#People

The Musician's Speech

Roger Waters addressed the UN Security Council via video link. He spoke for the “voiceless” masses around the world who wanted peace and a secure life, and blasted arms manufacturers for profiting from war.

Blues troubadour

In his release ‘Migration Blues’ Eric Bibb - 2017 Grammy nominee in the best traditional Blues album category - draws a parallel between the former African-American share-croppers leaving the segregation and misery of the Southern USA for the industrial cities of the North, and the current migratory movement to Europe of the refugees from the Middle East. Talking about the Blues.

Free at last

Julian Assange is finally free. The WikiLeaks publisher left Belmarsh Prison on Monday morning - June 24 2024 - and departed the U.K. headed to Australia, WikiLeaks said.

Reflections on a Jazz revelation

Amy’s music is personal to the extreme. She lived the life she expressed in her songs. Her inner eye recorded all her feelings and emotions which she put into poetry, and the lyrics of her songs. Jazz was the vehicle, the means, the meme, to carry and translate the subtleties of her thoughts and feelings into music. It could only have been Jazz. No other genre could have encompassed her talent and creativity.

Johnny Clegg, South-African musical icon and anti-apartheid activist

We had a sit down with Paolo Genovesi, global citizen, self-declared pro-Apartheid supporter, turned pan-Africanist. On the effect of music, musicians, and one musician in particular - Johnny Clegg - affected his life and altered his worldview. Sit back for a lengthy read of an interesting conversation that covers a lot of topics.

Prophetic words by Prince

'One Song' is a lyric video presented on on January 1, 2000. It features a lengthy speech by Prince followed by "One Song." The song has never appeared on any other release besides Love 4 One Another. Lyric video by Sam Jennings.

Yanis Varoufakis, Global Financial Markets Forum, March 2016

The system we live in attributes a monetary value to the goods and services we produce. We are rewarded, being paid, for the goods we manufacture, the services we provide to other people. The value attributed to those goods and services is relative to and regulated to a certain extent by the supply and demand of those goods and services.

Why we are here

One of the reasons ubuntu.fm was established

Video blog about Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela is portrayed in the mainstream media as a peace-loving anti-apartheid revolutionary and philanthropist. But what is the truth about Nelson Mandela? The viewer is presented with a lot of facts, but do the facts lead up to the right conclusions?

You cannot rule another man's land

SRV's famous track 'Life Without You' as recorded on the live album "Live Alive", released on Epic Records in 1986. The track is only available on the vinyl double LP release, and omitted from later CD releases. Why? Maybe because of the rather political statement SRV makes in this particular version. 

Malagasy Magic

This interview was conducted on the March 18, 2017, edition of The Lovecast, broadcasting live from CHLY FM, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Donné Roberts was born in Madagascar, raised and educated in the USSR (Russia), speaks Malagasy, Russian, French, and English.

Interview with Roger D'Arcy

Interview with Roger D'Arcy on his latest album release 'House of Heads' and much more. Roger D'Arcy is a singer/songwriter from the UK who lives in France. Next to his music career Roger is a studio designer of note with star clientele, such as Sade, The Waterboys, The Kinks and Annie Lennox. Roger is a craftsman of music and words, as you will be able to gather from this interview.

My Identity

RootWords is an independent rap artist born in the United States to Zambian parents. He lives in Switzerland from where he reaches out to an audience of listeners with his rap music. In 2016, RootWords released the EP "Inappropriate Behaviour" featuring the track, 'My Identity' which got a review on the UbuntuFM Hip-Hop website. UbuntuFM's Ikenna Okeh reached out to RootWords for this exclusive.

Exclusive interview with a remarkable woman

Cynthia Basinet is a multi-talented American actress, singer, supermodel, activist and mother from the San Fernando Valley. Life is a journey. Cynthia’s journey took her to the top of various interlocking disciplines and roads less traveled. In this exclusive interview we’ll attempt to paint the full picture and put some perspective on the life and career of this remarkable woman.

Reflections on The Artist formerly known as Prince

I think I must have been 15,16 years of age when Prince’s music entered my life. His music came on a cassette tape a friend gave to me. “Hey man, listen to this!!” So I did. And so did the music enter my mind and opened up doors that would never close again.

Finest Roots Reggae, Dub, Stepper & Bass Culture

Rootikal Radio - Finest Roots Reggae, Dub, Stepper & Bass Culture - syndicated radio show | THU + FRI | 9~11 PM on UbuntuFM Reggae Radio

A personal perspective

UbuntuFM recently linked up with Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, writer, journalist, and intellectual of note from Nigeria. Personal Perspectives is an interview series, a platform on which we invite people to share their perspectives on issues that affect us all. 

Interview with Khabonina Qubeka

UbuntuFM’s Ikenna Okeh interviewed South-African actress Khabonina Qubeka. Khabonina’s movie “Dora’s Peace” premieres at RapidLion 2017, March 04-12, The Market Place, Johannesburg.

A tale about human endeavour and folly

Tales from the depths of our personal lives emerge as metaphorical tales that for other than the purpose of sharing, may serve to provide insight to others.

When I met Suthu

When I met Suthu, Ubuntu to Me was no more than a software release, version 5.04, with a vague notion of the deeper meaning...

Where do you really come from?

DNA studies suggest that all humans today descend from a group of African ancestors who about 60,000 years ago began a remarkable journey.

The speech credited as the inspiration for Bob Marley's hit song "War"

This story recounts the attempts of one mortal man and humanity at large to establish everlasting peace instead of waging perpetual war. A struggle of good over evil.

We are UbuntuFM

A house with four people in it, one of them is a Christian, one of them is a Jew, one of them is a Muslim, one of them is a Buddhist. Imagine, one of them is a Black man, one of them is a White man, one of them is an Asian man, one of them is an Indian man. Imagine...

The right to self-determination

If we are under the perception that Africa’s problems are so huge, complex, and diverse. Where to start? How to establish real change? How to improve people's lives and futures? Thomas Sankara, President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987, continues to live on in the memory of his people.

A shrewd politician, a visionary, or both?

As with most larger-than-life figures Pres. Nelson Mandela was controversial. We know of his achievements and follies. But what is his legacy? What will he be best remembered for?

Don't victimise yourself

Unless you truly, truly believe that you had no choice.

Don't victimize others, unless you truly, truly believe that they had no choice.

#ISTANDWITHSTEVEN

Steven Donziger took on Chevron Oil in Ecuador and won the largest human rights and environmental court judgment in history. Then he lost his freedom. Watch this Jimmy Dore report on a human rights lawyer who fights the corporate control of our society on behalf of the vulnerable, only to find the institutions of power unite to crucify him.

The Sun, Moon and The Truth

The Cable Gate archive has been spread, along with significant material from the US and other countries to over 100,000 people in encrypted form.

Who are we if we cannot agree to disagree?

To set aside irreconcilable differences, in order to maintain civil dialogue?

To agree that we all are different, whereas we all are one?

If we can understand each other, respect and loveoneanother.

Then it really doesn't matter who coined the phrase, or does it?

Through the window

Thoughts on Winnie Mandela by Suthukazi Arosi. Through the window, we all looked and have decided without knowing the exact truth. 

Representant of a unique musical tradition

Totó La Momposina’s entire life has been dedicated to representing the music of Colombia’s Caribbean coastline. As a singer, dancer and teacher she embodies that fertile place where Colombia’s African, Indigenous Indian and Spanish cultures mingle to create a unique musical tradition. Totó is not only its greatest interpreter, but also a restless innovator. 

Interview with Canada's John Peel

UbuntuFM's Ikenna Okeh linked up with David Owen Rama, Canada's John Peel. Dave is consultant to Canada's JUNO Awards, writer for several music magazines, a self-declared 'schizophonic', and host and producer of the LoveCast show which is broadcasted on UbuntuFM Radio International. Get ready for an interesting read!

Soon we’ll find out who is the real revolutionary

Amidst recent social upheaval, internet shutdown and government crackdown we tried to find an answer to whether Zimbabwe’s current woes are the product of former president Robert Mugabe’s ghost still lingering in the battered country. For this we delved into the country’s recent history ending up interviewing the leader of the Tajamuka social justice movement, Mr. Promise Mkwananzi.

We are UbuntuFM

We were privileged and honored to receive an interview request from Voyage LA Magazine just before the year’s ending. Staff member Kris Williams invited us to share our story with them. Once a link has been established, a bond is made. Jo’burg is now an official part of the LA Valley!

On book publishing and other affairs

Mr. Ali informs us on book publishing in Africa and his experiences in Europe in that field. When we shift themes, Mr. Ali unfolds his perspective on other matters like the digital revolution, secessionism, xenophobia, modern history, the role of governments, politicians, and intellectuals against an African-European backdrop.

Language is a culture

Maazi Ogbonnaya is an academic, writer, and translator of the Igbo language. His work aims at preserving and reviving the language & culture of one of Africa's largest ethnic groups. UbuntuFM reached out to Mr. Ogbonnaya for this exclusive interview. Language is a culture. Culture is people. No one lives without language.

Viddawood

UbuntuFM talked to Darlington Chukwunyere - founder of Viddawood - an online marketplace that connects screenwriters with movie producers; on issues relating to Nollywood, reasons for establishing Viddawood, the challenges of writing for the screen.

Historical Truth

We, the people born between 1950-1980, we are the blessed ones. We are the awesome people. Our life is a living encyclopedia. We are also the last of a kind...

The legendary radio host

An interview with legendary Bra Max ‘The Mixer Boy’ Mojapelo, an award-winning radio personality, an author, researcher, and music compiler of note. He is currently a host of a lunch hour radio show called ‘Disa fisha’ from 12h00 to 14h00, Mondays to Fridays at ThobelaFM (SABC). Bra Max Mojapelo talking to King Mavuthela of Ubuntu FM.

A protest song against ‘apartheid'

Stephen Biko was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s. He died from injuries inflicted upon him by his captors at Pretoria prison on September 12, 1977. One year later, in 1978, English rock musician Peter Gabriel wrote the song ‘Biko’ in remembrance of the deceased and as a protest song against the ‘apartheid’ regime.

A true story

What is the color of your skin? Do you know what is the color of your skin??