Ayodele

After graduating from the University of Toronto, Ayodele was stationed in Tanzania on a United Nations project. He has been sharing his poetic thoughts on Facebook. Whether through the mic or through a hopeful career as a diplomat, this young MC is definitely stampings his mark on the world. Ayodele has performed at several Afri-Youth Nites in the past and in 2006 he helped inaugurate the first Afrofest Youth Zone. We welcome him back to the new expanded Afrofest Youth Zone!

JayShawn Thomas

Baobab Stage (Youth Zone) - Saturday 5:00pm

He has also attended workshops at the National Dance of Canada organization. J’Tradz began professional choreography at the age of 15. His technical dance steps and hot and unique freestyle has made him a desirable choreographer in the industry. His creative influences were embraced by dance groups such as Myrsti Syck-wit_it, Baby Boys, and now S.M.P. J’Tradz has had the opportunity to perform alongside some of the industries finest dancers and choreographers.

His devotion and passion for dancing has landed him some inspiring opportunities, working with the industries hottest sensations such as Destiny's Child, Kelis, Missy Elliot, Keshia Chante, Mistro, Rihanna, Chris Brown and G-Unit, just to name a few. Performing in over 300 live showcases and many fashion shows and pageants, J’Tradz has proven that hard work does pay off and sticking to your dreams is the key to life.

www.myspace.com/j_tradz

Kgomotso 'KG' Tsatsi

Baobab Stage (Youth Zone) - Sunday 7:45pm
Baobab Stage (Workshop) - Sunday 4:00pm

Her song In Love paints her as the mirage of a jazz singer from another time. She pours her voice over you like a fine red wine; simply irresistible. But she is also a competent performer and dazzles audiences with her South African moves.

In Toronto she often lends her voice and guitar to support grassroots organizations, student initiatives or major galas to promote causes close to her. She also performs around Ontario with her R&B-blues band, ‘KG & the VIPs.’ For two years running she wowed the audience at “Honey Jam”, a female showcase which launched the careers of Nelly Furtado and Jully Black. KG was a winner of The Beat 91.5 FM’s Rhythm of the Future, and in 2007 she participated in the USA World Showcase where she made the top 20 out of over 40,000 auditions.
The future looks bright for this young international star!

www.musicbykg.com
www.myspace.com/musicbykg
www.sonicbids.com/musicbykg

King Poetic

Baobab Stage (Youth Zone) - Saturday 5:00pm

Ask King Poetic what he sees in his future and the enthusiastic but soft-spoken artist will waste no time in telling you like it is. “I’m here to innovate and change the people’s perception of music. I want the world to understand that us folk up North have a voice that needs to be heard. I plan to leave behind a legacy; I’m a pioneer in my own right.”

This talented young rapper’s artistry doesn’t end at just spitting rhymes, he’s also a songwriter and producer. King Poetic is ready to master and conquer Hip Hop culture with his unique perspective to send a message to a wider audience than any other individual before him. “I tell people all the time that I want longevity in this business, it’s the most important thing to me. From this moment on, I’m forever looking forward and never looking back.”

www.myspace.com/dpoetic

Kings of Kush

Baobab Stage (Youth Zone) - Saturday 7:45pm

The Kings of Kush are currently performing in and around the GTA at numerous festivals, shows and high schools. They especially enjoy the opportunity to engage youth in both their art and their message. Each band member has recorded previous solo/group projects but they are now recording their first full album together and hope to deliver it to eager fans within the year. Currently a 4-track demo has been released is available online on their myspace page (below). Their music will open minds to a genre that ventures into uncharted musical territories. Songs such as Boogie Man and Heart of the Horn are immensely thought provoking and challenge everything from education to oppression to the hip-hop industry.

The Kings of Kush are currently in the business of creating crucial and thought provoking art meant to challenge and surpass the status quo. Their artistic mandate involves producing art that is intrinsically linked to their cultural heritages, allowing them to resonate with audiences worldwide. Encouraging all humankind to engage in conversations so desperately needing to take place, their anthems have the ability to unite people of all ages and backgrounds through both rich melodic structure and eloquent substance.

Kings of Kush will feature Kamau during their performance at Afrofest.

www.myspace.com/thekingsofkush

Lameck Williams

Baobab Stage (Youth Zone) - Saturday 6:30pm

After nearly a decade of experience he has decided to release some of his powerful lyrics with a signature flow that he built over the past decade with careful and hard training. In 2006, Lameck was first discovered on the well-respected political activist Wasun’s album What Must Be Done. Lameck went on to release the first of his own products Kamouflage Kollage that featured the heavyweight Abdominal and Rapper Nish. Kamouflage Kollage was mainly focused on the 90’s sound with K.L producing and playing all the songs on Serato before pressing the copies. Last year, Lameck released an EP entitled Eclectic Soul Encounter, which blends various styles of music such as Reggae, Dub and Hiphop with Lameck’s lyricism that stays true to the form of Hiphop.

This year Lameck released his cd Over Now. Three years in the making, with production work by KL, Tyme and Simple P, Dutty Brucks and Anonymous D, the album has a classic remurmuring sound that brings back the joy and pride of the art form founded in Brooklyn. This cd is expected to blow a lot of people’s minds who thought that Hiphop is dead and attract old school listeners who are not content with today’s market.

Lameck says that you’ll be seeing him in his own music videos and upcoming movies. He’s planning to release a book of his poetry as well as more musical products that will be taking it to the next stage. After Lameck got engaged to his fiancé he has made it his life’s resolution to raise a family and live a fulfilled life, giving his gifts and energy to the joy and power of expression, mastery, love and durable fulfillment through his life’s work as well as helping others not so far down the path.

Samini

Baobab Stage (Youth Zone) - Sunday 6:30pm

At age 18, Samini collaborated on a single with Ghanaian singer Mary Agyapong, which featured his free-style lyrics and reggae/ragga style. Using the stage name “Batman”, his popularity grew as producers sought him out to contribute lyrics to over 50 other releases. There was a time when every hit song had Batman’s signature written on it. In 2004, he released his solo album Dankwansere, featuring the hit track Linda, which shot him into fame winning the Hip-life Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year at the 2004 Ghana Music Awards. Two years later, he released his second album Samini which won him four awards at the 2006 Ghana Music Awards. Samini received international recognition when he was named “Best African Act” at the 11th annual Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards in the UK. In 2007, he was nominated for MTV Europe Music Awards, Channel O Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards and the Radiophonie Prize in France. In February 2008, Samini won the Best African Artist Award at the Hip Hop World Awards in Nigeria.

Samini has shared stages with Sean Paul, Akon, Kevin Little, Shaggy, Wayne Wonder, Damien Marley, Bennie Man, Jay-Z, Chaka Demus And Pliers, Culture (of blessed memory) and Steel Pulse. His latest album, Dagaati (Know Your Roots), was released in 2009 and features collaborations with Etana, Steel Pulse, Sway, Nameless and others.

He is the most featured artist in Ghana and Samini has featured on over 63 tracks. He recently did collaboration with Steel Pulse from the UK and Etana from Jamaica. His industrious carrier has received international recognition which has earned him yours to many countries including the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Holland and many more where thousands have trooped to the event site to be mesmerized with his performances.