Musa Okwonga via Matrix

Musa Okwonga I CURATE

Network Node

Name: Musa Okwonga
City/Place: Berlin
Country: Germany

CURATION

from this node by: Criador acima/Creator above

Current News

What's Up? “I’ve known Musa for many years and I’ve always found him a very honest, very poignant wordsmith. He writes from the heart with no filter, and that’s what the best lyricists do. I’m a fan.”
—Ed Sheeran

Musa is precise and all-encompassing in the same line. His poetry is intimate and erudite, passionate and beautiful.”
—Kate Tempest

“Stirring, politicallay-charged, ….uplifting and inspiring”
—TRENCH Mag

“Pulsating…deliciously multi-faceted”
—VICE, About to Blow

Life & Work

Bio: Musa Okwonga is an Ugandan-British author, journalist and musician (BBXO) living in Berlin.

BBXO make a style of music they call “Future Blues”, sitting comfortably between spoken word and rap, between politics and pop. Their wondrously organic music freely meanders through pop culture history from the eighties into the beyond, a libertine purely driven by heart and instinct. They formed when Krisz Kreuzer, of urban blues sensation Brixtonboogie, met up with Musa Okwonga, a lauded London-born poet who had recently moved to Berlin. “I talk about the future and Krisz talks about the blues”, Okwonga laughs. “I am more rooted in electronic music and hip hop while Krisz is coming from a rootsy blues or dub reggae and hip hop background.” From the beginning, their aim was to make songs that speak of love, struggle and friendship in a way that is moving, often rousing, and ultimately uplifting.

“We have no borders, no boundaries”, Kreuzer states, and for once, it’s not just a PR effective slogan. BBXO have crafted a bass-heavy and accessible sound that is urgent, passionate and powerful. Their tunes effortlessly travel from Soul to Dancehall, from Blues to Grime to Pop, and are suitable for the whole range of moods; the late-afternoon euphoria of a midsummer festival, the quiet evening at home, the lonely but hopeful train journey towards a new adventure. Above all, it is a music that connects people like it links Kreuzer and Okwonga. With a message that is both optimistic and altruistic, BBXO light a torch in an age of darkness. “We live in compelling and worrying times”, Okwonga states. “With BBXO, we want to put across that yes, we understand that these times are challenging, but there is a way through it, an underlying positivity. The common theme of my writing is the turning point. Each song goes through that: It usually starts very dark and ends fairly optimistic.”

Optimism. There is possibly nothing we need more these days. BBXO deliver that, clad in thick beats, warm textures and sophisticated and eloquent words that Kreuzer calls “outstanding in contemporary music”. Political without addressing it constantly, they give a voice to the voiceless, to the rejected, oppressed and sexually targeted, at the same time being extremely personal. “My background is very dominant in my lyrics”, Okwonga says. “They are about my family’s struggles back in Uganda, escaping as refugees, about adjusting to a new society, about a black person in a mostly white world and how that can be challenging.” Kreuzer underlays Okwonga’s words with a sound which is both contemporary and accessible, yet not lacking in depth and texture. A fateful match, as one cannot fail to see. “We both like a wide range of music and know exactly what the other stands for in BBXO”, Kreuzer says of this special bond.

With Kreuzer being based in Hamburg while Okwonga lives in Berlin, both of them love the respective possibilities their hometowns offer them. “Hamburg is a music city”, Kreuzer raves. “It has a great vibe to work in plus our label is based here.” Okwonga, on the other hand, praises the energy he feeds off in Berlin. “Berlin is the ideal breeding ground for creativity. The city is incredibly intense at night, delivering that huge adrenaline rush, but during the days it is very calm, making it a great place to reflect and work.” In the end, it’s the striking blend of two artists extraordinaire and the influence of two of Germany’s most vibrant cities that’s making BBXO one of a kind. Anti racist, anti hate – and pro love, pro earth, pro hope. Trust us, we need that.

Musa Okwonga Curated

What's Been Happening?

A category was added to Musa Okwonga:

Uganda
- Jun 26
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Berlin
- Jun 26
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Rapper
- Jun 26
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Songwriter
- Jun 26
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Novelist
- Jun 26
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Essayist
- Jun 26
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Poet
- Jun 26
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Podcaster
- Jun 26
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Football Journalist
- Jun 26
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Writer
- Jun 26
A video was posted re Musa Okwonga:

In The End It Was All About Love: Musa Okwonga in Conversation with Tayo Popoola - 1 November 2021
Musa Okwonga discusses his extraordinary novella, IN THE END, IT WAS ALL ABOUT LOVE, with Tayo Popoola at Pages of Hackney on 1 November 2021.
- Jun 26
A video was posted re Musa Okwonga:

Football is Political: #Qatar2022, Russia and What Comes Next w/ Musa Okwonga and Justin Salhani
This is a conversation with Justin Salhani of 'Oh My Goal' and Musa Okwonga (his 4th time on the pod) of 'Stadio' about football, politics and human rights. We talked about the upcoming world cup in Qatar, the role of dirty money in football (including Ru...
- Jun 26
Musa Okwonga is matrixed!
- Jun 26

em português →

ARE YOU MATRIXED?

"Many thanks for this – I am touched!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
We're touched too Mr Webber! (cello & Brazilian music fan)

"Matrixado!"
✅—Founding Member Darius Mans (economist, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); president-elect of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

"I'm truly thankful ... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini (piano, Blue Note recording artist)

"Thanks, this is a brilliant idea!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals (klezmer fiddle; founder of The Klezmatics)

"This is super impressive work ! Congratulations ! Thanks for including me :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad (composer & piano; compositions recorded by Yo Yo Ma and played by orchestras around the world)

This is a matrix in the original sense of "source" ("matrix" derives from "mater", Latin for "mother"). The platform was built in Bahia, Brazil in order to provide a means by which Bahian artists could be reached from around the world. But there's a beautiful catch: To work for these people the platform must work for ALL in the global creative economy. The matrix must engender an INTEGRATED GLOBAL CREATIVE ECONOMY.
How a) Inside this matrix you have a node (a page) — a calling card to the universe — from which you can curate (recommend) other people in the network, and by which they can recommend you.
How b) In mathematics there is something called "the small world phenomenon". Human society is "small world" (which is how most of the 8 billion of us of are within some 6 or so steps of each other). Neurons in the human brain are "small world". The internet is "small world".
How c) This matrix is "small world". Nodes tend to be a small number of steps apart. You can potentially step from any node to any other. You can get to João do Boi from Quincy Jones in 4 steps. And from Quincy Jones to you.
Participation is free to people. Businesses outside of Bahia, Brazil will be levied a nominal fee.
Artificial intelligence not necessary. Real intelligence, yes. The matrix is a real mother for ya! Odoyá!

"Thank you"
(Banch Abegaze, mgr)
✅—Kamasi Washington

← in english

VOCÊ ESTÁ NO MATRIX?

"Muito obrigado por isso - estou tocado!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
Estamos tocados também Sr. Webber! (violoncelo & fã da música brasileira)

"Matrixado!"
✅—Membro Fundador Darius Mans (economista, doutorado, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); presidente eleito do Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

"Estou realmente agradecido... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini (piano, artista da Blue Note)

"Obrigada, esta é uma ideia brilhante!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals (violino klezmer; fundadora da The Klezmatics)

"Este é um trabalho super impressionante! Parabéns! Obrigada por me incluir :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad (compositora & piano; composições gravadas por Yo Yo Ma e tocadas por orquestras ao redor do mundo)

Este é uma matrix no sentido original de "fonte" ("matrix" deriva de "mater", latim para "mãe"). A plataforma foi construída na Bahia, Brasil, a fim de fornecer um meio pelo qual artistas baianos pudessem ser alcançados de ao redor do mundo. Mas existe um porém lindo: Para funcionar para essas pessoas a plataforma deve funcionar para TODOS na economia criativa global. O matrix deve gerar uma ECONOMIA CRIATIVA GLOBAL INTEGRADA.
Como a) O matrix é uma rede de pessoas/entidades na economia criativa global. Você tem um nó (uma página) — um cartão de visita para o universo numa lista de informações do século 21 que circula o mundo — de onde pode selecionar (recomendar) outras pessoas na rede, e elas podem recomendar você.
Como b) Na matemática existe algo chamado "o fenômeno do mundo pequeno". A sociedade humana é um "mundo pequeno" (que é como a maioria dos 8 bilhões de nós estão dentro de mais ou menos 6 passos de um ao outro). Os neurônios no cérebro humano são um "mundo pequeno". A internet é um "mundo pequeno".
Como c) Este matrix é "pequeno mundo". Os nós tendem a estar separados por um pequeno número de etapas. Você pode potencialmente passar de qualquer nó para qualquer outro. Você pode chegar ao João do Boi de Quincy Jones em 4 etapas. E de Quincy Jones a você.
A participação é gratuita para pessoas. As empresas fora da Bahia, Brasil serão cobradas uma taxa nominal.
Inteligência artificial não necessária. Inteligência real, sim. O matrix é uma verdadeira mãe! Odoyá!

"Thank you"
(Banch Abegaze, empresário)
✅—Kamasi Washington

FAQ

Q: Why an Aleph on matrix node headers?
A: One of several inspirations for the matrix was the Aleph in Jorge Luis Borges' story of that name, itself certainly inspired in the Kabbalah.