Word Up Gala, a hip-hop and spoken word festival at Bernard Shaw

On Sunday 18th February 2018, I came across an event information about Word Up Gala, a hip-hop and spoken word festival in Dublin through my regular event guide newsletter. Since I had no particular plans, I decided to head off to it in the evening.

Like all events I have been to so far at the Bernard Shaw, I really enjoyed it! ♥ It showcased beautifully different hip-hop artists, both singers and DJs. 🎤

I have recorded the performances I watched that night.

The first Word Up Gala performance was from the singer-songwriter King David (David Phillips) who sang and did some spoken word, too.

King David is a 20-year-old hip-hop/grime artist from Hackney, London.

He has spent most of his life in Dublin, Ireland. He considers himself an inspirational and uplifting musician who seeks to inspire young people with his personal experiences.

If you like his music, you can follow him on Instagram. You can also book him through his website.

For both video and audio to play, click on the image. You can add all audio tracks in this post to your Audiomack playlist or download them for free.

The second Word Up Gala performance was from singer-songwriter Zachary Ajala aka Sequence.

Zach was born on 23rd July 1996 in London, in the suburbs of Greenwich. Zach has both Nigerian and French backgrounds. He then moved to Ireland at the age of 5, where he was raised.  

In 2011, Zach started writing lyrics under the “lil Zach” name. In August 2012, he changed his name to”Sequence” and decided to become a rapper. He said he has been influenced by rappers such as Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Asap Rocky and Hopsin.

In 2011, Zach had a lot of lyrics but did not have anything to record with. In May 2012 he released his first single Called “It’s On”. 

If you like his music, you can follow him either on Facebook or Instagram.

Finally, I live streamed via the last DJ playing at the event.

DJ D.O.G is an Irish DJ from Dublin, who has played for different radio stations such as Classic Hits 4FM, Sunshine 106.8, FM104, Q102.

He also plays in many pubs and nightclubs in Dublin, and on regular basis in:

• Everleigh Garden, Dublin (Resident – Wednesdays & Fridays)
• Zozimus Bar, Dublin (Resident – Twice a month)
• Brick Lane, Cork (Resident – Once a month).

You can follow DJ D.O.G on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

And you, have you attended this event? If so, if you would like your pictures of videos to be featured in this post, email them to hello@emelinejonet.com. Alternatively, you can paste the link(s) directly in the comment box below.

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Fehdah band: Live Show, Niwel Tsumbu Sounds and Afrobeat Club

FEHDAH BAND

First of all, I won tickets for the Fehdah band live show with Niwel Tsumbu Sounds and Afrobeats Club in February 2018.

It was a lively and entertaining night with afro music ruling it!

OPENING ACT

Secondly, the night started with guest Niwel Tsumbu. He is a Congolese guitarist playing sounds derived from rhumba, soukous, jazz, etc.

On that night, Irish djembé player Eamonn Cagney accompanied him.

If you like his music, like his Facebook fan page or follow him on Instagram.

MAIN ACT

Then, came the main act, Fehdah and her live soulful afrobeat band.

Fehdah’s band lead and singer, Emma Garnett, previously sang for the Manden Express band. However, she recently concretised her dream to create her own afro neo-soul band.

If you like her music, like her Facebook fan page.

Last but not least, here are the audio recordings of:

• Fehdah live band
•  Afrobeat DJ Jay Ireland.

If you like DJ Jay’s music, follow him on his Facebook page!

Finally, enjoy the last video of DJ Jay Ireland!

Want to watch a spooky circus project show for Halloween?

DUBLIN CIRCUS PROJECT

First of all, what is this project about? Dublin Circus Project is a non-profit organisation working to bring the circus arts to life in Dublin. They are based at Bannow Business Centre on Bannow Road, Cabra.

Secondly, why are they organising fundraising campaigns? Because they keep expanding and buying new equipment. Consequently, they organise regular kickstart live performance projects!

So, I attended their event on Saturday 31st October 2015 at the Back Loft Creative Hub, St Augustine Street, Dublin 8.

THEIR EVENTS AND CENTRE

For more information about the event and the circus centre, check these links:

https://www.facebook.com/events/304036816386575/

https://www.facebook.com/dublincircusproject/info/?tab=overview

http://dublincircusproject.com/dublin-circus-centre/

SPOOKY CIRCUS LIVE RECORDINGS AND PICTURES

Finally, enjoy the pictures and video snippets below. Apologises for the quality, the flash wasn’t allowed to be used during the performances!

Street School Dance Battles organised by Vigozone in Hamburg (2015)

STREET SCHOOL DANCE

While planning a holiday trip in Hamburg (Germany), I researched any interesting hip-hop dance events in the city.

I came across the street school dance battles event. I received a free ticket for the dance live performances.

The street school dancers were teenagers of different ages with one common goal: giving the best performance they could to the audience.

And what a show! I felt the dance level was pretty high! I watched incredible crew choreography and battles from all styles, such as:

• new style hip-hop,
• locking,
• popping,
• b-boying
• k-pop,
• dancehall,
• afrobeat
• salsa.

STREET SCHOOL DANCE EVENT STAKEHOLDERS

The host himself was pretty good at dancing. He was also very entertaining. 🎉

One of the judges and his dance partner performed their duet choreography.

If you’d like to know more about the stakeholders at this event, check their Facebook event page.

Now, impatient to see what it looked like? Please find below a small slide show.

I filmed:

• 4 battles,
• 5 crew/duet choreography
• 2 dance demonstrations from the presenter.

To watch them, I invite you to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

If you encounter country restriction issues (blocked videos), I recommend you to download ‘youtube unblocker’ for Firefox and Google Chrome.

Want to catch up with 2pac Shakur’s band ‘The Outlawz’ concert (2015)?

Outlawz BAND

Do you like old-school hip-hop? Do you miss listening to 2Pac sounds? Well, even though Shakur died a while ago, his ‘The Outlawz band‘ is still pretty much alive and touring!

ABOUT THE BAND

The “Outlawz” band set up by “Tupac” in 1995 is a perfect blend of :

• seasoned lyricists,
• musical innovators 
• responsible storytellers.
  

The band members are:

“E.D.I. Mean”
His aggressive, no-frills style is perhaps the more Diplomatic, yet his delivery reveals a mastery of conveying complex messages, in an unmistakable straight to the point manner.

“Young Noble” 
The aptly named-rebellious perfectionist exudes integrity in life and throughout his lyrics. In both cases, he chooses his battles wisely, with an evident persona that silently confirms that he does not play!

“Hussein Fatal” 
The one who says what others won’t. A distinctive witty voice whose experimental mature, position him as the group’s mad scientist combining all elements, creating the perfect chemistry.

OPENING ACTS

They gave us a great concert on Saturday 11th April 2015 at the Tivoli Theatre, Dublin 8 (Ireland). They were preceded by equally good live opening acts with DJ Spaqz and ‘Trigger’ Irish hip-hop singer amongst others.

DJ SPAQZ

DJ Spaqz is a DJ, producer and artist based in Dublin, Ireland. He plays an eclectic mix of African pieces of music and Hip-Hop.

TRIGGER 

Trigger is a 23-year-old Cork city rapper. Although he is new to the scene, he is already stirring up some reaction on the underground circuit. He has appeared on such radio stations as RTE radio 1, 96FM, Red FM among various other pirate radio stations.

Raised in Cork city’s northside. He partly lived with his grandmother growing up in Gurranabraher. He talks about matters that have affected him and those around him. Poverty, neighbourhoods surrounded by drug abuse and rapid unemployment are key subjects in his songs, although some are humorous, upbeat and political.

Check out pictures (slideshow) from the event and listen to audio and video tracks below! Enjoy!

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The Outlaws BAND live concert videos and soundtrack:

Jafaris and Hare Squead – bands’ live concerts (February 2015)

JAFARIS AND HARE SQUEAD

First of all, with a bit of luck on my side, I won a pair of tickets to go and listen to new Irish bands called Jafaris and Hare Squead at The Sugar Club, Dublin 2 (Ireland) on Wednesday 11th February 2015.

However, I had absolutely no expectations whatsoever as I didn’t know these bands. I only thought their music styles would probably be either hip-hop or soul.

But I truly enjoyed their live performances and wanted to share them with you! They also play/sing a good variety of music styles!

ABOUT JAFARIS

Based in Dublin the singer/rapper/songwriter/actor has only been doing music for about 3 years now with a healthy list of achievements to show. He now works with Diffusion Lab he is currently recording new music.

To follow him, check his Facebook fan page.

ABOUT HARE SQUEAD

Jessy Rose, Tony Konstone and Lilo Blues, members of the Hare Squead band, are a local group from Dublin (Ireland) about to go global.

Furthermore, Hare Squead are pioneers of a creative contemporary fusion of:

• trap
• rap
• R&B
• pop
• jazz
• and electronics;

Their song Zoo of the New is inspired by a Sylvia Plath poem, while Christian music is a big influence on their chords and harmonies.

In 2014, they supported Nas and Joey Bada$$ with their six-piece band.

Appearing at a lot of indie festivals ensured they weren’t restricted to rap events and got them signed to Columbia.

Since then, their fanbase has changed from mostly men to “85%” women, perhaps due to 2016’s breakout hit Herside Story, a sugary, soulful love song that turned them into teen heartthrobs.

To know more about Hare Square, like their Facebook fan page and visit their website.

LIVE CONCERT RECORDING AND SOUNDTRACK

Finally, it’s time to enjoy their live performances!

Mobb Deep Live Concert and opening acts in Dublin, Ireland (2014)

Mobb Deep

Mobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from New York, that consists of Havoc and Prodigy.

The duo is a respected hardcore East Coast Hip-Hop group.

The group  has a well-known dark, hardcore delivery as exemplified by the single “Shook Ones Pt. II”. Mobb Deep is one of the most successful rap duos in hip-hop, having sold over three million records.

On 27th July 2012, Havoc told AllHipHop in an interview that the group is on an indefinite hiatus. However, he and Prodigy reunited and performed for Paid Dues on 30th March 2013 and an international 20th-anniversary tour starting in May 2013. They explained in an interview that music is the most important thing in their lives and that they had been friends for too long to break up the friendship.

MOBB DEEP RELEASED ALBUMS

Two of their albums received high praises:

• The Infamous (8th released studio album in 2014)
• and Hell on Earth.

Both are classics among avid Hip-Hop listeners and general fans. Critics credit them for the resurgence of East Coast rap in the early to mid-1990s. 

LIVE CONCERT RECORDING AND OPENING ACTS

I had the chance to attend their first performance and few opening acts from UK and Ireland at Voodoo Lounge, Dublin on Friday 1st August 2014. Few local acts got a great response to their performance.

ABOUT BLOODSHED RECORDS

Paul Tall-Order Ritchie is a rapper born in Clondalkin (Ireland). Tall-Order is the owner of Ireland’s biggest hip-hop label Bloodshed Records. He’s worked with Kool G Rap, Wu-Tang Clan, Immortal Technique, Vinnie Paz, Roc Marciano, Block McCloud, Diabolic, Apathy, Ill Bill and many more.

His debut album ‘The Tree of Life and Death’ is a concept storytelling joint with positive reviews worldwide by fellow peers and critics. Its driven by real 90s hip hop lyricism & storytelling content. Tall Order is being described by Kool G Rap as the meanest lyricist he ever comes across & Block Mccloud said recently ‘When he gets his flow polished nobody in hip-hop is getting close to his raw storytelling lyricism’.

 Nas complimented Paul’ for his album concept album and said that the track ‘A Thorne in Roses Side’ & ‘Life in a Colouring Book’ is a real lyrical bomb about cancer & drug abuse.

His track titled ‘Sobriety Vines’ was applauded by writers in the UK & Ireland as shocking how he can depict life in rhymes. The Tree of Life & Death including full-scale book/magazine is available on iTunes and in stores.

Opening HIp-HOp acts

There were many Irish based hip-hop singers and songwriters who performed. I have only recorded a handful of them. I have recorded the following ones:

• DCR, a group of 5 Irish rappers from Dublin.
• Josh Inklusive Mulholland, solo rapper from Kilcock now working as a photographer.
• Stylish murder, a rapper duo.

LIVE RECORDINGS AND PICTURES

Please find below a couple of pictures, soundtrack and videos from the opening acts and Mobb Deep concerts. You can find more photos on the following Facebook event page.

Now here is what you have all been waiting for…few videos and a mixed tape from the event!

Manden Express and Ghanian dancer guest live performances in Dublin (2014)

MANDEN EXPRESS

Manden Express is a thrillingly explosive Dublin-based international band. It fuses traditional and contemporary styles of West African music from the Mande Empire (Mali),  alongside infectious Afrobeat rhythms.

THEIR MUSIC STYLES

Manden Express is inspired by Wassalou (Oumou Sangare) styles and the explosion of new musical influences that merged with African music in the 1960′s.

They blend:

• kamele n’goni
• harp,
• Kora,
• djembé,
• drums

with electric bass and guitar to produce stomping grooves and hypnotic time patterns.

BAND’S CHANGES

The band went through a singer change. Indeed, Emma who used to be the band lead singer is now leading her own neo-soul band called ‘Fehdah‘.

This is how the new Manden Express band looks like now. You can view their last year’s performance with their updated line-up at Hotter than July’s festival.

LIVE RECORDINGS

I attended two of their live performances at the Sugar Club, Dublin on July and August 2014.

They had a special guest Godfred Asare, a Ghanian dancer, who accompanied them at their first show.

You may want to check their blog and their Facebook fan page for upcoming shows.

Enjoy the below pictures and videos from the events!