Category: Multimedia

Half of a Yellow Sun trailer

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s award-winning novel Half of a Yellow Sun has been adapted into a screenplay by playwright Biyi Bandele. This is his feature film directorial debut, with a cast that includes Thandie Newton, John Boyega, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dominic Cooper, Anika Noni Rose, Joseph Mawle and Genevieve Nnaji.

Adichie’s book masterfully weaves together the lives of people caught up in the the violence of the Biafran War. She is also the author of Purple Hibiscus, The Thing Around Your Neck and the recently published Americanah.

The official release date of Half of a Yellow Sun is yet to be announced.

16-year-old WondaGurl produces beat for Jay-Z’s new album

There’s been a wave of new album releases from some of the biggest names in hip-hop recently: Wale, Kanye West, J.Cole and Jay-Z. However, it’s Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail that is hogging the spotlight because it’s linked to an inspiring story of a talented teenager.

Sixteen-year-old Ebony Oshunrinde got the opportunity to produce a beat for the rap star’s twelfth album. The Canadian-Nigerian teen who has just finished 11th grade and goes by the nickname WondaGurl is behind the track Crown.

http://youtu.be/Oi5xkuXNl20

Oshunrinde started making beats when she was nine-years-old by following tutorials on YouTube. In her early teens, she entered beat-making contests and was soon discovered by producer Boi 1da, known for his work with Canadian rapper Drake. The young woman has worked on tracks for SonReal & Rich Kidd, Ryan Leslie, and on Travi$ Scott’s Uptown – which is what caught the attention of Jay-Z.

The achievement is a huge boost to Oshunrinde’s music career and should earn her some royalties too.

Here’s her interview on The National:

Rhodé Marshall is the Mail & Guardian Online’s project manager and unofficial entertainment reporter. She started as a radio reporter and producer in Cape Town, before jumping into online news. With one hand glued to her phone and the other to a can of Coca-Cola, she is a pop culture junkie. Connect with her on Twitter

In search of Africa’s next catwalk queen

Inspired by Tyra Banks’ America’s Next Top Model, Africa’s Next Top Model is a new reality TV contest in search of the continent’s next Iman, Alek Wek or Oluchi Orlandi. It will be shot on location in South Africa, with Nigerian supermodel Orlandi hosting and producing it.

Twelve aspiring models will be chosen during auditions to compete for the top prize – a coveted modelling contract. They’ll spend several weeks living together, receiving fashion training and being judged on weekly challenges. Auditions open soon in Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania and the series will be broadcast on M-Net Africa Magic channels later this year.