54Lights

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAYRicardo McRae returns to the 54Lights studios. Over the course of the conversation, Ricardo gives host Kondwani an update on his life post-pandemic including the life-affirming accident he was in. The two also delve deep into business, a "winning" mindset and wealth as well as the influence our lifestyles have on future generations. Underlying it all was a recognition that prioritizing people who matter is paramount. To listen to Kondwani and Ricardo’s first conversation head over to this episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/09wRO9xQ7UCSlSlD9RaUxf?si=xAUDYd7STGWo-pLOtmiC4QKEY TAKEAWAYS·     Ricardo helps people learn how to ‘play the world of money’ and to make their money and investments work for them.·     Ricardo now takes the time to check in with the people that matter to him, even if that’s leaving a voicemail at 3pm on a normal Tuesday. You have to show people they matter to you.·     You have to set an example to the world of what you want to see. If you want peace then you need to demonstrate that yourself.·     Business and success aren’t simply about volume. Too many people try to fit too much in, Ricardo believes that if you slow it down you make fewer mistakes and offer a better service to your clients.·     Recognize your strengths and hire people/someone for things you aren’t great at.·     There’s a cost to anything you want or dream of, you have to try your dreams on to manifest them and make them tangible.·     When saving, the amount doesn’t matter, it’s about creating a habit.BRIGHTEST MOMENTS11:50 “The only thing I wanted to do was more of what I was doing, helping people with their money”24:10 “When you slow it down you make less mistakes”25:20 “I am only a man, I have to work within my own limitations”30:40 “You’ve built a business that’s about going beyond the self” GUEST GUIDE - Who is Ricardo McRae?Ricardo is a black entrepreneur, based in Toronto, who has started several projects including BlackInCanada.com and Wedge15. As a businessman, he’s craftily managed the world between creativity and commerce. Among other things, he now works with people in the black community to help them better understand their relationship with money. Aside from fiscal management, he’s known for giving sage advice to business owners and youth within the greater Toronto area.FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSWebsite : https://54lights.com/Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com54Lights, hosted by Kondwani Mwase, is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 

Acclaimed actor, Karen Leblanc joins us in studio to talk about her ever-elevating career and path. As an independent and emerging artist, she rose to more popular fame after instrumental performances in Rent and impersonating the indomitable Tina Turner. Though her path has been laden with successes, many people were introduced to her through her performance on OWN’s Kings of Napa… a series backed and lauded by none other than Oprah Winfrey.In this episode, Karen graciously opens up her youth and how it was to grow up as the youngest of 8. She further walks us through the lessons of perseverance and how she prepares to perform and grow.FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

Andrea McKenzie is a fearless entrepreneur who’s building an art empire…one piece at a time. The fierce visual artist has brought her Caribbean culture to the fore with her unique signature and style. Andrea creates unique pieces using glass, feathers and other materials to blend them and weaves them into “kaleidoscopic pieces”. She uniquely infused glass, feathers, acrylic and other materials on canvas which propelled her into achieving a viable international clientele. With flare and ferocity at her side, Andrea has used art to help her grow and fulfill her destiny. She made her way from the Caribbean to Atlanta and the US to build her brand.Enjoy this honest and insightful conversation with one of the most dynamic artists on our planet. One who pours her work into the work and then has had to find a way to pour herself into the business of being at artist. From the art of it all to the management of it all, Andrea walks her through her life, trials and triumphs.FIND AND FOLLOW OUR GUESTWebsite - https://andreauniqueart.com/IG Follow - https://www.instagram.com/andreas.heart/?hl=en  FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)

On this instalment of 54Bites...we get talk about getting giddy about guests. As an interviewer, I sat in the hot seat and stepped into some friendly family fire to talk about what impact my love of my guests has on the show. For the honest fireside chat, I sat down with my sister, Siphiwe Mwase, who's also the intro voice on this show.FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 54Bites features our extended conversations with fans, foes and friends of the show.

WHAT TO EXPECT...WHEN YOU PUSH PLAYIn this episode, host Kondwani Mwase is joined by Rwandan urban music icon, Cassa. Cassa emerged from the music scene via private radio station Contact FM and has gone on to tour alongside the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Delasoul. He was also chosen specially to perform a tribute to Music Producer Quincy Jones!Among other things, Cassa opened up about his musical journey, the source of his inspiration as well as his writing process. Listen in to hear an infectious and energetic conversation highlighted by his hit song, Dis O Dat, which is featured throughout the course of the episode. WARNING: You'll undoubtedly become a fan of his music and magnetic presence. Music for this episode was provided by our guest, Cassa, whose work can be enjoyed below: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1qVqyeTICpuu938EF2Lxon?si=EGvVjgA0SbCxMSzy2TvISQNOTABLE LEARNINGSKondwani was introduced to Cassa from a referral from our friends and family at KIF Radio.Cassa’s music journey first began in Church in his birth home of Rwanda at 8 years old. Then when he was 12, he joined a performing group, leading him to eventually recording music at the age of 18.Cassa likes having as much control over his own music and art. This is why he has started to learn to produce his own music alongside his writing.A lot of Cassa’s newest music is very intentional, every song is meant to fit a certain mood.It was only when moving to the U.S from Rwanda that Cassa began to really learn the in-depth and long-lasting impact of slavery. This has been reflected in some of his songs, including Ndugu Yangu [My Sibling in Swahili] on his EP Back to Life.Using a variety of languages in music can be seen as risky, but something that pays off in Cassa’s case. Cassa truly leans into his art and doesn’t even recognise it as a risk.Live performances mean a lot to Cassa and his music, it was something he missed during the pandemic. He wrote his latest EP with this in mind with a strong intention to take this music out on the road with him.  OUR HIGHs (NO LOWs) 00:27 “Sometimes the music stops, the rhythm and the reasons gets pushed aside, best laid planned leads inexplicably to an unscripted place”01:59 “Everything stopped, everything changed, everything moved. Overcome by a soft trauma of motion my body swayed, my mouth smiled, my mind eased”12:40 “I’m screaming loud who I am, there’s no one better that can do that than me”19:50 “I’m actually really enthralled by your ability to embrace the risk of using different languages in your music”25:44 “The more we’re experimenting with sounds, the more we’re trying to recreate it, we actually created a better sound”30:00 “Even if I jump on a trend, I will morph that trend to fit me”MUST LISTEN FROM OUR GUEST Dis O Dat by Cassa: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1qVqyeTICpuu938EF2Lxon?si=EGvVjgA0SbCxMSzy2TvISQFIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)54Lights is committed to...

Language and meaning dissected, this week's bite-sized conversation is a crude attempt to explore a "universal" lingua franca for the continent. Complex, controversial and even confusing are some terms that come to mind when we wade into the fray. You'll hear from our guest Dr. Josephine Dzahene-Quarshie , professor of linguistics in Ghana, who's devoted to this concept and construct. An interesting and different way of thinking given the widespread use and documentation of the language of Kiswahili. WHAT NEXT?I invite all listeners to join us in this debate. Should or should we not try to march towards this concept...or is the proposed dream by Professor Dzahene-Quarshie a worthwhile topic. Contact us to voice your opinion.FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 54Bites features our extended conversations with fans, foes and friends of the show.

Our guest, Jana Rae Yerxa, is one of our season's most inspirational guests. She's an activist, writer, poet, teacher and community leader. She not only embodies the spirit of the work we do but stands as a key model and shining light to learn from. From her insights on being a selfless, or selfish, activist to her guidance on how to protect oneself from the weight of deep work on racial justice, Jana-Rae exposed us to her world. As part of our deep discussion on racial justice, and her community work to uplift our Indigenous brothers and sisters, Jana-Rae also helped us better understand how better to apply language of support...converting us from allies to those that stand in solidarity. GUEST BIO - Jana-Rae Yerxa, M.S.W., M.A. is Anishinaabe from Couchiching, First Nation, in Treaty #3 Territory. She is an advocate, educator, writer, and poet whose work is grounded in Indigenous feminims and decolonial frameworks. Jana-Rae is faculty and curriculum developer at Seven Generations Education Insititute in Anishinaabe Gikendaasowin. MORE FROM OUR GUEST Read Jana-Rae Yerxa's Unravelling of a Colonized Mind https://lastrealindians.com/news/2013/1/30/jan-30-2013-the-unravelling-of-a-colonized-mind-by-jana-rae-yerxa  FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to elevating creative voices through authentically told stories. Our energy stands in solidarity with people across the globe. 

Our bite-sized conversations continue with superfan Natasha Soobramanie as our guest in studio. Taped on location, we spent some quick time reflecting on the work and import of the work of Calvert Jones. Our show focused on one central and perhaps contentious question - which work of art Calvert needs to tackle next???????CONTEXT IS EVERYTHINGIf you haven't already, listen to this episode of 54Lights to understand more about Calvert, his work and the conversation that inspired this bitehttps://embed.sounder.fm/play/421710Enjoy Calvert's work here - https://tropicalrealism.com/ CO-CONSPIRATOR COORDINATESNatasha Soobramanie is an EDI and organizational development professional based in Toronto. Her expertise in these fields has been on full display throughout her career. Outside of the professional space, Natasha is a passionate fan of art, history and life.  FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time. 54Bites features our extended conversations with fans, foes and friends of the show.  

Artist Calvert Jones is best known for his stunningly bright and provocative works of art. This past year, I sat down with Calvert to talk about his work, its deep meaning and the ways in which the work blows beyond the canvas. Calvert, a hyper realist painter, sort to make a profound impact when he returned to his native home of St. Vincent. The motivation moved him to channel his culture’s paradise into his work…designing pieces that reflect the reality of the spaces that he calls home. From his regular expressions (landscapes etc..) that capture island culture and Caribbean life to a line he's called the series. This series are recreations of famous paintings, reimagined in contemporary and multi-dimensional works that force viewers to think while watching.Calvert Jones has had work commissioned by The British Royal family, corporations and countless individuals. He is no stranger to the spotlight and builds work that stands unparalleled in when viewed in the limelight. Historically relevant, presently poignant and ever-impactful, Calvert’s work inspires intriguing dialog that challenges tropes that ultimately invite people to educate themselves about history and the context through which we appreciate our constructed realities.POST SCRIPT – Before, during or after listening, I’d recommend that you visit Calvert’s website to better appreciate his mind, mission and movements. Enjoy the African experience and find yourself in every play.Calvert joined is via our virtual studio from his home in St. Vincent.CO-CONSPIRATORS & COORDINATESThanks to;Find Calvert Jones’ work at https://tropicalrealism.com/Music for our episode was composed by Roland Best at E-Rol Beats  FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to elevating creative voices through authentically told stories. We showcase Africa for the world, through uniquely inspiring narratives that will, hopefully, stir the soul and steer the conversation about the dark continent.

Our debut of 54Bites - our reflections on things said and unsaid from our previous episode. Today, we talk trailers...what's in, what's out and what there's to regret. In case you were wondering...we see the typo:-) CO-CONSPIRATOR COORDINATESPatinece Adamu is an inspirational and remarkable broadcaster. She's an EP on several works including;The Drip podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/1hMpKISToSxAhdslkOHS9z?si=47e0e55b53b94ce7BBW: Big Beautiful and Winning - https://open.spotify.com/show/1GGabtQNX4bvjSxB86ho1k?si=44bef41968f04df6Hyphenated podcast  FIND AND FOLLOW 54LIGHTSInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome…complaints and hate, not so much)ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to illuminating the African experience...one story (beat) at a time.

The opening curtain rises again on 54Lights podcast. This season, one unlike we've ever had, will unfold in a slow and stead burn. We will light up Africa by meeting (at least) 54 guests (daughters, sons and stars) with roots in (at least) 54 countries so that they can give us (at least) 54 heartfelt stories from the great continent.  We're telling these under told stories from Africa (from Africans), to all corners of the globe. And because each guest has a unique and flavour-filled tale to tell, we will tell these stories with care. So that they can shape and reshape and reframe the African narrative, one story at a time. POST SCRIPT - While we're going to try to march the map, and get a voice from one person with roots from each nation, we embrace the truth - that one voice cannot speak for a nation and, better yet, that a nation is an oversimplified construct. Culture is rich and textured and complicated. It is one voice and many voices all at once. It is calm through havoc, quiet through chaos and unity through plurality. And so we invite you to join us with open hearts, open minds and open ears. Enjoy the African experience and find yourself in every play.    CO-CONSPIRATORS & COORDINATESThanks to; the family at KIF Radio for helping us find so many musical geniusesthe surgical precision of Roland Best at E-Rol Beats for composing our theme the team of stand up supporters - Siphiwe Mwase, Ariana Bursato, Patience Adamu, Mohsen al Attar and many many more...  Find and follow 54Lights Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/crowd54/Email guest referrals, comments and stories to kondwani@54lights.com (feedback welcome...complaints and hate, not so much) ABOUT 54Lights54Lights is committed to elevating creative voices through authentically told stories. We showcase Africa for the world, through uniquely inspiring narratives that will, hopefully, stir the soul and steer the conversation about the dark continent.

We close Season III of 54Lights podcast with a short recap of the power of the season and an invitation to stay tuned for the next, and final, Season IV. 

The next episode is our final guest-led conversation for Season III. It features the formidable poet, author and activist Rheima Robinson. We were privileged to have Rheima join us in our virtual studios and walk us through her work, approach and motivation.  Rheima walked us through her early forays into writing - drawing inspiration and guidance from her mother and grandmother. As women and newcomers to the UK, they both helped pave the way for Rheima to succeed.  Rheima also spoke eloquently about her work and her perspectives on activism. From her talents as a spoken word artist to her creation of spaces for artists to thrive, she takes us behind the pen and into the mind and motivation of a great writer and activist. 

As we near the end of Season IV of 54Lights, we sat down with one of the best and brightest Creative Directors in North America. Matt Rennick, a friend and fantastic ally of the African community, joined us in our virtual studios to talk about his philanthropic campaign to raise money for three Nigerian organizations. Compelled to act during the EndSARS unrest in Nigeria, Matt channeled his love and admiration of Fela Kuti, his creativity and his bias for meaningful action to create an inspiring response to a brutal campaign. Ever concious of his privilege and place as an ally, Matt lights the way with an energy and approach that's to be modelled.  Over the course of our conversation, Matt opened up about his past and what brought him to the creative space...an energy driven by what he calls a DIY ethos. From a young age, Matt has worked to build things from the ground up - finding his way in workplaces thanks to his raw talent and deep connections he cultivated along the way. As he gave us a brief walkthrough of his professional pathway it was clear that, despite all his success, he's as grounded as they come. His simple and unwavering perspective on the best part of his career was the impact of people - the teams he's led and worked side by side with. Matt then took us through his creative process of designing shirts with song titles, lyrics and album names from musicians in the Congo and Nigeria. Many of the inspirational artists sang songs of protest and liberation for their people - with the focal point being Fela Kuti. In the wake of EndSARS and around the anniversary of Fela Kuti's birthday, Matt launched a line of shirts emblazoned with is work...an ode to Fela and a fundraising gateway. All proceeds from the shirt sales go to three organizations based in Nigeria that Matt researched and contacted. Funds Raised from shirt sales go to; Mirabel Centre - supporting women who are victim of sexual assault - https://mirabelcentre.org/ Kokun Foundation - supporting the needy and addressing food insecurity - https://www.instagram.com/kokunfoundation/ Serap Nigeria - NGO supporting human rights - https://serap-nigeria.org/ Buy shirts here - http://www.mattrennick.com/shop For his efforts and his energy, we thank Matt...a true ally if there ever was one.

The Left Turn (Season3. Episode21..) is one of the most important in our season. It follows the work of guest musical composer for this show, Roland Best, while he takes us on a journey through his business venture. One that centers around a lifelong love of music. Through that, he’s built E-Rol Beats – a music downloading service that features original music that he’s composed and refined. His talents have been on full display on his recently launched website and on this show as his beats are featured sporadically throughout the year. But what started off as a conversation about his compositions and the business, ended up turning sharply towards a deeply personal disclosure of life-changing events. While running and building E-Rol Beats, Roland was the recipient of a horrible act of anti-black racism. The act, which involved vandals defacing his car, had the effect of ignited a passion in Roland that he’s since channeled into a new direction at work. He went on to detail the work he’s doing, with others, within the government in western Canada. All with the intent to address, confront and combat anti-black racism and racism against the BIPOC community. He detailed how the work he is leading now is critical work that’s measurable and institutional. Work that spans across multiple branches of government and that’s led by a cross-section of intelligent, motivated and impressive people who are determined to change outcomes for equity seeking groups. In the end, the vandals who tried to do damage to Roland’s person, did little more than awaken his inner activist…Oops. While E-Rol Beats still rolls along, the passionate work that Roland is pursuing now is shaping a new direction for him, his family and his community. From Source Code (the first episode we did with Roland months ago) to The Left Turn…

As we near the close of our third season of 54Lights, we’re dedicating the next few episodes on culture creators that are pushing our collective world ever forward. This next episode intercepts the prolific community activist Dr. Joseph Smith who, as you’ll hear in the conversation, is no average Joe. He’s a bold entrepreneur that has created youth programs, a speaking practice and continues to create conditions where people around him can thrive. He is the personification of an ally…but transcends labels. Joseph spoke candidly about how deep an impact his mother has had on his upbringing and his person. Someone I will never meet but obviously a caring a thoughtful being who remains with us through him. As our conversation evolved, we spoke about the work that Joseph has been doing, through his organizations, and touched on why the work matters - at this time and always. We also spoke about the very real phenomena of compassion fatigue and burnout fatigue. Areas that are addressed, among others, in his newly launched Remedy program - that works address mental health.   Our conversation culminated in a critical dialog about dealing with the fight for social justice while avoid stoking the fires and creating more prolific enemies of progress. This consideration is a new and complex one, given a world climate that capitalizes on popular and sometimes divisive movements. For Joseph, part of all of these issues are addressed intentionally and with care.   Want MORE...? - from our guest - https://www.drjosephjsmith.ca/ - from 54Lights on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/54lights

In a sublime departure from our regular programming, 54Lights host Kondwani Mwase sat down with singer songwriter Al Lee to talk about his poignant work – Revolution St. The album, the artist’s second release, is a deeply personal endeavour. From his home in Revelstoke BC, Al Lee broke down his early days in music and even shared that his original move to the mic (i.e. singing) was born of necessity rather than want.  Al Lee also spoke about his views on being an Iranian musician singing Blue Grass and Folk inspired songs. His love of music, which arguably seems to has started with a Blues love affair, draws from music’s ability to “transcend colour”. Counted amongst his inspirations – the legends like Neil Young and Bob Dylan.  And though the interview was light hearted, fun and a reunion of two old friends, we took some time to unpack Al Lee’s second album and title track – Revolution Street. The song, like many others on the album, is complex and emotional. They draw from real life events, in this case a real life feminist revolt in Iran, and weaves in his personal nuanced insights.   But rather than hog the spotlight, Al Lee, in typical fashion, shared how he embraced the contributions from the instrumentalists on his album…ones whose work fortifies and underlines his efforts. Enjoy our latest episode where we glean from a great interview and sample some bite size tracks.  THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Biggest Interview Scoop – Uncovering why Ali Haeri took the stage name Al Lee  Largest Interview Surprise – Al Lee and Kondwani Mwase both had Def Leopard cassettes  Largest Interview Regret – revealing that both Al Lee and Kondwani had Def Leopard cassettes Things you’ll never be able to take back – bad jokes about Millennials and reading…seriously though, we do regret that slight and accept old men jokes in response.  Revolution St. is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and other popular sound streaming platforms. 

In Part Two of our interview with FoodShare's Executive Director Paul Taylor, 54Lights podcast asks our guest to help explain the impetus and strategy of FoodShare. In his profoundly thoughtful responses, Paul Taylor takes us through the food system and how communities can find agency for advancement through food. Far from the only lever, food has a way of empowering and feeding (pardon the pun) the disadvantaged in a way that empowers. And while that provides some measure of support, Paul unpacks how the broader system, and forces well beyond their influence, inform and impact lives.  From converting local spaces to cultivating places where low-income peoples can build and experience health relationships around food. Our discussion went from understanding the need to create intervening initiatives, centred around food insecurity and systems, to the ingenuity it takes to develop groundbreaking ideas that work.  Throughout the conversation, it became apparent that the secret sauce for launching ideas that have sustainable impact, stem from cultivating community-led ideas. Instead of designing ideas for the community, FoodShare is invested in designing ideas with the community.  Among FoodShare's community-led initiatives are; Good Food Markets Community Kitchens Workshops  One of the greatest insights was the state's complicity and accountability with respect to food security and access....which FoodShare puts on politicians as well as businesses that have "grown their profits on the backs of low-wage workers".  FoodShare is a community-led organization whose work centres around disrupting the food system - in a way that will make good healthy food accessible for all. Find and follow FoodShare and all its initiatives at foodshare.net Find and follow Paul Taylor at paultaylorto.com   NOTE: This episode is the second part of a 2-Part interview with our guest.

FoodShare is a community-led organization whose work centres around disrupting the food system - in a way that will make good healthy food accessible for all. As part of our mini-series finale on food (the space, the supporting systems and the people that drive and thrive in the ecosystem), 54Lights sat down with FoodShare's Executive Director Paul Taylor to talk about the impact of the organization. An Ontarian with close ties to his lineage and his Kittitian roots, Paul spoke to us about those who've influenced and informed his path (his mother and grandmother among them) as he was growing up. At a young age, he tuned into the systematic injustices that lead to food insecurity and how it impacted the most vulnerable communities in our society - ones that not-so-coincidentally are disproportionately black, brown and indigenous.  Paul's outlook, one that's grown over time and with the contribution of his fellow activists, is devoted to understanding the organizing principals that lead to emergencies within our world. And while these crusaders continue the hard work of understanding societal injustice, they work diligently to dismantle its constructs including anti-black racisim.  According to FoodShare, "It's our time to lead" and the discussion dove into the reasons why, at this critical juncture, there might be a sliver of hope and promise. From community to activists to social movements, Paul calls upon all citizens to step forward by looking at their communities, and the things that happen within them, and to understand why injustice occurs. Lastly, Paul leaves and invites listeners to challenge the status quo by getting politically involved - contacting local government officials to make sure that they feel the political will and impetus to move towards sustainable progress.  Find and follow FoodShare at foodshare.net   Find and follow Paul Taylor at paultaylorto.com   NOTE: This is a 2-Part interview featuring our guest.

In our latest episode of 54Lights we were joined in our virtual studios by the three driving forces behind KIF Radio. KIF is an innovative podcast that features music from emerging artists in the world of AfroBeats, Hip Hop and R&B. The show is masterfully managed by Grace Saqui and features addictive beats curated by two of the most impressive DJs on the planet - IMVNZI and Sound Curator. More than just DJs, the two have dedicated their life to sound - having come up as dancers, rappers and now DJs.   The four of us had an illuminating conversation where KIF shared openly about their unique show format - one that showcases 15 tracks plus some introductory interviews with up and coming musicians. They explained the painstaking paths they take to find gems in a crowded marketplace and how they use their background in music to inform their choices - picking only the best on the globe. The team also opened up about how they move the crowd - the psyche that's needed to get the "room's" energy to peak.  Before we closed the show, the team at KIF spoke to us about their love of music and what went into their name. As deep rooted as the thought and purpose that's gone into their colourful and ever-evolving monikers. An episode that's definitely not to be missed! Lean in and listen out loud.  About KIF Radio  KIF Radio is in its second year KIF Radio is a bi-weekly music podcast showcasing nothing but the most recent R&B & African vibes from the legends of tomorrow. Hosted by IMVNZI and Sound Curator. Aliases IMVNZI - aka Le Penseur Sound Curator - aka Creative Fly  Projects and Affiliations KIF Radio recently joined Braided Media. Braided is a podcast network of Raw and Refined shows and storytelling created by people of African descent for a global audience