If you happen to be in the Netherlands this coming thursday (May 13 from 8pm) you may want to join Africanhiphop.com in an evening of film & performance around the theme of La Sape (Société  des ambianceurs et des personnes élégantes), the fashion movement of Congo-Brazzaville and DR Congo that was made famous by the likes of Papa Wemba and recently seen in the publication Gentlemen of Bacongo.

This thursday, the documentary ‘The importance of being elegant‘ about La Sape will be screened by Amsterdam Fund for the Arts & Prince Claus Fund as part of their ‘International Art in Amsterdam’ series. Africanhiphop.com is taking care of the performances that night. So we asked our friend Baloji (Belgium/Congo) to come join us for a show – the first time he’s playing a regular set in the Netherlands! Dj Threesixty (Bamba Nazar) from African Hip Hop Radio is backing him up and playing tunes until after midnight. Congolese-Dutch author Alphonse Muambi will introduce the film with a column. Entrance is only €2,50 and you may want to come early if you want to get a good seat during the screening of the film.

Trouw/De Verdieping
Wibautstraat 127, Amsterdam, Netherlands (google maps)
website: www.trouwamsterdam.nl/de-verdieping

If you don’t know Baloji, watch these music videos: ‘Tout ceci ne vous rendra pas le Congo’ (2007)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjn93WtQbiI[/youtube]

and ‘Karibu ya bintou’ featuring Konono No.1 (2010)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUVxhvjc5O0[/youtube]

Photo: N. Karakatsanis