‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’. The multi-layered visual album aspires to encapsulate Nigerian author Chinua Achebe’s perception of storytelling; the Drummer calls the people, the Warrior fights the war, the Storyteller recounts the events, creating history, embodying memory for those who survive. A renaissance residency developed into an independant Black production 360 inception to delivery.
Centering African Caribbean perspectives, the album explores personal experiences of oppression and liberation of diaspora, migrant and marginalised people in London and beyond through music, film, dance, photography, painting and immersive listening/perfromance, engaging audiences through multiple mediums in the form of an installation exhibition.
Made in collaboration with Steph Be, Theo 'Godson' Oloyade, Alethia Antonia, FUBUNATION, 3000CeanHill, Chiba Visuals, Informotion Worldwide, Village 101 studios, GlobalFaction, Breakin' Convention, Lita Styles, Ekua McMorris, Dora Lam, Anna Beel, Ukombozii Ancestral Drums, Micall Parknsun, Al Lawson, In:Theory, RU1 Fam, Isatta Sheriff, Logic, Renee Soul, Big Cakes, Jazz T, Crazy Haze, Mazzi, Raquel, Nilotika Cultural Ensemble. Supported by Arts Council England. Village101 studios enabled 5 internship workexperiences within developing roles in media film and Live broadcasting. Housing all stages of the progress from inception to delivery, Our unique matrix of talent brought this immeasurable visual album to new heights, with our unique cultural stamp, DWS confronts social injustice through its rich blend of interdisciplinary ignition.
Check out the Live Screening of DWS + Exhibition:
We SOLD OUT The Hackney Social for the first installation of ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’, sharing a powerful experience with friends and family, new and old, on the 230th anniversary of the start of the Haitian Revolution. The ancient riddims channelled by the Djembes of Ukombozii Ancestral Drums, the Libation by Orisha Priestess Osunyemi and the performances from Apex Zero, Isatta Sheriff and DJ Steaz cultivated an electric, moving energy felt by all.
We held an insightful reasoning session, facilitated by Victoria Nzeribe of 'Love of Culture' where Apex, Steph Be, Ekua McMorris, Dora Lam, tyroneisaacstuart, Priestess Osunyemi, Jonzi D, Muti Musafiri, Omowale Pert-Hru, Shezal Laing and numerous audience members expressed their views on the processes, emotions, meditations, reactions, interpretations and messages of the project.