Spoken Worlds

Lost in Translation? Panel Discussion, Performances & Open Stage, Nov. 13 2013 @ Goethe Institut

Spoken Worlds
Date: Wednesday 13th November
Venue: Goethe-Institut Auditorium
Time: 6.00 pm
Admission: free

Does translation open up new frontiers for art or does it lead to the loss of context and the purity of the work? Join 16 poets, spoken word and rappers from the SPOKEN WOR:L:DS project (that draws artists from Nairobi and Berlin) as they discover and debate the joys and challenges of translation and the translatability of lyrics. They shall also share their experiences of the project as well as subsequent performances. Rappers, Poets, Spoken Word artists are very welcome to present their work during the open stage segment. (Please register through spokenworlds@literaturwerkstatt.org or at Goethe Institut by Wednesday, November 13th between 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.) Karibuni nyote!

***

SPOKEN WOR:L:DS – lyrical performance between Nairobi and Berlin – is an international literature exchange project between artists from both cities, focusing on contemporary performance poetry.

It takes up impulses of Poetry, Spoken Word, Slam Poetry and Rap, which are art forms that mix literature, music, dance, and visual arts. Eight artists from Berlin, including Josefine Berkholz, Diamondog, Erko, Christian Filips, Josh, LMNZ, Madog, Sabine Scho will meet the following artists from Nairobi: Checkmate, L-Ness, Ogutu Muraya, Wanjiku Mwaurah, Namatsi, Sitawa Namwalie, Octopizzo, and Poetic B.

The project takes place in Nairobi November , 9th – 15th 2013 and in 5th – 12th April 2014 in Berlin.

SPOKEN WOR:L:DS is a project by Literaturwerkstatt Berlin, Maono Cultural Group and Kwani Trust in cooperation with Goethe-Institut Kenya. It is funded by the TURN Fund of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and supported by Goethe-Institut, Auswärtiges Amt, and Gangway e.V. The project’s media partner is AfricAvenir.

Album Launch/Concert: Gal Power! Jul. 21 2012 @ Goethe


Date: July 21, 2012
Venue: Goethe-Institut Auditorium
Time: 7 pm
Entrance: Free

About
L-NESS aka Lydia Owano Akwabi is one of the top femcees representing Hip Hop in the Kenyan music scene. Her first appearance in the Hip Hop scene featured a song on Ukoo Flani Mau Mau’s album Kilio Cha Haki. Later on she released separate singles titled Mezesha and Big Up among others. In the course of her career L-NESS has performed at events like Hip Hop Halisi, Jukwaani, WAPI and Translating Hip Hop both as a main and supporting artist.

L-NESS finally presents her debut album Simangwe. The album launch titled Gal Power! demands to share the passion of music and rap from a girl’s point of view by celebrating Hip Hop and its elements.
The content of her lyrics articulate the strength of women in a male dominated industry and world, and her songs promote and encourage women of all walks of life to speak for themselves and highlight issues that affect them, thereby creating a change of attitude in the society.
Various femcees from the region, are featured like Nazizi, Extatic, Tafash, Candy, Taamic and Radii.

During the launch DJ Prim will be on the decks.