Mandela’s grandson invites No-Maddz to Africa film fest
Published:Thursday | November 28, 2019 | 12:25 AMYasmine Peru /Senior Gleaner Writer
Kingston folk pop duo, The No-Maddz, is set to travel to South Africa on the invitaion of Kweku Mandela, grandson of late President Nelson Mandela.
The group, which comprises Sheldon ‘Sheppie’ Shepherd and Everaldo ‘Evie’ Creary, will be participating Africa Rising International Film Festival (ARIFF), which is organised by Kweku Mandela, a film producer. The ARIFF opened this week in Johannesburg, South Africa.
No-Maddz will appear at the screenings of two films, The Reggae Boyz and Idris Elba’s Yardie, on November 29, and the next day, they are scheduled to perform at the closing concert.
“The organisers wanted to feature the film, Yardie, in which both members of The No-Maddz play key roles, and also have The No-Maddz perform their full musical set to close the festival,” the group’s representative, Meron Bravo, told The Gleaner.
Shepherd participated in the festival last year, which was launched in 2018, as a pre-event to the Global Festival Week in South Africa and the Mandela 100 Festival.
Reggae Boyz, which tells an inspirational story about Jamaica’s National Football Team, in which The No-Maddz are also featured, has been added to the festival schedule.
ARIFF is the brainchild of a group of young African film-makers, including Mandela, Ayanda Sithebe and Lala Tuku. Their collective signifies what the rise of Africa represents; a young, diverse and driven continent ready to command the changes that will affect its future.
According to the founders, “the festival was formed with the intention of putting the African narrative at centre stage, making sure its content is audience accessible, while inciting robust discussions that prioritise the growth, development, ownership, and distribution of their rich stories”.
Bravo told The Gleaner that there has been a show of deep appreciation for the avant-garde nature of The No-Maddz’ songs and message, and that there were other invitations and events in Southern Africa which had to be declined due to scheduling.
He explained that although the group doesn’t have widespread fame in South Africa yet, the segments of the country that have been exposed to the music so far have embraced it wholeheartedly.
Admiration
“Some have expressed their admiration for the duo’s use of authentic elements of Jamaican folk music and culture in their presentation, as many African artistes are now proudly beginning to do the same with their respective cultural assets. In general, the message of The No-Maddz resonates with many South Africans who feel continual tension due to the legacy of racism and the reality of economic disenfranchisement, yet continue working and creating a better future with joy and diligence,” he said.
Immediately following ARIFF, The No-Maddz will be special guests at this year’s Sole DXB in Dubai from December 5 to 7. They will be performing alongside Jamaican artistes such as Protoje, Lila Ike, Sevana, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Koffee, and Afrobeats artiste, Burma Boy.
Between now and December, The No-Maddz have several small live appearances scheduled across Jamaica, where they will be performing music from their new album, Heaven on Earth.