WENT CRAZY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE SAW YOUR PICTURE WITH THE ONE AND ONLY STEVEN SPIELBERG! THAT WAS AWESOME! HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOU? THEY SAY AFRICANS CAN SOMETIMES BE A BIT PRIVATE AND NOT USUALLY ONES TO LET PEOPLE COME INTO THEIR LIVES. AS A WELL KNOWN NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS YOU MUST BE USED TO CAMERAS FOLLOWING YOU AROUND. DID YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING THE CAMERA IN YOUR HOME OR IS IT SOMETHING YOU HAD TO ADJUST TO? It was very strange! I definitely had to adjust to it. As an actress I have to be a different character in front of a camera, but away from all of that, my house is my escape. That's really the only time I have for myself and I’m very private. So inviting the cameras to follow me beyond work was a very odd thing to get used to. It was like my sanctuary was being invaded! I even tried to control it! (Laughs) There were times when I thought have I made a mistake? Is this the right decision? So I struggled. DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT REPRESENTED YOU IN THE WAY YOU WANTED IN FRONT OF YOUR FANS? Interview By Lola Ogunbadejo Omotola:The Real Me! Yes absolutely. Although, some thought it was showing too much of my work, I know a lot of people wanted to see more of my family and home life. But the truth is I’m always working, my kids were away in boarding school for some time during shooting. My husband is always away flying too, so when we get back home its just he and I. I’m sure you don’t just want to see two people saying to each other ‘urgh how was your day?” (Laughs). So in the end my work and travelling is what you see most. But now they want to shoot more of my family! ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE DOING THE SHOW? LIFE’S JOURNEY ON AND OFF CAMERA OMOTOLA JALADE EKEINDE IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST FEMALE CELEBRITIES OUT OF AFRICA. A LEADING ACTRESS IN HER OWN RIGHT WITH MULTIPLE AWARDS AND A FILMOGRAPHY LIST SPANNING NEARLY 18-YEARS IN AFRICAN FILM. SHE HAS APPEARED IN AN ASTOUNDING 300 FILMS, SELLING MILLIONS OF COPIES. SHE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN CELEBRITY TO RECEIVE OVER 1 MILLION LIKES ON HER FACEBOOK PAGE. OMOTOLA IS NOT ONLY NOTED FOR HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS, BUT ALSO FOR HER HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS. SHE IS CURRENTLY AN INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME AND AN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACTIVIST. Over the years, Omotola has been a pioneer in the Nollywood film industry, successfully becoming the most watched actress in Africa. Hear flourishing career has definitely taken Africa and gradually the world by storm! Earlier this year the Nollywood star and goodwill ambassador was recently honoured on the 2013 Time 100 Most Influential People in The World List alongside the likes of Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Steven Spielberg and Kate Middleton. Now tell me who in this world doesn’t know Omotola? Even the great Steven Spielberg knows her! By now hopefully you have come across her very popular reality television show Omotola: The Real Me. Read on and find out all you need to know about Nollywood’s leading lady as in this interview she talks about life’s journey in front and behind the cameras. I’m going to tell you the truth; I’m not sure. My kids are teenagers now and in many ways this season was like a test run for them. Its 50 / 50, they are good with it, but I’m afraid of the kind of exposure it would give them. I don’t want them to be exposed in a way that they cannot handle because they’re not used to that life. People’s comments, gossip and all that I don’t know how it could affect them. I’d prefer to shield them away. THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A VERY GREAT ONE FOR YOU! ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR YOU WERE NAMED TIME 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. WOULD YOU SAY YOUR HIGHEST ACCOLADE TO DATE? Yeah definitely one of the highest, at least career wise. Naturally everyone works for something whatever your goals are. I work for mostly the recognition of it and I don’t mean the fame I mean the respect. A lot of people know I am a humanitarian; for me that is “Everybody has a diva side i ndeed, but bel i eve me y o u d o n ’t wa n t t o see t h a t si de of me! ” 12 | OCTOBER 2013 “ Do you know wha t i t me a n s fo r y o u to s i t do w n w i t h s o m e o n e y o u ’v e a lw a y s lo o k e d u p t o w h e n you are at the pin n a c l e o f y o u r c a r e e r ? A n d h e ’s s i t t i n g n e x t t o y o u li k e y o u a re m y c o lle a g u e and he’s talking to yo u wi th r e s p e c t! ” – O mo to la o n m e e t i n g S t e v e n S p i e lb e rg He was lovely! He is like the biggest director in the world! Meeting him was something I always dreamt about. I wasn’t just meeting him, I was meeting him as an equal at least for that time. He was an honouree just like me and we were sitting on the same table for the same reasons, so it was like a level playing field. Do you know what it means for you to sit down with someone you’ve always looked up to when you are at the pinnacle of your career? And he’s sitting next to you like you are my colleague and he’s talking to you with respect! Not like a fan or an actor just trying to get something from him. It was actually a surreal experience. DID YOU BOTH HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT NOLLYWOOD? Yes we did! Naturally everywhere I go I talk to people about Nollywood, I tell people about what we do, where we are, what are our struggles are, and our hopes and dreams for Nollywood. He had not heard about Nollywood before! WOW! SURPRISING! Yeah! We talked about it and he immediately started to research about Nollywood and he was really intrigued and interested about how far we have come and our journey. I hope he follows through with some things he said that day because they were very encouraging. OH FANTASTIC! WILL WE SEE ANY COLLABORATIONS? TELL US, DID YOU EXCHANGE DETAILS AND PLAN TO KEEP IN CONTACT? Right let me clear this up! There was some talk over whether I have his BB pin or not. In some of the newspapers and TV shows there was talk over whether I have his details or not. I had an interview with the telegraph where I was asked if I had his contact of which I do have! My publicist has his contact details. FANTASTIC! WELL WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE. HOPING THE TWO OF YOU WILL WORK TOGETHER. FINGERS CROSSED! Fingers cross! But seriously even if I do not get to work with Steven I would love a situation where he comes to Nollywood to inspire people because everything is not always selfish. It doesn’t essentially have to be about me doing a movie. It could just be about him coming to Nollywood and giving us that kind of endorsement and other positive things. I would love for him to at least say in public that there is something called Nollywood and he respects what we have done! I THINK THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL! AND IT WILL HAPPEN, IT SHALL HAPPEN IN JESUS NAME! Amen! [Laughs] WE COULD TALK ABOUT YOUR MANY ACHIEVEMENTS FOR HOURS! NOW SOME CELEBRITIES WHEN THEY GET THIS KIND OF RECOGNITION OR THESE AWARDS SOMETIMES IT GETS TO THEIR HEADS BUT WE’VE SEEN THAT YOU HAVE MANAGED TO SUPRESS THE INNER DIVA. HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO KEEP IT HUMBLE? I’m just a happy person I try to keep happiness around me all the time. I’m positive minded and I like to positive people around me. Everybody has a diva side indeed, but believe me you don’t want to see that side of me! Being in the industry for so many years and being a mother - you just learn to be more matured. You get more humble as time goes on. After a while you meet so many people who are very haughty and proud, you sort of just have enough! We all go through that stage but then it gets a point where you do not feel the need to do all of that anymore. I’ve been in the industry over 17 to 18 years now and I’ve seen a lot. I’ve had my bad attitude days but I’m now at a point where I’m comfortable with myself and it’s alright. I’m happy! OVER THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE LITERALLY CHANGED OUR WORLD. THEIR FAITH AND WORKS NOT ONLY IMPACTED OUR LIVES BUT ALSO SHAPED THE DESTINY OF MANY. WHAT SETS THEM APART? WHAT MAKES A MAN OR A WOMAN STAND OUT AMONGST THE CHOSEN FEW? FIND OUT ON THE CALL. JOIN MUYIWA AS HE TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD TO MEET THESE DISTINCT MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD, TO DISCOVER HOW THEY RECEIVED THE CALL. 14 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 15 Music and Entertainment “I will continue to r epr esent those that choose not to f it into what society f or ces them to be, but choose to mak e a dif f er ence in the lives of other s.” Interview by Adeola Idowu Victizzle – Keeping it Real PU R CH A S E TH E B R A N D N EW A LB U M 'TIME 2 S H IN E' N O W O N ITU N ES A N D n o w O H S H O P. V IS IT: www.S H O P.O H TV .CO .U K/ “I t used t o anger m e w hen people w ould d i s r e s p e c t m e on Y ouT ube or T w i t t er t elli ng m e t hat I ’ve s o l d o u t s i m p l y because I di dn’t say ‘J esus’ or ‘God’ i n a s o n g . S o m e ti m e s I w ould lash out , but event ually I learned to s to p ” ADEOLA IDOWU CATCHES UP WITH NONE OTHER THAN VICTIZZLE, ONE OF UK GOSPEL’S MOST PRIZED GEMS; THE PRODUCER EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK WITH AND THE ARTIST MANY WANT TO COLLABORATE WITH! IN THIS INTERVIEW VICTIZZLE OPENS UP ABOUT HIS GROWTH AS A MUSICIAN, CHRISTIAN AND AS AN INDIVIDUAL… If until now you have never heard of Victizzle, you would have probably come across his music one way or another. This is largely because this young man has been behind the production of countless UK gospel hits for stars such as Guvna B, G Force, Faith Child, JayEss and a host of others. Victor “Victizzle” Akata, is a known rapper and producer that has stirred quite a reputation for himself enabling him to work with a growing number of mainstream artists also such as Wretch 32, Chip and many others. In recent years Victizzle has become one of the most prominent names within UK Gospel and is quickly earning his deserved respect within the mainstream with two proud MOBO accolades under his belt. Now with the release of his latest much anticipated album ‘Time 2 Shine’ and recently becoming the first artist to sign under UPRISE Music Management, Victizzle is clearly proving there is no stopping him now, it’s his time! YOU HAVE BEEN NOTED AS UK GOSPEL’S MOST SOUGHT AFTER PRODUCER AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT NAMES IN UK GOSPEL AS AN ARTIST ALSO! HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE? YOU WEAR MORE THAN ONE HAT IN YOUR WORK, ONE AS A GIFTED PRODUCER AND THE OTHER AS A TALENTED ARTIST. WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOU WANTED TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MUSIC? It’s an honour to be doing what I do and to be known for doing it. To be honest there is still so much left to accomplish. I love creating good music that connects with the people in such a way that 5 or 10 years from now, they are still talking about how the music made them feel. I’m blessed to have started making music in my bedroom at a young age and still going today, it’s been almost 10 years and I couldn’t have accomplished anything without hard work, the faith God has given me and the amazing fans and supporters. I loved music from a young age and started making beats in my bedroom as a hobby when I was 13. Everyone was making grime music and I was into Hip Hop and R&B music so eventually I started writing raps to my own beats. I bought studio equipment and began teaching myself how to record and arrange vocals. When I hit 15 or 16 I decided that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 16 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 17 “I ’ll alw ays have a passi on t o change people’s li ves f or t he good and m ake a posi t i ve di f f erence i n t he w orld.” INDEED YOU ARE A VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUAL WITH TWO MOBOS IN YOUR COLLECTION OF AWARDS! IF YOU WEREN’T A MUSICIAN WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING? Honestly, I have no clue [Laughs]. I think I would definitely be drawing comic books or into acting. I used to draw a lot of comic book characters or Anime and I love movies. Better yet I love comic book movies [Laughs]. HOW HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IMPACTED YOUR LIFE AND CHOICE OF CAREER? My relationship with God has taught me how to be honest with myself. It’s also given me a passion and drive to want to make a change and leave my stamp on this Earth just like Jesus did. He made such an impact on this Earth, even though he was only around for 33 years, he is still talked about over 2000 years later. For me, it’s a case of whatever career path I’m in, be it music, art, film or whatever I’ll always have a passion to change people’s lives for the good and make a positive difference in the world. WHICH OTHER MUSICIANS HAVE INSPIRED YOU, OR GROWING UP WHO HAVE YOU LOOKED UP TO? I’m inspired, in some way by a lot of the people that I work and have worked with. My teammates Utter Once and Lola Godheld always keep me on my toes and they are super talented. Anyone that has drive and passion and work hard inspire me. Growing up the main producers that I looked up to were Timbaland, Darkchild and The Neptunes! They are the reasons why I do what I do today. AS A CHRISTIAN ARTIST AND PRODUCER YOU HAVE WORKED WITH AN ARRAY OF GOSPEL ARTISTS BUT ALSO A NUMBER OF MAINSTREAM ARTISTS TOO. WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH ARTISTS FROM THE TWO DIFFERENT SIDES OF MUSIC? I have the privilege or working with both Gospel and Mainstream artists and I love the similarities and the differences between them but mainly the similarities. Both sides are human and go through the same everyday trials. So in saying that, once the artist opens up in the studio, the session can become very therapeutic, which can create great chemistry for making great music. The differences are that there are very few hard workers in the Gospel scene. The majority can be quite lazy compared to those in the mainstream who literally eat, sleep and breathe music. They work non-stop and then continue working until their dreams are fulfilled and even then the work doesn’t stop! But that’s just from my experiences. I could be wrong! SOME ARGUE THAT PEOPLE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF CHRISTIAN ARTISTS. DO YOU THINK AS A GOSPEL MUSICIAN PEOPLE OFTEN PUT YOU ON A PEDESTAL OR EXPECT YOU TO BE ‘PERFECT’? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS? People naturally put anything that has the word ‘Gospel’ next to it on a pedestal so I don’t really blame people or get mad when that happens. I’m a Christian, so naturally anything I talk about will have a positive, yet still human essence about it. I don’t always have to talk about Jesus and his disciples (laughs). It used to anger me when people would disrespect me on YouTube or Twitter telling me that I’ve sold out simply because I didn’t say ‘Jesus’ or ‘God’ in a song. Sometimes I would lash out, but eventually I learned to stop and just let people have their opinions. I just keep it real at all times and show people that I’m human just like them. Life is all about growth, you can’t talk about the same thing in every song forever, eventually people want to hear about you! THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ‘TIME 2 SHINE’ ALBUM IS FINALLY OUT CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT! TELL US ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT? YOU ALSO HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL LISTENING PARTY TO COMMEMORATE ITS RELEASE, WHAT DID YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT THE EVENT? Thank you very much! The album is just a collection of my thought’s, feelings and experiences translated into inspirational and inspiring songs from the last 4 years since my first album ‘In My World’ came out in 2009. I just wanted to make music that I personally would want to hear played on the radio or TV and also something to simply make people feel good about themselves or to give them hope in tough situations. People like Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and even Lauryn Hill executed this very well. I loved seeing so many faces from both my past and present, all gathered together to celebrate my new release. It was such a blessing to be able to share my heart with them once more. It will always be remembered. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE TRACK ON THE ALBUM? My favourite track is between ‘Be Alright’ and ‘My Story’. The first is a very positive track that highlights difficult situations in life that people go through, such as poverty or drugs, but the song ultimately let’s people know that life can get better if the believe and try to make the best out of their situation. God can bring you out of any bad situation. The second is very personal to me as I discuss growing up as a young Christian boy living in Hackney at a time when the environment was very dangerous to live in. I also mention struggling with self-esteem issues and growing up dealing with pornography. Very deep song! WOW VERY DEEP STUFF, DEFINITELY AN HONEST REFLECTION OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. Yes, it really is. CONGRATULATIONS ON RECENTLY SIGNING A MANAGEMENT DEAL WITH UPRISE MUSIC! HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? Thank you very much! That deal was quite unplanned, but it’s working out great so far. It happened when I returned from a festival out in Slovakia called CampFest, I met up with Vidal from Four Kornerz also the Chanel Manager in charge of UPRISE at OH TV. We were meant to just have a meeting about the listening party event, but we got talking and I couldn’t refuse the offer they put on the table, it worked well for both parties. I had never been managed up until now so I’m still adjusting, but it’s going well. WHAT ELSE CAN WE EXPECT FROM VICTIZZLE IN THE FUTURE? It’s going to be another great 10 years for me and for my fans. That’s all I can say. I will continue to represent those that choose not to fit into what society forces them to be, but choose to make a difference in the lives of others. Watch this space! 18 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 19 ONLY IN LAGOS! Fashion and Culture WHO'S HOT AND WHO'S NOT, WALK WITH ME INTO THE WORLD OF THE CELEBRITY AS I GO, OUT AND ABOUT. DON JAZZY I met Don jazzy this year at the Nigerian entertainment conference that took place at Eko Hotel earlier this year. He recently gave a speech at the Africa Leadership summit that took place in Mauritius. The theme was ‘Prosper 4 Africa’ and spoke about the importance of commercializing Africa’s music and entertainment scene! Africa Stand up! ALEXANDRA BURKE LOLA OGUNBADEJO, AWARD WINNING HOST OF OH TV’S HIT SHOW ‘OUT AND ABOUT WITH LOLA’ GIVES US THE LATEST SCOOP ON WHAT SHE HAS BEEN UP TO! CELEBRITIES, TRAVELS AND EVENTS SHE HAS IT ALL! It’s Lola Here and I’m so excited to have my own column in 2gether magazine! So this year has been nothing short of Amazing! Earlier on in the year I was M.I.A for a while, well almost 3 months to be precise. I was in Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria filming for the much anticipated second season of my show ‘Out & and About with Lola’! I had a beautiful time as expected! For those who don’t know ‘Out & About with Lola’...it’s your one stop show for all things African entertainment, from music to film. This show brings you exclusives, celebrity interviews, news and reviews! Each week you will see me attend some of the hottest events in the capital and around the world! ABOUT LOLA OGUNBADEJO Lola Ogunbadejo is one of the first names that come to mind when discussing prominent faces in the African entertainment scene in Europe. An award-winning presenter (Nigerian UK based Achievers – Best TV Presenter Award’ 2013 and Women4Africa – Media Personality of the year award’ 2012), producer, Lola has proven to the world that her brand is a force to be reckoned with. Her flourishing career started a few years ago, at the biggest BME channel in Europe- OHTV. She has interviewed some of Africa’s biggest celebrities such as Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola, Jim Iyke, 2Face Idibia to name a few on the popular magazine show ‘Afrika Rising’ which aired for 3 years on OHTV’ as well on Africa Magic on DSTV. 2012 saw the birth of her exciting magazine show ‘Out & About with Lola’ which sees the on screen personality attend the most exclusive and anticipated African related events in the capital- London. Described as ‘riveting’, ‘High quality’ and ‘extremely entertaining’– ‘Out & about with Lola’ quickly amassed a huge following which saw her audience glued to their screens throughout the first 13 episode season. The second season will air on OH TV later this year. Whilst in the motherland, I had the chance to meet some really great people, attended amazing events and enjoyed the beautiful but very hot weather! I miss it dearly but one thing I don’t miss is the crazy traffic! I wouldn’t want anyone to go through the ordeal of being in a hot car! On one faithful journey our Air Condition system broke down while en route to our destination. For 3 hours, sweating like no body’s business whilst having to witness stressed drivers abuse each other in transit. Sad times! Although now I look back and see the comical side! Aww I have been blessed with unforgettable memories. Haha! I’m surprised I didn’t balloon as I ate so much whilst I was out there! From the Buka (local food spots) to one of my favourite joints ‘Ocean Basket’, an amazing seafood restaurant in Victoria Island! I would seriously advise anyone to go there! You will need about N3000- N7000 to have a good time and trust me it’s worth it! I went everywhere which you will see in the new season! One of my highlights was Tarkwa Bay Beach; the beach is stunning with its stone walls, soft silky sand friendly neighbours. It’s quite secluded so you have to take a boat to get there which all adds to the experience and you get to see some amazing landmarks whilst while travelling there. Another highlight was seeing President Jonathan Goodluck at the Africa Summit held at Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, that was a very good and enlightening experience! Overall, Nigeria is sweet o! However I did actually catch malaria! Yes that’s right even after taking all the precautions – major downer! I was in bed for some time but thank God it wasn’t too serious! Well honestly I can’t wait for all of you to see what I got up to in Lagos! I met Alexandra Burke at the African Arts and Fashion Banquet as part of ‘Africa’s Fashion Week London’, she told me she’s a huge fan of African Music especially Dr.Sid and D’Prince. The 2008 winner of the biggest singing reality show ‘X Factor’ performed at the Nigerian leg of the branded show ‘Glo X Factor’ back in September. She was awesome! OMOTOLA J. EKEINDE Omotola is someone I really do look up to; it was awesome having her on the new set talking about her great achievements. Earlier this year she was named one of ‘Times 100 Most Influential People in the World’! The stunning actress gave me the lowdown on her reality TV show and meeting the one and only Steven Spielburg! Come on! How amazing is that! COKO MUSIC FESTIVAL SUCCESS! So recently London went Coko crazy at the Music Festival held at london’s indigO2 in celebration of Nigerian Independence. It was a great night. Acts on the night included; Flavour, Sean Tizzle, Olamide, Lola Rae and surprise performers; Iyanya and the one and only Awilo Logomba! 20 | OCTOBER 2013 SPEAKING OF GIST, IF YOU CAUGHT SEASON ONE OF ‘OUT AND ABOUT WITH LOLA’ YOU WOULD HAVE COME ACROSS THE EVER POPULAR SECTION OF THE SHOW CALLED ‘GIST ME’! I LOVE THIS SECTION OF THE SHOW, IT’S WHERE MY DEAR FRIEND ADEOLA IDOWU (ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST AND EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THIS MAGAZINE!) AND I KEEP ALL OF YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST CELEBRITY NEWS! I JUST LOVE IT! SO MAKE SURE YOU WATCH OUT FOR THIS NEXT SEASON! I KNOW YOU ALL LOVE A BIT OF GIST... WEDDING BELLS! This has been a year for celebrity weddings. 2face Idibia and Annie Macaulay definitely set the standard by having a luxurious ceremony and reception in lavish land of Dubai. One more wedding that I’m looking forward too and I’m sure you are too is that of the ovely Tiwa Savage! The songstress will be holding her traditional marriage to her best friend and Manager ‘Tee Billz’ on Saturday, November 23, 2013 in Lagos! I hear that the white wedding will take place on Valentine’s Day! How sweet! Can’t wait to see the ‘Kele Kele’ singer’s dress; you know it’s going be something special! AFROBEATS MEETS SOUL TRAIN! Now these are two opposite sides of music that you wouldn’t usually put in the same sentence! However I had to include a massive congratulations to Iyanya and Psquare for their nomination for ‘Best International Performance’ in this year’s Soul Train awards being held later this year (December 1st in New York, USA!). How exciting! Afrobeats is really pushing boundaries and becoming bigger and better! All the best guys! LOLA AND FLAVOUR COKO MUSIC FESTIVAL Cokobar did it yet again! Sean Tizzle, Olamide and Flavour proved to London why they are Afrobeats Superstars! The highly anticipated concert, Cokobar Music Festival took place in celebration of Nigeria’s 53rd Independence broadcasted live on Nigeria’s Beat FM, with OHBoX as one of the nights sponsors. UK African comedian, Eddie Kadi, hosted the festival and kept the crowd on the edge if their seats with laughter throughout the show. Flavour and I after he wowed the crowd with his popular hits ‘Nwa Baby’, ‘Ada Ada’, ‘Shake’ and ‘Jombolo’ on the night of the Coko Music Festival, IndigO2, London. LOLA AND SEAN TIZZLE No not Davido! It’s Sean Tizzle! Sean and I don’t see the resemblance but everyone else seems to! I caught up with the rising star backstage after delivering an electric performance. ‘So le? Ko Le!’ Haha! What a catchy song! Coko Music Festival, IndigO2, London. THE UPRISE MOVEMENT. There seems to be no stopping the UPRISE team. Off the back of a successful union of the finest UK Gospel acts at Mali Music and Friends, UPRISE have put together a force to be reckoned with, THE UPRISE MOVEMENT! LOLA AND TOOLZ BEAT FM Radio personality Toolz (BEAT FM, Nigeria) and I backstage, ‘Cokobar Music Festival’, IndigO2, London. Fronted by UPRISE Ambassador, Faith Child, the 5 piece consists of MOBO award winning rapper and songwriter Utter Once, Grime MC A-Star, singing sensation Deborah and UPRISE Music Management’s latest signing; the MOBO award winning producer and artist, Victizzle! Together, the 5 piece bring a stage show like no other. The summer of 2013 saw the UPRISE Movement wow thousands in Slovakia at CampFest and at UK’s Big Church Day Out. The collective offer performances and workshops tailored to churches, schools and festivals. MEET THE MOVEMENT! WATCH OUT FOR THE NEW SEASON OF OUT AND ABOUT WITH LOLA RETURNING TO OUR SCREENS THIS AUTUMN / WINTER ONLY ON OH TV! FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.OHTV.CO.UK OR WWW.OHTVBOX.COM. Faith Child | Utter Once | A Star | Deborah | Victizzle CONNECT WITH UPRISE: Twitter: @UpriseMusicTV Web: www.uprise.co.uk Email: [email protected] 22 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 23 Fashion and Culture “I GREW UP I N GHANA AND I SUPPOSE I 'M M OST PROUD OF T HE RESPECT. I KNOW SOM E PEOPL E T HI NK AFRI CANS GO T OO FAR W I T H T HE W HOL E I DEA OF RESPECT. BUT I ST RONGL Y DI SAGREE.” IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE AN INTEREST BOOKS, MOST ESPECIALLY CHILDREN'S BOOKS, YOU HAVE EVEN NOTED TWO OF YOUR OWN. WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK? Written by Adeola Adebayo Owojori WHO IS THE REAL ROSEMARY LARYEA? A REAL CULTURE VULTURE! ARTS, CULTURE, LITERATURE AND ALL THAT JAZZ... MEET ROSEMARY LARYEA, THE HOST OF OH TV’S SUCCESSFUL LUNCHTIME CULTURE AND ARTS SHOW CULTURE VULTURES (AIRING EVERY WEEKDAY 2PM). ADEOLA ADEBAYO OWOJORI CATCHES UP WITH THE AWARD WINNING PRESENTER, TO DISCUSS HER LOVE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN HER CHILDREN'S UPBRINGING. CULTURE VULTURES! BRILLIANT SHOW! HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SHOW IN YOUR OWN WORDS? Thank You! I will describe Culture Vultures as a platform for creatives in the arts. So that's theatre, books, sculpturing, film, singers; the arts in general. We seek them out and bring them on to the show, so the rest of the world can see them. WHO HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PAST GUEST? I've loved them all, but it would have to be Eryca Freemantle. Her story is incredible. She was scarred on the right side of her face in a car accident at the age of 22. Imagine girls at that age and women in general, we are very conscious of what we look like. Eryca enrolled herself at Complexion School for Makeup in Holborn. Eryca started using makeup to disguise the scarring has been teaching techniques at her school Face The Facts on camouflaging facial blemishes and disguising disfigurements for over 20 years with celebrity recognition. Yes! It's an interesting one, these days I read more children's books because I have two small children. I am encouraging them to read. Children's books, I have so many. I love Roald Dahl. I love Charlie's marvelous medicine and Matilda. When it comes to children's books, my list goes on because of my children. I do still read books for adults. In fact, I've started doing a Waterstone's Book hour. Every week I get to speak to the authors about their books. MENTIONING ALL THESE BOOKS BRINGS ME RIGHT BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD. THE 90'S WERE MY DECADE. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DECADE? Yes my favourite decade would probably be between 1980-1990, those days were fabulous. WHAT DO YOU CHILDREN THINK OF YOU BEING ON TV? ARE THEY EXCITED TO SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN OR HEAR YOUR VOICE ON THE RADIO? I wonder if they get embarrassed by it. I remember I was really excited when we did the first series of Culture Vultures. We all sat around the television. Initially they were excited, not long after they saw on me the screens, they both walked out. How bizarre! I think they find it rather strange. I's funny, I must ask them again! AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND? Well my husband, I think he as well doesn't know how to deal with it! He works in Ghana. I'm from Ghana and he's from Nigeria, so he moves between Ghana, Nigeria and here. His friends were texting him in Nigeria saying his wife was on TV. When the season was over, it was online so he saw it on there too, so to him it was like, OH... This is real? (Laughs) YOU MENTIONED YOUR HUSBAND'S HERITAGE, LET'S SPEAK ABOUT YOURS. Well My Dad's full Ghanaian, my mum's half Ivorian and half Ghanaian. So when there's an argument in the house, you know when she's going to claim her Ivorian side, especially if the Ghanaians are in the wrong. WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN REGARDS TO GHANAIANS? AND WHAT CAN OTHER CULTURES LEARN FROM GHANA? I grew up in Ghana and I suppose I'm most proud of the respect. I know some people think Africans go too far with the whole idea of respect. But I strongly disagree. The older I get, the more I understand especially in regards to my children. I feel very uncomfortable if my children were to call someone who is older by their first name. I've been in this country over thirty years so I understand the nature of why some children do so. I've been raised in this environment but I’m happy to say that my children can not 24 | OCTOBER 2013 meet you today Adeola and call you Adeola. It would be Aunty, Cousin or Sister. It's that respect given and I love that! Just by saying Aunty, it brings the respect right up there. YOU SPEAK SO WELL! HAS ANYONE EVER COMMENTED ON YOUR ENUNCIATION? It's funny my husband said when his family and friends met me, they said to him ‘Ah she's a typical Ghanaian, they always speak so wel’l. I said that's really interesting, I don't know any different. I think the way I speak is also down to my father. He was very particular with the way I spoke. He said I spoke too fast. He would be like ‘I don’t understand what you're saying’.(laughs). HOW ABOUT YOUR NATIVE TONGUE? WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS CHOOSE TO SPEAK TO YOU MOSTLY IN, GHA OR ENGLISH? My parents didn't speak Gha to us which is a real downer because out of five children, only one of us can speak Gha fluently. One of my brothers and he even taught himself. 2GETHER | 25 THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD, CHRIST'S LOVE ASSEMBLY (CLA), BARTON, HEADINGTON, OXFORD PRESENTS ABOUT CULTURE VULTURES: EVERY WEEKDAY AFTERNOON OH TV PROVIDE THE FINEST LUNCHTIME ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING CULTURE VULTURES, A PANEL DISCUSSION SHOW PRESENTED BY JAZZ FM RADIO PERSONALITY ROSEMARY LARYEA. NOW IN ITS SECOND SEASON THE ARTS AND CULTURE DISCUSSION SHOW HAS DONE ITS PART IN STIMULATING OUR PHILOSOPHICAL AND INTELLECTUAL SIDES, AND HAS BEEN REGARDED AS ONE OF OH TV’S BEST LUNCH TIME SHOWS DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL THIS YEAR. AND YOURSELF? Ah I'm trying o! This same brother has two children who speak Gha. I would ask what a word means, can you imagine? My niece would answer me in Gha and say, ‘Aunty Rosemary you should know, you should know!’ HOW IMPORTANT IS BEING ABLE TO SPEAK YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE TO YOU? ® I'm trying these days to speak it to my mum because I did a piece for Pamela Sakyi, an editor at OH, for her documentary on British Ghanaians- Lost in Translation. On camera when I heard myself, I said to her you've really shamed me. But I do speak GHA more now. I remember my grandmother back home was so upset because we left Ghana speaking Gha and then, in her eyes, a few months later, we couldn’t speak it. The Asians are over here can speak their language fluently so why can't you and I saw it so vividly and I said to myself I just have to sort this out. sat. 2nd november Gates open 6pm prompt from 5pm DO YOU THINK THIS HAS AFFECTED YOUR CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN THE LANGUAGE? ON A BRIGHTER SIDE, YOUR CHILDREN HAVE AN INTEREST IN A PART OF THEIR CULTURE, MANY OTHER KIDS DO NOT SHARE THEIR PARENT'S INTEREST'S ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THEIR AFRICAN CULTURE. You're right. My children and I share that interest. My daughter also likes books and she writes stories just like me. I always tell her, her stories are brilliant let's get these published. Her teachers say the same thing, but she's just like really? Ok Mummy you publish your stories and I'll publish mine. WELL THEN WE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE NEXT SEASON OF CULTURE VULTURES TO LOOK FORWARD TO BUT WE ALSO HAVE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER BOOKS TO COME ALSO! Absolutely. There's a 2gether magazine exclusive. “I GREW UP IN GHANA AND I SUP P OS E I'M MOST P ROUD OF THE RESP EC T." a Kafmedia desiGn | WWW.Kafmedia.com | 07932 951 459 No they want to speak GHA! They've asked me to teach them but I have had to say to them that I feel I need to be taught myself. It's a really sad thing. venUe: clc, (the reGal, 300 coWley road, oxford, ox4 2af) also ministerinG in sonGs: GUvna b • alexander victor & altarsoUnd (london) • expressions of Worship, croydon (london) • GodsWill otUonye (niGeria) • redeemed christian chUrch of God, christ’s love assembly and victory revival christian centre choirs (oxford) adult: £10; child (under 10 years): £5 Up till october 15, 2013. thereafter, adults: £12.50; child - £7.50 only 1000 ticKets available. hUrry and bUy noW!! TickeTs available aT WWW.pUblicisejesUs.com or bulk purchases by calling 07813709676 or 07502454004 or Through your church. Hair and Beauty Politics Music and Entertainment Fashion and Culture Food and Education w ritten by Adeola Idow u, Adeol a A d e b a y o O wo j o r i Real T a lk The live interactive debate show is back again for season 4. Real Talk continues to tackle the most hard-hitting topics affecting the black diaspora and wider communities. Join Trish Adudu with her panel of guests each week. Have your say and get involved with live phone calls and social networking. It’s your show with your views! Om otola : Th e R e a l Me She's played many roles on screen in her high-flying career, and now the glamorous actress, singer and entrepreneur Omotola Jolade Ekeinde will appear on your screens with her own reality TV series. The Nollywood superstar, mother of four and wife of a pilot is about to take us on the highly anticipated journey through her most personal roles in this fly-on-the-wall documentary. Make sure you fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride! EVERY THURSDAY AT 7PM A drama series exclusive to OHTV starring Adaora Ukoh, Kiki Omeili, Catherine Obiang, Keira Hewatch, and Chinonso Young set around 5 wives who live in the élite area of Lagos, Lekki. Lekki Wives includes a mix of female types from the carefree housewife, to the trophy housewife, the ex-call girl and the rich authoritarian. Full of drama, fun and Laughter. LET US KNOW WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHOW! TWEET US ON @OHTV OR WRITE TO US ON FACEBOOK AT WWW.FACEBOOK/OHTV199 OR EMAIL [email protected] Adams Apples is a 10 chapter cinema movie series set in the hustle and bustle of the city of Accra and its suburbs with glimpses of the exciting metropolis of London. The movie follows the lives of the four “Adams” Ghanaian women. They work through domestic struggles, family life and personal battles to achieve success and happiness in a fast changing, 21st century Ghana. Adams Apples keeps you wanting more! Unplugged Unplugged showcases acoustic performance sessions from an array of gifted upcoming and unsigned artists. Filmed in the OH TV studios, the various artists perform a song of their choice giving them a chance to platform their vocal abilities and talent. Watch out for a fresh batch of musicians in the all new season coming soon to OH TV this winter!. EVERY MONDAY 2PM EVERY WEDNESDAY 9PM Lek k i W ives EVERY SATURDAY 9PM Back again for season 3 with a fresh new look and hosted by renowned gospel artist Faith Child and Co-Presenter Mercedes. Uprise will continue to deviate from the norm and bring you the very best of urban gospel music and entertainment. This season will be filled to the brim with entertainment, fresh music videos and exclusive interviews with various Christian gospel artists. Catch the latest reviews from the weekly arts and culture show co-produced and presented by the award-winning Rosemary Laryea and her panel of critics, authors and many more. As the panel is filled with opinionated professionals in literature, theatre, fashion and music, you are guaranteed to be both informed and entertained. Adam s Apples EVERY MONDAY 6.30PM Upri se Mu s ic TV C ulture Vultures NUMEROUS EPISODES EACH WEEK Feast your eyes on this new series hosted by the loveable presenter Mary Shittu showcasing popular and tantalising Nigerian delicacies. Catch Mary and TV Chef Rasheeda Sule in the all new season 3 of Naija Bites in Atlanta, USA and find out which lucky celebrity guest is joining them in the tempting Naija Bites kitchen. This season features special guests such as Musiq Soulchild, Quinnes "Q" Parker from R&B group 112 and many others! NUMEROUS EPISODES EACH WEEK #2GETHERMAGAZINE Nai j a B it e s A t la n t a HANDPICKED FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE At Hom e w ith J oselyn Dum as The show where Ghanaian bombshell actress and presenter Joselyn Dumas invites celebrities into her home for a unique twist of interviews, fun and banter. Just the perfect show to watch during your Friday lunchtime, get to know your favourite celebrities and join the beautiful hostess in her new show which kicks off this autumn. EVERY FRIDAY AT 1PM The weekly chat show Lasting Love is back with season 2 in Atlanta, USA! Lasting Love show deals with all the hot topics relating to marriage. Each episode you'll be empowered and enlightened with real life stories by couples from different cultural backgrounds. Presented by Funmi Adeyi, this show will help you enjoy the fullness of marriage. Make sure you're committed to Lasting Love! EVERY SATURDAY AT 12:30PM Lasti n g L o v e A t la n t a EVERY THURSDAY AT 2:30PM TAK E A LOOK AT THE TOP RATED SHOWS ON YOUR FAVOURITE NET WO R K. # 2 G E TH E R MA G A Z IN E Movies 28 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 29 Music and Entertainment ‘ Wh a t do you do when you've done all you can and it s e e ms lik e you can't mak e it thr ough? Well you just s t a n d, stand, stand, don't you dar e give up. Thr ough t h e stor m, thr ough the r ain, thr ough the hur t , stand t h ro u gh the pain, hold on, be str ong, God will step in and it won't be long.’ – Donnie McC lur k in DONNIE McCLURKIN IN LONDON EXCLUSIVELY AT RCCG OXFORD SATURDAY THE 2ND DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2013 WILL CERTAINLY BE A DATE TO REMEMBER IN THE LIFE OF THE ANCIENT CITY OF OXFORD. THE CITY KNOWN FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WILL ADD ANOTHER FEATHER TO ITS CAP AS IT SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE CITY OF “OVERWHELMING PRAISE” TO THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. THAT IS BECAUSE THE WELL-KNOWN CONCERT – PRAISEGATE HOSTED BY CHRIST’S LOVE ASSEMBLY (CLA), A PARISH OF THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD WILL HOLD ON THAT DATE. PraiseGate is already running into its fourth year. Kick-started with the ace Nigerian Gospel group known as Midnight Crew in 2010; subsequently, Oxford hosted Dr. Ron Kenoly in 2011. Last year, the programme did not hold because the organisers believing that the standard expected by the worshippers in Oxford must not be compromised chose to concentrate on the 2013 edition of the programme. The city was quiet; but CLA was already working on its game plan to bring the best array of gospel singers to Oxford for the 2013 edition of the programme. FEEL THE EXCITEMENT! The excitement in Oxford to receive the three Grammy Award winner Pastor and worshipper Donnie McClurkin is palpable. Pastor Donnie McClurkin will be the main Gospel Artist at this event. Already confirmed are other ministers such as the Rapper and crowd pulling Guvna B, The Expressions of Worship, Alexander Victor & Altarsound and Nigerian Singer, Godswill Otuonye. Not the least, the Christ’s Love Assembly Choir (the host) and Victory Revival Centre choir (supporting choir) are also going to be singing spirit-lifting songs. ABOUT PRAISEGATE: PraiseGate is a programme that God instructed CLA to run and the name is crafted from the Book of Isaiah Chapter 60: 18: “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” The Lord has promised that as we continue to worship him, violence will not be heard in our land, nor ruin or destruction within our borders. “That is what we believe!” ABOUT RCCG, OXFORD The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Christ’s Love Assembly (CLA), Barton, Headington, Oxford is a church based in Oxford for all nations. It is one of the parishes of Redeemed Christian Church of God, with headquarters in Nigeria, Africa. PASTOR PATRICK TOLANI, RCCG, CHRIST LOVE ASSEMBLY, OXFORD 2GETHER | OHBoX for Churches! WATCH YOUR CHURCH SERVICES LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WITH THE OHBOX! Never miss a church service again with the OHBoX! Wherever you are in the world you can get your church programmes streamed live on the OHBoX and the OHBoX app with your very own dedicated church channel. The OHBoX is a set top box that allows access to hundreds of channels. There is also an OHBoX App available for download from any smart device App store. The newest addition to the OHBoX with a dedicated channel is Jesus House Chicago who currently stream their services live from the USA. At Jesus House Chicago we recently made the strategic move to change from our former live stream provider to the OHBoX platform. I believe this move will greatly enhance our reach and user-friendliness with regards to the use of current technology. I am also excited at the new possibilities open to us using the OHBoX streaming platform as we can now not only stream our services on our website but simultaneously also to most smart phones and tablets via the OHBoX apps. 31 The OHBoX solution offers us the chance to broadcast 24 hours a day and so we are developing our media content just like a regular TV channel would. This development will enable us to transition easily to being a TV channel on the IPTV set top box. We can now schedule adverts and live events at the church to playback on our channel. I truly believe the possibilities are endless and having this media outlet will also encourage us to develop our drama ministry and further develop our internal iCare newscast into a regular news broadcast relevant to our wider audience. Our future plans for our website now include the addition of an online schedule so our audience will know when their programs will be streaming. PASTOR BAYO ADEWOLE, JESUS HOUSE CHICAGO, USA AKIN SALAMI, CEO OF OH TV SAYS; “Most churches have an evangelical side and the OHBoX platform is designed for everyone, young and old. For young people we are available on most smart phones and tablets. For the older audience we are available on set top boxes connected directly to television sets. And for Internet lovers the same feed can also be connected and embedded to your churches website.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR CHURCH INVOLVED VISIT WWW.OHTVBOX.COM NOW! JOIN THE REVOLUTION. 32 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | WRITTEN BY BUKKY ALABI (BEE SUAREZ) 33 ICIE REALISES NEW TRACK IN SUPPORT OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH He’s the urban driven sensation on course to dominate UK Gospel this month. In aid of Black History Month Icie has released a track called ‘Whips and Chains’ which is his anthem for celebrating the contributions made by black icons in UK’s sports, fashion and entertainment arenas. ‘This is my BLACK HISTORY MONTH anthem, celebrating the contributions made by those both in the mainstream spotlight and those working out their dreams in the underground. THE ONE AND ONLY MISS BEE OF BEESUAREZ.COM KEEPS US IN THE LOOP OF WHAT’S POPPING OFF IN THE EVER VIBRANT AND THRILLING WORLD OF UK GOSPEL! I don’t know ALL of those mentioned in the track personally, but appreciation is at times most valued when it comes from a stronger. I SALUTE YOU ALL.’ WITH THIS AUTUMN/WINTER PERIOD BEING ONE OF THE HOTTEST TIMES OF THE YEAR FOR UK GOSPEL WITH EVENTS FROM MOBO AWARDS TO CHART TOPPING RELEASES TUCK IN BELOW FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON VICTIZZLE, GUVNA B, RACHEL KERR AND MUCH MORE… RACHEL KERR, JUST GETTING STARTED! It’s been a tremendous month for Ms Kerr who has delivered nothing less than excellence, following the release of her acclaimed single ‘I will love me’. Ms Kerr has not hidden away from the limelight. The MOBO award winner has been up to some notable work such as interviews with MTV, an EP release called ‘Just getting started’ and opening up for Brandy! TRIPLE O CREATING WAVES IN THE UK GOSPEL SCENE With a scheduled October release of the ‘Telescopes and White Roses’ mix tape from MOBO Award gospel rapper Triple O, he is already making waves with the release of two new singles ‘ Never Let Me down featuring Hayley Cassidy, and ‘Down at your feet’ featuring Jahaziel and Sean C Johnson. NEW MUSIC FROM JAHAZIEL Now, get ready for a change in the atmosphere, because Triple O has birthed a new movement! Undeniably flying the flag for UK Gospel for close to a decade now, Triple O is launching a project that will take the scene by storm. Making a bold step in the right direction Triple O has created a group called EARMARK COLLECT. Hot off release of the lead single ‘They Don’t Know, ft. Maxi Priest’ from his forthcoming album to be realised later this autumn Jahaziel shares the inspiration for the song, For months Triple O had been behind the scenes scouting pure talent for this new project and alas the vision is now born. “This song is a social commentary describing the darker side of the community I live in. A side that many within it want to escape, and one that many outside of it would rather ignore. Drug trafficking, sexual abuse, robbery, murder, unemployment and broken homes are just some of the things I have seen personally where I live. And I have seen these things throughout my life growing up in urban environments.” EARMARK COLLECT is a group of four which consists of: FEMALE VOCALIST – SHERKOLE ASIA, FEMALE RAPPER – FIRST LADY, POET – OWANRI BRIGGS AND OF COURSE TRIPLE O HIMSELF. ABOUT BEE SUAREZ Bukky (Bee) Alabi, is the brains behind one of the UK’s biggest UK Gospel news blog sites BeeSuarez.com. Bee is a graduate of BA (Hons) Media & Journalism. Now a fully-fledged Gospel Blogger and also the Programme Scheduler at OHTV Bee has a deep-rooted passion for the development and elevation of the UK Gospel scene at large. “I decided to create a Gospel blog for people who love the Gospel Scene, I want people to be in the know of all the latest news! BeeSuareZ.com is your source for Christian and Gospel music, reviews, interviews, news and so much more. Giving you the latest information down to the minute on your favourite artists. This site supplies you with daily news and entertainment. BeeSuareZ is one of the Internet’s Gospel Culture websites with daily readership in the high thousands. The team consists of Bukky and Charles D. We officially launched in March 2011. After becoming well acquainted with Gospel news, music and other blogs, my team and I decided to create our own. For more information visit: www.beesuarez.com EXCLUSIVE! KIKI SHEARD SET TO PERFORM IN LONDON EARLY 2014 You heard it here first! Yes that’s right, American gospel sensation Kierra "Kiki" Sheard will be performing in London the first quarter of next year. The date is yet to be confirmed – however plans are in place to bring the star over for a fantastic gospel music experience. The night will also feature a host of UK Gospels biggest and brightest artists as accompanying acts. Watch this space for more information! UPRISE ARE BACK WITH SEASON 3 OF THE UPRISE MUSIC SHOW! THIS SEASON THEY ARE JOINED BY GOSPEL VETERANS JAHAZIEL AND ICIE, MOBO AWARD WINNERS VICTIZZLE AND TRIPLE O, LAMPMODE’S S.O, P4CM’S EZEKIEL, PLUS A FEMALE TAKEOVER AND MORE! EXCLUSIVE TO OH TV SKY CHANNEL 199 | OCTOBER 2013 BEE SUAREZ EVENT REVIEW: 34 MUYIWA GOES TO NOLLYWOOD MUYIWA GOES TO NOLLYWOOD, THE FORUM, LONDON, SATURDAY, 7TH SEPTEMBER 2013 There is something to be said about an artist who continues to be celebrated in the gospel scene. Singer Muyiwa and his group Riversongz took London by storm last month with an inspiring concert with a special twist. Muyiwa – who is a presenter on Premier radio performed for one exclusive night at London's 2,000-seater music venue The Forum. For the first time in UK gospel, two worlds came together. Special guests from the glittering world of Nollywood (Nigerian Hollywood) and some of UK gospels finest joined Muyiwa and Riversongz for a night of fun and entertainment. Muyiwa and Riversongz are respected as one of the UK's most prized gospel acts. Since their debut in 2002 the group has been recognised for creating a niche that includes a unique blend of traditional gospel, world music, pop sensibilities and contemporary worship. People from far and wide queued for hours to partake in making history and watch Muyiwa and Riversongz live in concert. Supporting act J P Cooper started the show off with a bang, providing a soothing and sultry performance. After a short interval Muyiwa appeared on stage accompanied by Riversongz where they performed a few songs before taking us to Nollywood via skits he had filmed in Africa. After being teleported to Nollywood Muyiwa bought out Nollywood’s finest Omotola and ‘At Home With’ star Joselyn Dumas for an up close and personal interview. It was a phenomenal evening that brought together Christians from all over to unite and glorify! A commendable night showing a definite promise of more to come. HOME OF AFRICAN ENTERTAINMENT We've got Nollywood movies for days, but not just that, we have standup comedies, music, talk shows and so much more... .. AND MORE NEWS BOMA DIRI - LEAP OF FAITH Boma Diri is a UK based, contemporary gospel singer whose musical style is couched in the inspirational tones of worship, wrapped around a soulful core that enhances the best of the R&B musical tradition. Boma Diri has been in the studio working on her debut album Leap of Faith with acclaimed producer Nicky Brown, following her international tour previewing some of the songs at the Barbados Gospel Festival. For everyone who’s been wondering where Ms Diri has been, Boma has been behind closed doors working on the debut album which due for release later this year. www.ohtvbox.com A Copyright 2008-2018. Except where explicitly stated, all content of this magazine is A Copyright Open Heavens Media Ltd, all rights are reserved, and content should not be copied, adapted, redistributed, or otherwise used without the prior written permission of Copyright Open Heavens Media Ltd. Any unauthorised publication, copying, hiring, lending or reproduction is strictly prohibited and constitutes a breach of copyright. • SPIRIT • BELIEVE MEET T HE T E AM ! I N S I D E O H T V • LISTINGS • VOICE Akin Salami Chief Executive Officer Kristianna Paraskeva Head of Operations “The best thing about being CEO at OH TV is that I work with a team that leave me free to paint a picture of what our successes will look like. I work as part of a great team and they leave me free to dream. I look up to God for ideas and my team for inspiration.” “Since joining OH TV in 2010, I have seen the channel grow from strength to strength. One of the highlights for me was moving to our new premises in Vauxhall in May 2010. We now have our own hi-tech studio where we can broadcast live across the world!” Vidal Juba Channel Manager and Head of Production “Running a network requires strategy and direction. OHTV is a special brand; it has the people's respect and attention. We have the dream team to make my work easy, fun and rewarding. As a musician my highlight at OH would have to be the Old School Jazz Production, an absolutely fantastic experience.” Garmei Chan Account and Production Manager “I have worked at OH TV for the past two years and can honestly say I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly! Every day is different; it’s a very dynamic and fast paced environment. The best part of working at OH TV is the team; there are so many characters and creative minds in one place!” Tobi Israel Peters Producer and Creative Director for UPRISE TV “OH TV is a collective of very creative people. I gain inspiration from people every day! My highlight would have to be working on Mali Music & Friends concert, it was a great success! I enjoyed working with a great team of people.” “I’ve been working at OH TV for about 1 year and a half. There’s always a lot going on, so I am usually rushed off my feet with things to do! I like the people and the environment; every day is different!” Patrick Campbell Creative Director SOME DREAM OF GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHILE OTHERS STAY AWAKE AND DO THEM. 2GETHER WE ARE OH TV. Andrew Webber Producer and Director “OH TV is a flourishing channel. It is the premier channel for Africa and I would say it is great to work alongside other talented and creative individuals who really work hard to make the OH TV the best it can be. The best thing about working at OH TV is the seeing all the productions and shows come to life.” Pamela Sakyi Video Editor “My colleagues are a joy to work with and everyone here is very creative, fun, ambitious and extremely hardworking. Professionally I believe we are the leaders in black British entertainment and are on the verge of achieving big things.” “I’ve been with OH TV for about a year now. I absolutely love the familial environment. I love able to work on varied content. Week after week, there’s always something different. I’m proud of the level of creativity at OH TV. The best is yet to come!" “What I love most about OH TV is the friendliness and vibrancy; there is never a dull moment! My highlight has been presenting and producing my own show Out and About with Lola, it has truly been a beautiful experience and the first season was extremely successful. Watch out for season 2 coming soon!” “I’ve been at OH TV about a year and honestly every day is a different day. The team are great they make nice to come into work each day. Can’t think of just one highlight that sticks out in my head there have been so many things going on here at OH TV, so many to choose from!” Neha Patel Receptionist and Administrator Asten Regis Video Editor Lola Ogunbadejo Presenter and Producer Emily Hutson Scheduler WHO WE ARE: OH TV is respected within the industry for producing quality and inspirational content. Behind the scenes at OH TV there is vibrant team of staff that include Editors, Producers, Production Staff, Researchers and Directors right through to Internal Management and Administrators who all work hard to preserve the reputation of the evolving Open Heaven’s brand. Now 5 years in broadcasting OH TV is constantly growing with a flourishing team full of a creative set of people. Here we introduce you to the selection of individuals that make up the in house OH TV family! Axel Taylor Art Director / Graphic Designer "A year and a half now in the grind, and I'm one step closer to taking over the world! Now all I need are some lego bricks and playdough and I'm good... Nah, just kidding; we are doing good things here and we are on the rise. The projects inspire creativity. There is a good vibe all around and that's whats up! Peace." OH TV is an international TV network providing contemporary entertainment, which reflects the black experience worldwide. Based in London England, the OHTV Network comprises of OH UK & Europe (broadcast via Sky Channel 199), OH USA (broadcast via the OH Box, an IPTV player) and OH Africa (broadcast via satellite AMOS 5 - C-Band). The OH TV Network delivers family friendly ethical programming which is innovative, inspirational, authentic and entertaining; speaking directly to people from across the international black Diaspora. #2GETHERMAGAZINE CULTURE Fatna Belkadi Junior Creative “Working for OH TV is great, I have learnt so much and have met amazing people along the way. In OH TV there is never a dull day. My highlight so far was working on the Wizkid concert, it was an exciting experience, to see how bigger productions are dealt with and executed. Glad to be part of the OH TV team!” Matt Benn Social Media Daniel Sosanya Producer and Asset Management “My Favourite quote says: ‘Ideas are cheap execution is everything.’ At OH TV we learn to execute all day every day. Boom!” Yewande Ajayi Legal Assistant “I just love the people at OH TV. It’s amazing how I always look forward to coming to work! We work hard, but play hard also. This makes working at OH TV not just work for me. It’s the people you meet; it’s seeing the smiles on the faces of clients and the opportunity to blossom into the person you want to be and even more.” Franklin Boateng Social Media “The past year at OH TV for me has been brilliant. I get to work with fun, vibrant and multitalented people. There is an eclectic bunch of people who all make an excellent team. My highlight has to be the vast majority of people I have met since working with OH TV. ” Michael Shadamoro Sound Engineer “I’ve been at OH TV for about a year. Working here has been a very good experience, I’ve got love for the team! Going to Atlanta, USA to work on various productions was definitely a highlight for me, I enjoyed adapting to a new environment.” Adeola Idowu Editor-in-Chief and Press Officer “Working with OH TV is always interesting. There is something new all the time. Coming up with social media campaigns for new projects and the live shows on the channel have to be the highlights of my work with OH TV.” “Working at OH TV is a thrilling experience. I thoroughly enjoy working alongside an exceptional mix of talented people. The team is full of comedic characters, I literally laugh from the heart every day! It’s always a relief and a big ‘thank the lord!’ moment every time we get an issue to print! Can’t believe we are on issue 6 already! Getting better every time!” Michael Ayo (Faith Child) Presenter and Ambassador for UPRISE TV Tobi Karunwi Set / Art Director “I think it’s a great environment with a conducive atmosphere. I love the fact that I have the opportunity to progress and further the gospel scene. I like that OH TV have good resources to effectively execute a strong vision.” “I’ve been working at OH TV north of 4 years, I find it liberating and I love having responsibility over the creative directions for various sets. I enjoy being involved the pre-production stages and then seeing it all come to life in the end.” Daniel Cameron Graphic Designer Nicole Taylor Video Editor “I’ve been with OH TV for almost 3 years now. It’s been an honour to be a part of a team really striving to put out the best. It’s positive to see how we have consistently pushed the channel to new levels over that time period. I can only look forward to what we will be achieving in the future.” “I like everything about being at OH TV. It is such a unique place to work, with a lot of talented individuals. Everyone works hard and this really boosts your creativity. My highlight would be working on Unplugged. It’s really rewarding to seeing the work I’ve edited come to life.” “I’ve been at OH TV for about a month now and it feel like longer! Everyone works really hard and are really good at what they do. They are the friendliest bunch of people I’ve met in a while. A great environment to work in.” Alieu Sagnia Scheduling Assistant "I love working at OH TV, we have a very good team of people that work exceptionally hard. OH TV it’s like a big family; when I first joined some months ago I felt really welcomed into the team.” Bukky Alabi Programme Scheduler ““The team here are fantastic, working at OH TV is a lot of fun. My highlight so far would have to be rebranding and changing the face of the channel, making it more creative and enjoyable and I delight in being able to schedule brilliant programmes!” Yemi Adeshina Business Development “The people here at OH TV are great. There are also good perks involved such as travelling to other countries and cities for productions. I’ve enjoyed project managing major events such as the successful Mali Music concert. Being here has opened my eyes to so much and provided many great experiences.” C IAL O F FE R Saskia Albers-Bello Junior Editor & Camera Operator “I started working full-time at OHTV in December 2012 and have been enjoying everything about it. I really like the atmosphere, my colleagues are all so nice, helpful and fun. Above all I am very grateful for all the opportunities I've been given already, for example filming for a week in the USA!” B OH UY YO BO X T UR OD £ NO 150 AY SAL W £ 8 FOR E ON 5! A L NOW TIM IM E O ITED NLY * Marvin Brown Video Editor & Camera Operator “I really enjoy being involved in a variety of productions. My highlight at OH TV would have to be the international trips! Being a part of the OH TV family really builds your skills, assertiveness and encourages you to be ready for any situation.” #2GETHERMAGAZINE Nicholas Gumpo Studio Assistant “I've been at OH TV for a year now and I’m proud to say I have learnt so much since I started. I have several highlights such as working on the Time 2 Shine production, a major project for OH TV this year. Also the Mali Music event was a huge success too. So many to choose!” ABOUT US Launched in 2008, OH TV has gone from strength to strength and is now the UK’s no.1 Black Entertainment TV Channel voted three times ‘Best Black Channel of the Year’ in 2011. OH TV broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the UK on the BSKYB platform in the highly coveted entertainment section with 700,000 UK TV viewers per month and an estimated 25 million viewers worldwide. The OH TV website also attracts over 9 million hits per month. In 2011 OH TV launched a new IPTV platform, the OHBoX aimed at a global African audience. A set top box that fits in the palm of your hand and gives you access to hundreds of channels. MISSION AND VISION The OH TV Network is a world-class media brand dedicated to providing compelling and thought provoking content that inspires, enlightens and entertains. Our audience is the Black diaspora worldwide and everyone interested in Black culture irrespective of race, religion or background. Our focus is on delivering content that highlights and celebrates Black culture at its broadest. MISSION: Our reason for being is to bring people together. We do this by creating, acquiring and delivering content, products and services that inspire positive change, challenge the status quo and truly make a difference in people’s lives. VISION: To become the world’s most trusted and best loved organisation serving and connecting the global Black diaspora to each other and the wider world. OH TV’S CULTURE We have a culture at OH TV of creating opportunities and providing individuals with the experience of what it takes to work in a broadcasting network. We have a number of young people; undergraduates and postgraduates right through to veteran media professionals with backgrounds in the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Hollywood. SPE Simon Osunsade Intern SHOWING ON THE OHBOX APP NOW 40 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | Movies Naomi Ryan Dean C har les “Black Bri t i sh f i lm m aki ng i s st i ll relat i vely i n i t s i nf ancy i f com pared t o t he Am eri ca and Nollyw ood m arket s. As a f i lm m aker, I beli eve w e need t o t ake f ull ow nershi p of our st ori es and m ore i m port ant ly, how w e are port rayed on screen.” Written by Nicola Gregory THE MOVIE MAKER NEW UK MOVIE BECOMES WINNER OF BEST FEATURE FILM AT HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 2013! WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH NEIL, NAOMI AND ROGER? TELL US ABOUT THE PRODUCTION… It was a lot of fun and a privilege to be working with such great actors. In reality they made my life easy because of their in-depth knowledge of the characters. I RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH DIRECTOR DEAN CHARLES DURING HIS TRIP TO LOS ANGELES, USA TO TALK ABOUT HIS DEBUT FEATURE FILM AND WINNING THE AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE AT THE 13TH ANNUAL HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FESTIVAL ALSO DUBBED AS THE “BLACK SUNDANCE”. Owen is my cousin and at a family get together I mentioned to him that I wanted to transition from TV to film. He mentioned that his part-time hobby was short story writing so we collaborated on our first short film, The Birthday Treat that won Best Short Film, Best Screenplay and Best Actor (Neil Reidman) at the BFM (Black Film Makers) International Film Festival and the Audience Award Screen Test Birmingham. As a result of the win, BET in the US contacted us and asked if they could air it on their channel and of course we said yes! The script was originally written around the middle of 2009. By the time it went through various rewrites and redirection of the initial theme it was completed around the middle of 2010. It was fortunate that OH TV (OH FILMS) believed in the project and came on board. The film was shot over a period of 16 days with a crew of about 17 in approximately 8 locations. The long 15-18 hour days were hard but we had a fantastic crew and a great time on set that made it a pleasurable work environment. WHAT IS THE THEME OF HARD TIME BUS? You never know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. WHAT DOES HARD TIME BUS MEAN? It’s an old Jamaican expression that is used when one is feeling sorry for oneself. STARRING: NEIL REIDMAN, NAOMI RYAN, ROGER GRIFFITHS, MICHAEL ELLIS, BAILEY PATRICK. DIRECTED BY: DEAN CHARLES WRITTEN BY: OWEN MOWATT GENRE: DRAMA, ROMANCE MOVIE SYNOPSIS: The film centres on carefree and complacent Mark Bishop (Neil Reidman). Challenged by his commitment to long-time girlfriend Denise (Naomi Ryan) he turns to best friend Fitzy (Roger Griffiths) for advice only to be ridiculed for not following the ‘Fitzy Rules’ – “never marry and never settle”. Mark’s life begins to unravel as he tries to manage the expectations of those closest to him and soon learns that with complacency comes risk. PLOT SUMMARY: HARD TIME BUS IS A MULTI-LAYERED ROMANTIC DRAMA STARRING NEIL REIDMAN, NAOMI RYAN AND ROGER GRIFFITHS. THE DEBUT MOVIE BY 2HOTFILMS IN ASSOCIATION WITH OH FILMS, A SUBSIDIARY OF OH TV IS HAS NOT YET BEEN OFFICIALLY RELEASED NATIONALLY HOWEVER IT HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO AROUSE QUITE A STIR IN THE UK AND OVERSEAS. CRITICS ARE HAILING THE MOVIE AMONGST ONES TO WATCH IN 2014! THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE WORKED WITH WRITER OWEN MOWATT, HOW DID THAT RELATIONSHIP COME ABOUT? HARD TIME BUS (2014) I HEARD YOUR SOUNDTRACK FEATURES JANET KAY. Yes, the film's soundtrack features Janet’s smash hit “Silly Games” who has been named as Britain’s “Queen of Lover’s Rock”. As well as tracks “Weigh A Ton” and “No Pretence” from very talented singer/song writer Louise After an eventful night out with friends Mark (Neil Reidman) discovers his best friend Shaun (Bailey Patrick) has been hiding a crushing secret. His girlfriend Kim (Tashan Sinclair-Doyle) has left him and he doesn’t know why. Despite Marks efforts he is unable to console Shaun and for the first time starts to worry about the strength of his own relationship with girlfriend Denise (Naomi Ryan). He wakes up the following morning from a nightmare where Denise has been unfaithful to him and he makes hasty plans to marry her. He turns to best mate Fitzy (Roger Griffiths) for advice only to be ridiculed for not following his Fitzy Rules which is to never marry and never settle. However, unbeknown to Mark she has already caught the eye of a suitor and is seriously considering a different proposal. When Mark finally pieces together the real reason why Kim has left Shaun his desire to cling onto Denise becomes more desperate. Mark now faces a race against time to prove to Denise that he is worthy, but has it all come too late and at what cost? FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE HARD TIME BUS MOVIE AND IT’S RELEASE VISIT: WWW.HARDTIMEBUS.COM, WWW.OHTV.CO.UK AND WWW.OHTVBOX.CO.UK 41 42 To download free go to your app store and search for OHBoX. | OCTOBER 2013 N e il R e i dm an & Roger Gr i ffi t h s “We want to stay clear of n egat i ve ster eotypes that unf or tunatel y seem to be the nor m. We want to of f er our audience a couple hour s of escapi sm , and not two hour s of watchi ng how har d their liv es are” Golbey who has been praised by the BBC as one to watch. We also had original music scored by Luke Corradine who did the music for Nollywood film Last Flight to Abuja (2012). WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT DIRECTING YOUR FIRST FEATURE? When working with a low budget, pre-production is key. Fortunately for us we spent a large amount of time hammering out the logistics of the shoot. By the time we were in production we had assembled a great team. I also learned a lot about myself; you definitely need to have a great deal of patience on set for when things go wayward and from time to time they will. However, the skill is how you deal with them and how you are perceived to be dealing with a situation. WHERE DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF BLACK BRITISH FILMMAKING? At the moment the idea of watching a black British film and leaving the cinema with a sense of wellbeing seems almost alien. Black British filmmaking is still relatively in its infancy if compared to the America and Nollywood markets. That said, I still believe it has a bright future but obviously needs nurturing to improve. As a filmmaker, I believe it’s in our own hands. We need to take full ownership of our stories and more importantly, how we are portrayed on screen. MOVING FORWARD WHAT TYPE OF FILMS DO YOU WANT TO MAKE? We intend to produce films that deal specifically with strong characters and engaging story lines. We want to stay clear of negative stereotypes that unfortunately seem to be the norm. We want to offer our audience a couple hours of escapism, and not two hours of watching how hard their lives are. WHAT’S NEXT FOR DEAN CHARLES? We have 3 scripts in development and after Hard Time Bus has been released the goal is to produce a feature every year. HOW CAN SOMEONE GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HARD TIME BUS OR 2HOTFILMS? You can visit the hardtimebus.com and like us on facebook.com/ hardtimebus or follow us on twitter.com/2hotfilms for information on upcoming productions. START YOUR OWN CHURCH CHANNEL ON THE OHBOX APP www.ohtvbox.com [email protected] www.ohtv.co.uk TEL: 020 7720 8210 44 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 45 OH TV NETWORKS IS A GLOBAL BRAND, WITH AN ESTIMATED REACH OF 25 MILLION AIMED AT CONNECTING A SMART, MODERN AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE. OH TV IS AIMED AT THE BLACK DIASPORA WORLDWIDE AND THE WIDER AUDIENCE EVERYWHERE WANTING TO SHARE IN THE RICH DIVERSE CULTURE. OH Films “African cinema is world cinema and we want as many people as possible to see African films. OH Films have created the best place for African films and want to continue collaborating with talented filmmakers.” Patrick Campbell, Creative Director OH TV Networks INSIDE OH INTRODUCING YOU TO THE OH NETWORK FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE CHANNEL THE OH NETWORK EXISTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD. WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH GREATER CONNECTION WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER. WE ARE HERE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. OUR GOAL IS TO BRING PEOPLE, IDEAS, FAITHS, COUNTRIES, FAMILIES, RACES, TECHNOLOGY AND CONTENT TOGETHER. IT IS A PHILOSOPHY THAT PERMEATES OUR CULTURE, INFORMS OUR STRATEGY, DEFINES HOW WE BEHAVE AND PERFORM AS AN ORGANISATION AND AS INDIVIDUALS. FORMED IN 2008, OH NETWORK IS A FAMILY OF CHANNELS, BRANDS AND SERVICES AIMED AT CONNECTING A SMART, MODERN, CULTURALLY DIVERSE INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE. THE NETWORK DELIVERS CONTENT THAT SHOWCASES, CELEBRATES, AND REFLECTS BLACK CULTURE AND THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN ALL ITS RICH DIVERSITY AND COMPLEXITY. OH TV IS AVAILABLE VIA DIGITAL TV ON SKY CHANNEL 199, LIVE ONLINE VIA WWW.OHTV.CO.UK THE OH BOX IS AVAILBLE VIA WWW.OHTVBOX.CO.UK THE OHBOX APP - AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FREE NOW IN ITUNES, ANDROID, BLACKBERRY AND KINDLE FIRE OH AFRICA AVAILABLE VIA SATELLITE AMOS 5 – C BAND AND STARTIMES NIGERIA OH FILMS – FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE VIA WWW. OHTV.CO.UK FAMILY VALUES AT THE CORE OF OH TV’S CHANNEL BRANDING ALL NEW CHANNEL IDENTS OH TV “At OH TV we are constantly pushing boundaries and pretty much working round the clock to ensure that we churn out the best content in a timely manner. We are always working hard to preserve our brand and reputation and continue to deliver. OH TV is a special brand that has people’s respect and attention.” Written by Adeol a Idow u “Being from a film background my natural appeal to filming these as a series of short films were a no brainer. I wanted these to stand out head and shoulders over our acquisitions because we have a lot of pride in our promotional content. With two feature films under our belt, producing filmic content has become second nature. We referenced terrestrial channels such as BBC and ITV along with Sky channels such as Sky Living and ITV. I have done extensive research into the common trends when it comes to channel branding. I wanted to bring positive imagery of family life for black people, rather than focussing on music or popular culture. Vidal Juba, Head of Production and Channel Manager THE OH NETWORK CONSISTS OF OH TV, OHBOX, OHBOX APP, OH AFRICA AND OH FILMS. OH BoX “With the OHBoX we intend to create a place where you can get the very best of African content wherever you are in the world. Our mission is to bring together and support the Black Diaspora” Akin Salami, CEO OH TV Networks This has never been done before by other channels. We are giving you 'Beautiful Images of Blackness'. Our audience deserve nothing but the best.” OH AFRICA “OH Africa reflects the best of Africa through its programmes, our focus is first and foremost having the African viewer in mind Just check the ratings for OH Africa programmes in comparison to other platforms. We are the most viewed, most loved channel. Need I say more?” Michael Djaba, Chief Creative Officer OH TV RECEIVED QUITE A MAKEOVER RECENTLY WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ALL NEW CHANNEL IDENTS! THE IDENTS, PRODUCED AND CREATIVELY DIRECTED BY ANDREW WEBBER, ARE A SERIES OF SHORT FILMED VISUALS THAT PLAY BETWEEN TELEVISION PROGRAMMES HELPING TO CONNECT VIEWERS TO THE CHANNEL. The idents are a collection of snapshots into OH TV’s audience’s lives based on the concept of Family Values. They focus on OH TV’s key demographic which are African Caribbean people. The idents aim to encapsulate the fun, family and social aspect of life here in the UK. Andrew Webber, Producer and Head of Post Production OH TV The idents include a family returning home from the FunFair. Children reading, baking, watching OH TV on the iPad, a middle aged couple dancing. Women in their 30s having a social gathering. Couples playing games and lads having fun watching the football. 46 | OCTOBER 2013 ADVERTISE ON OHBoX APP TODAY! TAKE YOUR BRAND TO THE NEXT LEVEL THE CAST WE PICKED WERE JUST SUPERB, THEY WERE A VERY TALENTED BUNCH OF INDIVIDUALS, BOTH YOUNG AND OLD, AND MY CREW...WERE JUST AS IMPRESSIVE, ALL IN ALL, I HAVE TO SAY THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN US ALL WORKED PERFECTLY AND IT TRANSLATED INTO GREAT SHOTS, A VERY GOOD DAYS WORK. THE IDENTS INCLUDE A FAMILY RETURNING HOME FROM THE FUNFAIR. CHILDREN READING, BAKING, WATCHING OH TV ON THE IPAD, A MIDDLE AGED COUPLE DANCING. WOMEN IN THEIR 30s HAVING A SOCIAL GATHERING. COUPLES PLAYING GAMES AND LADS HAVING FUN WATCHING THE FOOTBALL. OM FR 9 9 £1 ER NN BA S AD R PE H NT MO I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH INTO THE COMMON TRENDS WHEN IT COMES TO CHANNEL BRANDING. I WANTED TO BRING POSITIVE IMAGERY OF FAMILY LIFE FOR BLACK PEOPLE, RATHER THAN FOCUSSING ON MUSIC OR POPULAR CULTURE. these guys went shopping and got some Ad space, come and get yours! ADVERTISE ON THE OHBOX APP TAKE YOUR BRAND TO THE NEXT LEVEL The OHBoX is the latest revolution in television viewing and is home to some of the best quality African entertainment channels available globally. The OHBoX App allows audiences to watch these channels on the move on a range of devices including, iPhone, iPad and android! By advertising on the OHBoX App, you too can reach a growing tech savvy audience of fashion conscious opinion formers in love with African entertainment. WHY ADVERTISE? • AFFORDABLE – Promote your brand globally for less than £50 a week! •REACH A GLOBAL AUDIENCE – with a growing audience of over 300,000 subscribers you too can be seen alongside some of the worlds biggest brands • MAXIMUM ROI – Your banner ad will be promoted across all channels on the App giving you high reach, high impact and maximum return on investment. www.ohtvbox.com Email: [email protected] 48 | OCTOBER 2013 2GETHER | 49 J udges: Guvna B, Angie L e M ar, M ar k Bes w i c k , M e r c y B , R o b b i e R i n g w o o d ( L - R ) C ont est ant s at t he L ondon M ot or M useum f or second st age of audit ions also Time2Shine’s Founder; Angie Le Mar the renowned British comedian and radio presenter; Robbie Ringwood expert music artist manager to the stars; Mark Beswick, the talented vocal arranger and music producer; MOBO award winner Guvna B, one of Britain’s most successful UK Gospel artists and finally UPRISE Music Ambassador and UK Gospel artist Faith Child as a guest judge. OH TV were the official broadcasters for the season of the smash hit talent search series, after the success of past seasons that introduced us to new acts such as Divine Divine and Boma Diri (winners of season 1 and 2). OH TV worked alongside entertainment company Black Grape Media, specialisers in artist management, concert promotion and event management to make the series the great success that it was. WE HAVE ALL THE EXCLUSIVE PICTURES FROM BEHIND SCENES THIS SEASON. AND THE WINNER IS... ANNASTASIA! Written by Adeola Idowu TIME2SHINE . . AND THAT'S A WRAP! IF YOU MISSED OUT ON ALL THE EXCITEMENT OF THIS SERIES, YOU'RE IN LUCK AS OH TV WILL BE AIRING A REPEAT OF THE ENTIRE SEASON FROM SUNDAY 27TH OCTOBER AT 19:30! TIME2SHINE EXTRA PRESENTED BY RICHARD BLACKWOOD AND RITA B WILL ALSO FOLLOW EACH EPISODE. CATCH REPEAT EPISODES ON MONDAY AT 19:00, TUESDAY AT 16:30, FRIDAY AT 16:30 AND SATURDAY AT 18:30! Written Written TIME2SHINE, THE BIGGEST TELEVISED GOSPEL TALENT SEARCH EUROPE HAS EVER SEEN FINALLY COMES TO AN END TIME2SHINE SEASON THREE, PERHAPS THE BIGGEST SEASON YET DREW TO A CLOSE THIS OCTOBER WITH A CRACKING LOVE FINAL HELD AT IN THE INDIGO2. The season kicked off with a series of auditions held in multiple city locations across Britain. The auditions attracted thousands of applicants from all over all hoping for chance to become the next big Gospel star. From the start we witnessed thousands of hopefuls filled with dreams of making it to the top. There were many tears and expressions of joy as various contestants made it from stage to stage getting them closer to becoming crowned the winner. Contestants were put through rigorous stages such as call backs and boot camp where they were all put through their paces and under real pressure to make it to the live final. The season was hosted by the loveable Diane Louise. Season three Judges included Mercy B the acclaimed gospel singer and Congratulations to Annastasia Baker! Winner of Time2Shine Season Three! If you tuned in to the live finals you would agree that it was truly intense! A very close one! Alongside Annastasia in the top three were strong contenders Elizabeth Williams and Felicia Alamu; both exceptionally gifted vocalists also but the end result proved that this is indeed Annastasia’s Time to Shine! 2GETHER WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE ALL INVOLVED IN MAKING THE SERIES A HUGE SUCCESS AND OF COURSE THE WINNER! WISHING YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN YOUR FUTURE! WATCH OUT FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANNASTASIA IN THE NEXT ISSUE! For More Information on this season’s winner log on to www.ohtv.co.uk or www.time2shine.tv ® Shop "Y o u n e v e r kn o w wh a t a c h ild is g o in g t o g ro w up to b e c o m e i f the y g e t t h e rig h t s t a rt in life . To rob a c h i ld f r o m th e ir c h ild h o o d is t h e e q u iv a le n t to r ob b i ng a p e r so n fro m t h e ir fu t u re ." To find out more about adoption call 020 7926 8503 #FutureHistoryCampaign #firstblackprimeminister www.futurehistorycampaign.com C O M I N G I N 2 0 1 4 F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T W W W. H A R D T I M E B U S . C O M AD LO N W DO E TH O oX HB ! W O N IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH NOW SHOWING FREE ON OHBOX! VISIT WWW.OHTVBOX.COM/MIRRORBOY OR WATCH ON THE OHBOX APP - AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FREE NOW IN ITUNES, ANDROID, BLACKBERRY AND KINDLE FIRE!
Similar documents
GOSPEL NEWS CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MARCY
Oluyemi, Susan Nduoyo, Ruvimbo Gumbo, Ekow Wilson | 2GETHER is an OH TV publication. OHTV airs on SKY channel 199 in the UK, on free-to-air satellite across Africa and via UN1TY in the USA, Canada ...
More information