Colour Blind: Interracial Love (Part 2)

Posted on November 30th, 2012 by CAPITAL LIFESTYLE

Originally published in the Sept 2012 issue of Destination Magazine

Interracial relationships are becoming more and more common in Kenya, but what’s changed to make them more accepted? Caitlin Nordahl looks at life for people in mixed couples – the hard, the impossible and the love that makes it all worth it

Meet the Parents

“When it was just me and her, the relationship was really good,” explains William, 30, “but with the external forces, her family, her friends, it became a bit awkward.”

William works in procurement for a major Kenyan company and met the woman he ended up loving when she was giving a presentation at his office. With immediate attraction on both sides, they started seeing each other and became something mostly alien to the Kenyan population, an African and Indian couple.

“Her folks never knew we dated, the whole year.” While they did meet him, he was always introduced as just a friend. While William didn’t want to pressure his girlfriend, he took her home to meet his family. This wasn’t the first interracial relationship he’d been in, and they didn’t have any issues with it. In fact, his sister got along with her really well, and when William was ready to “settle down” she helped him pick out the engagement ring.

But things didn’t work out as planned. A week before he was planning to propose, they went for a romantic weekend in Naivasha. On the way home, she surprisingly advised him, “I don’t think this is working.”

“I was like, ‘What’s wrong with the car?’” William says, explaining how unexpected the breakup was. While they spoke on the phone a few days later, those abrupt words were basically the end of the relationship.

“It sucks, it really sucks,” he says. “I know we are coming from different cultures. The whole point of me taking her home and introducing her to my friends was, you know, I’m with you not because you’re Indian, I’m with you because you’re an individual by yourself. There were things about her I liked and there were things about her I grew to love. So I was like, I hope you see me for more than the black that I am.”

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J Cole for BBA 7 launch in May

Posted on March 13th, 2012 by LAURA WALUBENGO

Grammy nominated US rapper J Cole is the artist chosen to perform at the launch of this year’s Big Brother Africa edition, dubbed Big Brother Stargame.

The May 6 launch in Johannesburg, South Africa, will also feature African talent that will be announced at a later date.

Jermaine Lamar Cole is befitting of the star status that M-Net is trying to create with the seventh season of the reality show, sponsored by Coca Cola for a second time this year.

At 27 years of age, he has collaborated with Beyonce, Trey Songz, Missy Elliot and Drake, despite being signed on to Jay Z’s Roc Nation label.

“J Cole is fast becoming a superstar, an amazing artist who is taking the world by storm. We are very pleased that he will be performing for the very first time in Africa on our stage!” said M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi

“This year, we’re honouring this essential element of the show directly in the title, putting the concept of rising stars and dreams of stardom right at the front of what is a challenging, fun, dramatic game,” she added.

And as far as drama goes, contestants from across Africa who applied to take part in the series have had to audition in doubles, because the key requirement this year is for countries to send in contestants in twos.

More than 150 ‘couples’ auditioned at the KICC in Nairobi in the first week of March for a chance to win the slated prize money of $300,000.

Among those who auditioned is Nairobi VIP Party hostess Grace Makosewe, and Blackbird Jeans designer Zeddie Lukoe – each with different partners.

They will know whether they have been chosen when the names are announced in early April.

J Cole’s performance at BBA 7 meanwhile is courtesy of Los Angeles based One Entertainment (who brought in Busta Rhymes last year). He will perform three songs at the fete, most likely from his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story.

Liquideep ushers in the night at Mamba

Posted on December 20th, 2011 by LAURA WALUBENGO

Several blankets and wines later, the million shilling question for me is: what exactly is it that brings Kenyans together?

With much effort from organisers, the artists come rolling in and out of Mamba Village in a unique cocktail of talent. The crowds also pay their way in, but what is it that drives them there exactly? The music is only part of it.

Blankets and Wine starts at 1pm and often has space enough for milling about at 2.30pm, but when it’s just an hour left before the end of the show at 4pm, the crowds start pouring in like they would in a channel O video.

As the stellar entertainment is being dished out to universal fans of music, most of those who show up are busy laughing and socialising and paying little heed to what is unfolding on the stage before them.

Good music, a good looking crowd, poison of their choice and a knowledge that a multitude of other Kenyans just like you will be at the event – I think – is what drives Blankets and Wine. The combined atmosphere of that and meeting new people!

What Liquideep, Eric Wainaina, Neema and Sage did this past Sunday is simply entice the crowd to gather at one place. And a large crowd it was.

Thousands turned up at the Mamba Village under clear blue skies, laying down their blankets, stuffing their drinks in kikapus, and smoking shisha furtively. Those who arrived at the venue early got good parking spots, while the rest trekked between cars for at least a couple of kilometres before getting into the venue.

The crowd was generally disinterested in going to the front until the South African two-man show Liquideep got up on stage… They entertained the crowd for just under two hours, and as the darkness fell solidly on the Mamba Village grounds, the after party moved to Club Volar.

Check out some more scenes from the festivities here. (Courtesy of Quaint Photography)