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004: Palm Wine Beats Live / August 2016

In 2014 Daniel Oduntan aka Lo-Fi Odysseys presented the first two volumes of his series Palm Wine Beats, a way for him to “crate dig his heritage”. The next step was obvious: bring these tapes to life. So that’s what we did – transform a mixtape into a one-day celebration of Africa and the diaspora.

Palm Wine Beats Live | Video Trailer
Blackman Akeeb Kareem | Video Trailer

The Akano Rhythm Brothers | Video Trailer


We Need to Talk About presented a live broadcast with interviews at the Total Refreshment Centre. Segun Akano ran a family-friendly juju percussion workshop. A cross-generational panel (featuring Strut Records’ Quinton Scott,Black British Girlhood’s Bekke Popoola and Kwaku from Black British Music) discussed how Africa could advance through its rich cultural archive.

From The Root To The Fruit: When Will Africa Profit From Its Rich Cultural Archive? 



An international house band transposed and reconfigured songs by featured artists such as Chief Ebenezer Obey, Sir Shina Peters, William Onyeabor and Sylvia St James – in record time too. Their rousing set was capped off by an appearance from Nigerian legend Blackman Akeeb Kareem. his was a particularly poignant event because of the cultural exchange happening. As a new generation becomes more curious about their heritage, moments like this allow individuals to confront and challenge a monolithic narrative and clichés about race.

Lo-Fi Odysseys | PWB VOL 1 | Act 7: Fela's Lament ft Yankari

Photo Credit
1/3 The Do!! You!!! Breakfast Show w/ Charlie Bones | NTS
2/3 Palm Wine Beats Vol.1 | Post Pop Records
3/3 Eddie Otchere | 35mm contact sheet


Video Portrait:Palm Wine Beats Live | Dir: Dan Fontanelli