When I was in March with Viva con Agua and the Welthungerhilfe in Uganda While I was traveling, I had the great pleasure of meeting the most famous Kenyan hip-hop star: Octopizzo. A great person who likes to use his fame for people who are not on the sunny side of life. At the concert organized by Viva con Agua in Kampala - the capital of Uganda - he came into contact with refugees from Burundi, had the stage cleared for them and they were able to perform their music and thank the audience.
If the text has confused you up to this point, I can understand that. Our European perception is often overlooked that there are of course refugees within Africa. Not everyone can afford the expensive journey to Europe. In any case, Uganda is a very popular refugee country because refugees do not have to live in camps there, but are allowed to "move freely". This gratitude for being able to live in Uganda was very clear in the speech given by the musicians from Burundi at that very performance in Kampala.
In any case, Octopizzo tries to support refugees. That's why he has already been to several United Nations conferences. Here is a photo of Octopizzo near Mount Moroto - one of the cradles of African-European humanity.
Back to the topic that the title suggests: Octopizzo's new album is coming out on December 3rd and this time he has come up with something really special. He recorded his album "Refugeenius" together with African refugees. The first single can now be seen in advance on YouTube. The musicians MauMau from Somalia and B-Happy J from South Sudan are also featured. Both are currently living in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
Update 2.12.: The next video for the album is now available - this time by a musician from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is absolutely to my taste. I'm really looking forward to the album "Refugeenius".
Update December 4.12th: The album is now out and contains many beautiful African melodies. Interestingly, it is at Amazon more expensive than at Streaming provider of your choice. It's great that Octopizzo gives these musicians a voice.
DR Congo, Somalia and South Sudan are regions that we usually only know from terrible reports in the news. Thanks to Octopizzo's project "Refugeenius" we now get to see another facet of the countries that is otherwise covered up by the miserable images in the newspapers. Thanks for that, Octopizzo! The album cover was designed by Björn Holzweg, who also painted a cozy nest on the gray concrete wall of the north stand at the Feldarena at Millerntor.
And while we're on the subject of images of misery: after two rainy seasons in Ethiopia, the country is facing the next famine catastrophe. However, there is currently no report on this because there are still too few deaths. Sounds harsh, but it is like that. The media landscape, our perception and therefore that of politicians only react when there are terrible images of many starving people. These disasters could at least be smaller if help was available in time. There are enough aid organizations that act as seismic instruments and pass on information to politicians and the media. Mine Favorite charities you know...
