Articles

For the British Black List 12.02.14: http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/shakara-speaks-it-time-film-enslaved-afrikans-fought-back/ There is an old Afrikan saying: “Until the lion learns to tell its own History, tales of the hunt will continue to glorify the hunter.” Today there is a popular narrative surrounding the Enslavement of Afrikan people. That narrative has three major stages:  Afrikan Kings & Chiefs sold their own …

ShakaRa Speaks On It: Is It Now Time for a Film on The Enslaved Afrikans Who Fought Back? Read More »

For The Britihs Blacklist 12.02.14: http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/shakara-speaks-it-black-beauty-big-screen-spectre-black-women-hollywood/ Following her stunning performance in the now much talked about and celebrated film ’12 Years A Slave’ (2013), Lupita Nyong’o has fast become the new Hollywood ‘It Girl’. Her image has been the central feature of countless red carpets and magazine covers, all of which have flooded social media in an apparent …

ShakaRa Speaks On It: BLACK BEAUTY ON THE BIG SCREEN; The Spectre of Black Women in Hollywood Read More »

For the British Blacklist 15th Jan 2014: http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/shakara-speaks-it-black-deaths-custody-criminals-injustice-system/ …………………… Mark Duggan, David “Smiley Culture” Emmanuel, Kingsley Burrell, Demetre Fraser and Jacob Michael are the names of 5 Black men who met the end of their lives at the hands of British police in 2011 alone. They are but 5 names on a long list of hundreds of …

ShakaRa Speaks On It: Black Deaths in Custody & the Criminal’s Injustice System Read More »

For The British Blacklist 26th October 2013:  http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/shakara-speaks-choice-fm-capital-xtra-battle-black-radios-soul/ —————————- I have no desire to insult or disrespect any DJ or presenter who has decided to join or remain at the station formerly known as Choice fm. I have even less desire to simply complain about the fact that the Capital take over of Choice is …

ShakaRa Speaks On It: Choice FM vs Capital Xtra & the Battle for the Soul of Black Radio Read More »

For http://www.thebritishblacklist.com 17th Aug 2013:  http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/black-british-classical-music-legacy-tafafdzwa-shakara-mbandaka/ While many cultural historians consider Jazz as “the Black Classical” music, the many contributions of Afrikan-Caribbean composers & musicians to the genre popularly known as western Classical, have often been overlooked. The reasons for this vary. Classical music largely developed in an upper middle class European context that traditionally disenfranchised the decedents of Afrikans …

ShakaRa Speaks On It: The Black British Classical Music Legacy Read More »

 For http://www.thebritishblacklist.com 26th Aug 2013:  http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/shakara-speaks-history-notting-hill-carnival/ The bank holiday weekend festivities are always well anticipated as people from around the world prepare to “touch de road” for Europe’s largest street festival, Notting Hill Carnival. The urge to jump and whine is exceedingly hard to resist and while festivities are well within the spirit of the occasion, it is also …

ShakaRa Speaks On It: The History of Notting Hill Carnival Read More »