Central SA
Hip-hop artist and author collaborate on project─── 14:23 Tue, 07 Feb 2023
"Our Nation Our Stories" is a collective project that focuses on two unalike individuals who work together to promote a country in which they both have a strong sense of pride.
The project picked out a well-known and established author Dr Dean Allen and a hip-hop artist Laliboi to work together.
The passion inspired this collaboration that Allen and Laliboi have for South Africa. They both have a common passion, which is their love for the country. Allen is from Somerset in England and has now migrated to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and made it his home. Laliboi is originally from Butterworth in the Eastern Cape.
This best-selling author and well-known media figure has presented his unique perspective on history, current events, and storytelling at events all over the world. He states that South Africans have taught him that the strength of resolve, when channelled appropriately, is incredibly powerful.
Siphosenkosi Nkodlwane, popularly known as Laliboi – when translated it means "village boy" – is a songwriter, guitarist, trumpeter, and hip-hop artist who combines his Xhosa roots with a streetwise township flavour in his music.
These two came together to discuss their intertwined tales of South Africa's transformation, resiliency, and successes of the people. So this platform allows the audience to uncover their shared history from contrasting views and to illustrate some of the remarkable moments in history and of individuals that have shaped this country.
This project’s objective is to inspire dialogue and understanding about issues we face as South Africans. “When there is an event the presentation will go in order of storytelling and music, it has never been done before where you have an author and a musician come on stage and actually have a formal presentation,” says Lizole Joka, who is one of the Directors of Our Nation Our Stories. So it will be spoken word and in a musical aspect. There is also a theoretical aspect based on re-enacting events, and there will also be motivational talks from Dean. This unique style of performance is set to entertain both the young and old. The audience will leave feeling motivated to take on the difficulties our nation faces.
They both just have a common love for the history of the Eastern Cape.
Their first event will be held at the King Edward School in Johannesburg in February where they will be presenting their initiative to the pupils and the parents and see how it will be received.
