Kenya Insights

Category: Entertainment

  • Uganda Bans ‘Nyege Nyege’ Festival Over Links To Sex, Drugs And Homosexuality

    Uganda Bans ‘Nyege Nyege’ Festival Over Links To Sex, Drugs And Homosexuality

    Uganda’s parliament on Tuesday slapped a ban on a popular music festival, the second time that authorities have taken steps against the annual event over accusations that it promotes sex, drugs and homosexuality.

    The four-day Nyege Nyege festival on the banks of the Nile in the southern town of Jinja brings together artists from across Africa to entertain around 10,000 revellers and is usually held in September.

    But nine days days before the event was due to resume following a pandemic-induced shutdown since 2020 parliament said on Twitter that it had “stopped the ‘Nyege Nyege’ festival, an annual social event scheduled to take place next week”.

    Uganda’s ethics and integrity minister Rose Lilly Akello told reporters that the festival “promotes a lot of immorality and this immorality is something which is not wanted in our country.”

    Uganda’s state minister for tourism, Martin Mugarura, has said that the ban would have a destructive impact on the economy, as the travel industry limps back to life after the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Over 8,000 foreign tourists have already booked tickets and were to stay in the country during the duration of the festival and even beyond,” he said.

    “We hope there is a reversal of this decision,” he added.

    The festival was banned in 2018 by former ethics minister Simon Lokodo, a fervent Christian and outspoken homophobe, who described it as an orgy of homosexuality, nudity and drugs akin to “devil worship”.

    But he was forced to lift the ban barely a day later, following outrage on social media.

    Lokodo, who died in January, said at the time that the event encouraged “the celebration and recruitment of young people into homosexuality”.

    “The very name of the festival is provocative. It means ‘sex, sex’ or urge for sex,” he said.

    Nyege Nyege means an irresistible urge to dance in the local Luganda language, but it can have a sexual connotation in other languages in the region.

    Uganda is notorious for its intolerance of homosexuality which is criminalised in the country and strict Christian views on sexuality in general.

    In 2013 Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill that called for life in prison for people caught having gay sex, although a court later struck down the law.

    Last month the government suspended the country’s leading gay rights organisation, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), accusing it of operating illegally in the East African nation.

  • Tik Tok Most Followed Influencer Khaby Lame Granted Italian Citizenship

    Tik Tok Most Followed Influencer Khaby Lame Granted Italian Citizenship

    The king of TikTok, Khaby Lame, finally has another title: Italian.

    The 22-year-old influencer, who ranks as the most popular TikToker with 148 million followers, took his oath of citizenship Wednesday in Chiavasso, a municipality outside Turin, according to the local government.

    Lame moved to Italy from his native Senegal when he was an infant but only was granted citizenship now because of strict Italian citizenship laws.

    His situation – and those of thousands of other young people who were born in Italy or raised there by non-Italians- made headlines after Lame became the most-followed TikTok creator in June. The attention being paid to “Italy’s TikTok king” highlighted that he wasn’t actually Italian.

    In response, Italy’s deputy interior minister, Carlo Sibilia, tweeted June 24 that Lame’s citizenship application recently was approved.

    “Dear @KhabyLame, I wanted to let you know that the decree granting you #Italiancitizenship was issued in early June by the Interior Ministry. Soon you will be contacted by the local office notifying you about your oath. Good luck,” Sibilia tweeted.

    The assurances suggested that Lame’s application had worked its way through the pipeline under normal procedures and didn’t receive any special treatment because of his newfound TikTok fame.

    Under Italian law, children born to non-Italians and raised in Italy can apply for citizenship in their 18th year, a regulation that critics say discriminates against thousands of children who are culturally Italian but are denied citizenship.

    Critics say the law inhibits integration and leaves some children stateless.

    Center-left lawmakers in Italy routinely try to change the regulations to grant citizenship earlier. In the United States, for example, children born on U.S. soil get American citizenship regardless of their parents’ nationalities.

    But Italy’s right-wing has long insisted citizenship should only pass through Italian blood lines. The most recent proposal has called for letting children of immigrants who were born in Italy or arrived before they turned 12 to apply after they completed at least five years of schooling in Italy.

    The Chiavasso city hall filmed the short ceremony in which Lame became an Italian and asked him what had changed.

    “It is not that before, before signing, I didn’t feel Italian, so very little has changed,” Lame said. “But now I am officially Italian, on paper.”

    Lame rose to TikTok fame with charming videos of his reactions to everyday life in which he never says a word. His following surged during the pandemic, when he was fired from his factory job and used the extra time on his hands to make and upload more videos.

    Asked how his life had changed from growing up poor to finding global fame, Lame said his family was poor but happy during his childhood and nowadays, “It’s another reality, it’s completely another world.

    “Which I am still not used to, but I am gradually adapting,” he said.-(AP)

  • Singer R Kelly, 55, Faces At Least 25 Years In Jail

    Singer R Kelly, 55, Faces At Least 25 Years In Jail

    R. Kelly, the R&B superstar known for his anthem “I Believe I Can Fly,” deserves at least 25 years behind bars for sexually abusing women and girls, prosecutors said in a memo filed Wednesday in advance of his sentencing later this month.

    A New York City jury found Kelly guilty of racketeering and multiple other counts last year at a sex-trafficking trial that was seen as a signature moment in the #MeToo movement. Prosecutors alleged that the entourage of managers and aides who helped Kelly meet girls and keep them obedient amounted to a criminal enterprise.

    Several accusers testified in lurid detail during the trial, alleging that Kelly subjected his victims to perverse and sadistic whims when they were underage.

    Kelly used his “fame, money and popularity” to systematically “prey upon children and young women for his own sexual gratification,” prosecutors wrote in the filing.

    “He continued his crimes and avoided punishment for them for almost 30 years and must now be held to account,” prosecutors wrote.

    Kelly’s lawyers have argued that he deserves only a maximum of about 17 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.

    Among multiple sordid allegations, jurors heard testimony about a fraudulent marriage scheme hatched to protect Kelly after he feared he had impregnated R&B phenom Aaliyah in 1994 when she was just 15. Witnesses said they were married in matching jogging suits using a license falsely listing her age as 18; he was 27 at the time.

    Aaliyah worked with Kelly, who wrote and produced her 1994 debut album, “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number.” She died in a plane crash in 2001 at age 22.

    The competing defense memo suggested prosecutors’ arguments for a higher sentence overreached by falsely claiming Kelly participated in the bribery of “a public aid officer to produce an identification card” that allowed the sham marriage to go forward.

    Kelly’s lawyers also said it was wrong to assert he should get more time because he sexually abused one of his victims — referred to in court as “Jane”  after her parents innocently entrusted him to help her with her musical career.

    “The record shows that Jane’s parents directed Jane to lie to the defendant about her age and then encouraged her to seduce him,” the papers say.

    Kelly, 55, is set to be sentenced on June 29. (AP)

  • American Rapper Young Thug Co-Founded A Violent Street Gang And Promoted It In His Songs

    American Rapper Young Thug Co-Founded A Violent Street Gang And Promoted It In His Songs

    (AP) — Rapper Young Thug co-founded a violent street gang and promoted it in his songs and on social media, prosecutors allege in a sprawling indictment that accuses him and 27 others of racketeering and a laundry list of other crimes meant to further the gang’s interests.

    The Atlanta-based rapper, whose given name is Jeffrey Lamar Williams, co-wrote the hit “This is America” with Childish Gambino, making history when it became the first hip-hop track to win the song of the year Grammy in 2019. Fulton County prosecutors say that in late 2012, he and two others founded Young Slime Life, a violent criminal street gang that’s commonly known as YSL and is affiliated with the national Bloods gang.

    He was arrested Monday at his home in Buckhead, an upscale neighborhood north of downtown Atlanta. He was being held at the Fulton County Jail on charges of conspiracy to violate Georgia’s RICO Act and participation in a criminal street gang.

    Young Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, told local news outlets that “Mr. Williams committed no crime whatsoever” and he would “fight till his last drop of blood to clear him.”

    He was scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

    Also charged in the indictment were Atlanta rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, and aspiring rapper Christian Eppinger, who was already in jail and is accused of shooting an Atlanta police officer six times in February. It was not immediately known if Gunna, who is accused of conspiracy to violate the state’s RICO Act, has been arrested.

    Gunna, who is signed to Thug’s Young Stoner Life record label, scored his second No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart with “DS4Ever” this year. The Grammy-nominated artist is known for boosting the viral catchphrase “Pushin P,” a term that has been regularly used on social media by popular athletes such as LeBron James and Dez Bryant, along with professional sports teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors. The rapper said the term is based on “keeping it real.”

    In April 2021, Young Thug and Gunna posted bail for 30 low-level inmates who were unable to afford the costs themselves. Gunna opened a no-cost grocery and apparel store at his former middle school to students and their families in Atlanta. The store offers items including shoes, clothing, food and toiletries.

    In addition to specific charges, the indictment includes a wide-ranging list of 181 acts that prosecutors say were committed as part of a conspiracy to further the gang’s interests. They include appearing in videos with inflammatory song lyrics, appearing in photos on social media with gang symbols, possessing drugs with intent to distribute, aggravated assault and murder.

    The indictment accuses members of the gang of trying to kill rival gang member and rapper YFN Lucci, whose given name is Rayshawn Bennett, by “stabbing and stabbing at” him with a shank in the Fulton County Jail. YFN Lucci was among a dozen people charged in another gang-related RICO indictment in Fulton County a year ago.

    YSL is mainly active in southeast Atlanta and the Cleveland Avenue area but is expanding its activity into the surrounding metro area, prosecutors say. Its members are identifiable by their green or red bandanas — red for Bloods and green for Slime — and clothes with the letters “YSL” or the word “Slime,” the indictment says.

    With his squeaky high-pitched rap vocals, Young Thug became best known for his hits including “Stoner” and “Best Friend.” In a hyper-masculine hip-hop scene, Thug refused to play by traditional gender rules. He wore a dress on the cover of his 2016 mixtape “Jeffery” and said there’s no such thing as gender as part of a Calvin Klein campaign.

    Young Thug’s record label refers to its artists as part of the “Slime Family,” and a compilation album called “Slime Language 2” hit No. 1 on the charts in April 2021.

  • Will Smith Banned From Oscars For 10 Years After Chris Rock Slap

    Will Smith Banned From Oscars For 10 Years After Chris Rock Slap

    (Reuters) – Hollywood’s film academy on Friday banned Will Smith from attending the Oscars for 10 years after the best actor winner slapped presenter Chris Rock on stage at the Academy Awards ceremony 12 days ago.

    The board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences took the action at a meeting held one week after Smith pre-emptively resigned from the group over his outburst at the live, televised event.

    “The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year,” academy President David Rubin and Chief Executive Dawn Hudson said in a statement.

    “However, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.”

    In a statement, Smith said, “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.” The actor has issued previous statements apologizing to Rock, the Oscars producers, nominees and viewers. read more In addition to the Oscars, the film world’s most prestigious awards, the board banned Smith from all other academy events and programs, in person or virtually, for 10 years.

    The group did not say, however, that he would be ineligible to be nominated for Oscars during that time. Smith’s next movie, action thriller “Emancipation,” about a man who escapes from slavery, had been set for release later this year.

    No update on the Apple TV+ (AAPL.O) film has been given since Smith strode up to the stage at the March 27 ceremony after comedian Rock made a joke about the appearance of the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, then smacked Rock across the face.

    Less than an hour later, Smith gave a tearful speech on stage as he accepted the best actor award for his role in “King Richard,” portraying the father of tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams. After the ceremony, he was seen dancing at Vanity Fair’s annual post-Oscars party.

    Rock’s joke about Pinkett Smith made a reference to the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that she has a condition that causes hair loss.

    Dana Harris-Bridson, editor-in-chief of online entertainment publication IndieWire, called the academy’s ban of Smith “too little, too late,” saying the group should have removed the actor from the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre.

    After the fact, the academy had few options, particularly since Smith resigned before his membership in the group could be revoked, she said.

    “The moment they had was the moment in the theater,” she said.

    In the Friday statement, the academy’s leaders said they did not adequately address the situation during the telecast.

    “For this, we are sorry,” they said. “This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.”

    Shortly after the incident, the academy said it had asked Smith to leave, but details of that statement have been disputed and the actor did stay for the rest of the ceremony.

    The academy’s CEO and president also expressed “deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances.

    “We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast,” they said.

    “We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.”

  • Slapsequences: Will Smith Resigns From Film Academy

    Slapsequences: Will Smith Resigns From Film Academy

    Actor Will Smith has resigned from Hollywood’s Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, saying on Friday that his slapping of presenter Chris Rock on stage at this year’s Oscars ceremony was “shocking, painful and inexcusable.”

    “I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken,” Smith said in a statement.

    “So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate,” he said.

    At the Oscars ceremony last Sunday, Smith strode up to the stage after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife, then smacked Rock across the face.

    Less than an hour later, Smith gave a tearful speech on stage as he accepted the best actor award for his role in “King Richard.”

    Rock’s joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, made a reference to the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Jada Pinkett Smith has a condition that causes hair loss.

    David Rubin, president of the film academy, said on Friday that the group accepted Smith’s resignation but would continue with disciplinary proceedings that could lead to additional sanctions.-Reuters.

  • Police Were Ready To Arrest Will Smith But It Was Chris Rock Who Stopped Them

    Police Were Ready To Arrest Will Smith But It Was Chris Rock Who Stopped Them

    (Reuters) – Los Angeles police were on site and ready to arrest actor Will Smith at the Academy Awards on Sunday for slapping presenter Chris Rock, the producer of the Hollywood ceremony said on Thursday.

    The authorities did take not any action because Rock declined to press charges, producer Will Packer said, echoing what a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

    “They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they used in that moment,” Packer said in excerpts from an interview that will air Friday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

    “They said, we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now,” Packer added.

    During the live Oscars telecast, Smith strode up to the stage after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife, then smacked the comedian’s face.

    Less than an hour later, Smith gave a tearful speech on stage as he accepted the best actor trophy for his role in “King Richard.”

    Behind the scenes, police were discussing options with Rock, Packer said.

    Rock “was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m fine.’ And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish,’” Packer added.

    Representatives for Rock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Smith apologized to Rock, producers and viewers in a statement on Monday, saying he had “reacted emotionally”. read more

    Rock’s joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, made a reference to the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Jada Pinkett Smith has a condition that causes hair loss.

    A police spokesman said Sunday night that the individual involved in the incident had declined to press charges, but did not provide details about the interactions at the awards show.

  • Netflix To Stop Sharing Of Passwords

    Netflix To Stop Sharing Of Passwords

    Just weeks after announcing the hike of subscription prices, Netflix has announced that it’s cracking down on the widespread practice of password-sharing. It is a test that will get primary account holders pay an additional fee for users outside their households.

    The reason? Chengyi Long, director of product innovation, says, “While these [household plans] have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are being shared between households — impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.” The test is currently being carried out in in three countries; Chile, Costa Rica and Peru.

    This is not the first time Netflix has experimented with a clampdown on password sharing. Last year, the company experimented with an account verification tool to keep unauthorized users from mooching off of others’ accounts.

  • Model Accusing Snoop Dogg For Forcing Her To Perform Oral Sex On Him In 2013

    Model Accusing Snoop Dogg For Forcing Her To Perform Oral Sex On Him In 2013

    LOS ANGELES, Feb 10 (Reuters) – An unidentified woman has filed a civil lawsuit that accuses American rapper Snoop Dogg of sexual assault and battery after she attended one of his concerts in 2013.

    The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, days before Snoop Dogg is set to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show with other hip-hop artists near Los Angeles.

    The woman was identified as Jane Doe and described as a dancer, model, host and actress who had worked with Snoop Dogg.

    In the lawsuit filed in the Central District of California against Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg, the woman said Snoop Dogg entered a bathroom she was using, forced her to perform oral sex and masturbated in front of her.

    “Plaintiff found herself thinking about her job security if she displeased Defendant Snoop Dogg,” the complaint said. “Plaintiff felt pressured by defendant Snoop Dogg due to his dominance, and his position of power over her, including his ability to hire and fire her and ensure that she would never be hired in his industry again.”

    Representatives for Snoop Dogg did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    The woman said in the lawsuit she was also sexually assaulted earlier in the evening by a Snoop Dogg employee who is also named as a defendant. The parties tried to resolve the matter through mediation, the complaint said.

    On Instagram on Wednesday, Snoop Dogg wrote that “Gold digger season is here be careful… keep ya guards up. And. Keep ya circle small.”

    The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, said the post appeared shortly after mediation talks broke down.

  • Oscar 2022 Full Nominations List

    Oscar 2022 Full Nominations List

    This year’s Oscar nominations have been unveiled, honouring the movie industry’s finest from the past 12 months. Here is the full list of the nominees of the 94th Academy Awards.

    Best picture

    • The Power of the Dog
    • West Side Story
    • Belfast
    • Dune
    • Licorice Pizza
    • King Richard
    • CODA
    • Don’t Look Up
    • Drive My Car
    • Nightmare Alley

    Best actress

    • Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter
    • Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
    • Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
    • Kristen Stewart – Spencer
    • Penelope Cruz – Parallel Mothers

    Best actor

    • Will Smith – King Richard
    • Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog
    • Andrew Garfield – Tick, Tick… Boom!
    • Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth
    • Javier Bardem – Being the Ricardos

    Best supporting actress

    • Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
    • Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog
    • Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
    • Dame Judi Dench – Belfast
    • Jessie Buckley – The Lost Daughter

    Best supporting actor

    • Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog
    • Ciarán Hinds – Belfast
    • Troy Kotsur – Coda
    • Jesse Plemons – The Power of the Dog
    • JK Simmons – Being the Ricardos

    Best director

    • Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
    • Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza
    • Steven Spielberg – West Side Story
    • Sir Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
    • Ryusuke Hamaguchi – Drive My Car
    Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman have both been nominated for Being the Ricardos

    Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman have both been nominated for Being the Ricardos
    Image: GLEN WILSON/AMAZON

    Best original screenplay

    • Licorice Pizza – Paul Thomas Anderson
    • Belfast – Sir Kenneth Branagh
    • King Richard – Zach Baylin
    • Don’t Look Up – Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota)
    • The Worst Person in the World – Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt

    Best adapted screenplay

    • The Power of the Dog – Jane Campion
    • The Lost Daughter – Maggie Gyllenhaal
    • CODA – Sian Heder
    • Dune – Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
    • Drive My Car – Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe

    Best animated feature

    • Encanto
    • Luca
    • The Mitchells vs the Machines
    • Flee
    • Raya and the Last Dragon

    Best documentary feature

    • Summer of Soul
    • Flee
    • Ascension
    • Attica
    • Writing with Fire

    Best international feature

    • Drive My Car (Japan)
    • The Worst Person in the World (Norway)
    • Flee (Denmark)
    • The Hand of God (Italy)
    • Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)

    Best original song

    • No Time to Die – No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell)
    • Dos Oruguitas – Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
    • Be Alive – King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson)
    • Belfast – Down to Joy (Van Morrison)
    • Somehow You Do – Four Good Days (Diane Warren)

    Best original score

    • The Power of the Dog – Jonny Greenwood
    • Dune – Hans Zimmer
    • Don’t Look Up – Nicholas Britell
    • Encanto – Germaine Franco
    • Parallel Mothers – Alberto Iglesias

    Best cinematography

    • Dune – Greig Fraser
    • The Power of the Dog – Ari Wegner
    • The Tragedy of Macbeth – Bruno Delbonnel
    • Nightmare Alley – Dan Laustsen
    • West Side Story – Janusz Kaminski

    Image: AFP

    Best visual effects.

    • Dune – Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer
    • Free Guy – Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick
    • Spider-Man: No Way Home – Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick
    • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker, and Dan Oliver
    • No Time to Die – Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, Chris Corbould

    Best film editing

    • Dune – Joe Walker
    • The Power of the Dog – Peter Sciberras‎
    • Don’t Look Up – Hank Corwin
    • King Richard – Pamela Martin
    • Tick, Tick… Boom! – Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum

    Best costume design

    • Cruella – Jenny Beavan
    • Dune – Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan
    • West Side Story – Paul Tazewell
    • Nightmare Alley – Luis Sequeira
    • Cyrano – Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran

    Best sound

    • Dune – Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett
    • West Side Story – Tod A Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy
    • No Time to Die – Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor
    • Belfast – Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri
    • The Power of the Dog – Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb

    Best production design

    • Dune – Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos
    • Nightmare Alley – Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
    • West Side Story – Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo
    • The Tragedy of Macbeth – Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh
    • The Power of the Dog – Grant Major and Amber Richards

    Best make-up and hairstyling

    • The Eyes of Tammy Faye – Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh
    • Dune – Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
    • Cruella – Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon
    • Coming 2 America – Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer
    • House of Gucci – Goran Lundstrom, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras

    Best live action short

    • Ala Kachuu – Take and Run
    • The Dress
    • The Long Goodbye
    • On My Mind
    • Please Hold

    Best animated short

    • Affairs of the Art
    • Bestia
    • Boxballet
    • Robin Robin
    • The Windshield Wiper

    Best documentary short

    • Audible
    • Lead Me Home
    • The Queen of Basketball
    • Three Songs for Benazir
    • When We Were Bullies
  • Sonko’s VIP Club Volume Becomes ‘Mchele’ Hotspot As Reveler Counts Loses

    Sonko’s VIP Club Volume Becomes ‘Mchele’ Hotspot As Reveler Counts Loses

    A reveller in Mombasa has lost Sh596,000 after his flopped attempts to spend a steamy night of heated passion with a damsel almost ended tragic.

    The man’s drink was stupefied at VIP Club Volume in Shanzu before she swept his bank accounts clean.

    According to preliminary police findings, the man and his supposed new lover turned robber, left the club at around 4am when the lady only identified as Wambui, whispered to the man that it was about time.

    Hand to hand, they staggered out of the club and hailed a cab that dropped them at Seville apartments, where the man had reserved a suite.

    According to the victim, they took a shower before they went back to the room where he took a glass of juice that knocked him out a few minutes later.

    He passed out until yesterday afternoon, when the apartment’s steward knocked on his door.

    He discovered that his mobile phones, laptop, ATM cards and other valuables missing.

    The matter is being investigated by detectives attached to the Bamburi Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) although no arrest has been made so far.

  • Koffi Olomide To Spend 18 Months In Jail

    Koffi Olomide To Spend 18 Months In Jail

    Congolese musician Koffi Olomide is about to serve 18 months in jail after a court in France convicted him of holding his female dancers against their will. Koffi was being charged with performing sexual assault on the same dancers but has been cleared of those charges.

    The sexual assaults had allegedly been perpetuated between 2002 and 2006 in Paris. The dancers aleged that he had assaulted them in his villa in Asnières, a town in the Paris region, in his car and sometimes in recording studios. The rape cases were overturned due to “changing and sometimes contradictory” evidence from his accusers. However the court found his actions saw the women “deprived of all liberties and constantly watched” by two of his accomplices who shut them in a room with the blinds drawn.

    In addition to the 18 mjonth sentence, Koffi has been ordered to pay a fine of 10,000-32,000 euros (KSH 1,273,311 – KSH 4,074,595) to each dancer.

    Koffi Olomide had earlier on been slated to perform in Kenya this past weekend but the concert was cancelled. Seemingly due to the court case he was facing.

  • Hollywood Star Alec Baldwin Shoots Dead Videographer During Filming Of New Movie

    Hollywood Star Alec Baldwin Shoots Dead Videographer During Filming Of New Movie

    (AP) — Authorities are investigating after confirming that a prop firearm discharged by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie, killed the cinematographer and wounded the director.

    Santa Fe County Sheriff’s officials said Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer on the movie “Rust,” and director Joel Souza were shot Thursday on the rustic film set in the desert on the southern outskirts of Santa Fe.

    Hutchins, 42, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel, the sheriff’s department said.

    Souza, 48, was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he is undergoing treatment for his injuries.

    Production was halted on the film.

    The cinematographer Halyna Hutchins who lost her life.

    A spokesperson for Baldwin said there was an accident on the set involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks, though a charge without a metal projectile is unlikely to kill at a moderate distance.

    The Santa Fe New Mexican reported the 63-year-old Baldwin was seen Thursday outside the sheriff’s office in tears, but attempts to get comment from him were unsuccessful.

    The International Cinematographers Guild confirmed that the woman fatally shot was Hutchins, a cinematographer.

    “The details are unclear at this moment, but we are working to learn more, and we support a full investigation into this tragic event,” guild president John Lindley and executive director Rebecca Rhine said in a statement.

    Alec Baldwin fired a prop firearm while filming the movie “Rust” in New Mexico, killing a crew member and injuring the film’s director, the authorities said.

    Hutchins, a 2015 graduate of the American Film Institute, worked as director of photography on the 2020 action film “Archenemy,” starring Joe Manganiello. She was named a “rising star” by American Cinematographer in 2019.

    “I’m so sad about losing Halyna. And so infuriated that this could happen on a set,” said “Archenemy” director Adam Egypt Mortimer on Twitter. “She was a brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film.”

    Film colleague Manganiello called her “an incredible talent” and “a great person” on his Instagram account. He said he was lucky to have worked with Hutchins.

    Baldwin teamed up as a producer previously with Souza on the 2019 film, “Crown Vic,” which starred Thomas Jane as a veteran Los Angeles police officer on a manhunt for two violent bank robbers. His first credited film, 2010’s “Hanna’s Gold,” was a treasure hunt adventure featuring Luke Perry.

    Deputies responded about 2 p.m. to the movie set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch after 911 calls described a person being shot on set, sheriff’s spokesman Juan Rios said. The ranch has been used in dozens of films, including the recent Tom Hanks Western “News of the World.”

    Rios said detectives were investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged.

    “This investigation remains open and active,” Rios said in a statement. “No charges have been filed in regard to this incident. Witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives.”

    Producer Alec Baldwin fired the prop gun on the movie set of the Western “Rust” that killed photography chief and injured director.

    Filming for “Rust” was set to continue into early November, according to a news release from the New Mexico Film Office.

    The movie is about a 13-year-old boy who is left to fend for himself and his younger brother following the death of their parents in 1880s’ Kansas, according to the Internet Movie Database website. The teen goes on the run with his long-estranged grandfather (played by Baldwin) after the boy is sentenced to hang for the accidental killing of a local rancher.

    In 1993, Brandon Lee, 28, son of the late martial-arts star Bruce Lee, died after being hit by a .44-caliber slug while filming a death scene for the movie “The Crow.″ The gun was supposed to have fired a blank, but an autopsy turned up a bullet lodged near his spine.

    A Twitter account run by Lee’s sister Shannon said: “Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on ‘Rust.’ No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period.”

    In 1984, actor Jon-Erik Hexum died after shooting himself in the head with a prop gun blank while pretending to play Russian roulette with a .44 Magnum on the set of the television series ″Cover Up.″

  • Kanye West filed court documents to legally change his name to Ye

    Kanye West filed court documents to legally change his name to Ye

    Kanye West filed court documents Tuesday to legally change his name.

    The Los Angeles Superior Court filing says the 44-year-old wants to get rid of his full name — Kanye Omari West — in favour of just his longtime two-letter nickname, Ye, with no middle name or last name.

    The documents, dated Aug. 11 but not sent into the court system until Tuesday, cite “personal reasons” for the change. An email seeking comment from the attorney who filed the documents was not immediately returned.

    A judge must approve of the change before it becomes official.

    West, who has called himself Ye on his social media pages for years, tweeted that he wanted the change in 2018.

    The moniker was also the title of his 2018 album. He has said in interviews that, along with being a shortening of his first name he likes, that it’s a word used throughout the Bible.

    West is in the middle of a divorce with Kim Kardashian West, who did not ask that her last name be changed back to just Kardashian when she filed to split from him in February. The couple’s four children also have his last name.

    He has been holding a series of stadium listening parties for his forthcoming 10th studio album “Donda,” which is scheduled to be released before the end of August.

  • KAMP, PRISK, MCSK Deregistered by Kenya Copyright Board over low royalty payouts

    KAMP, PRISK, MCSK Deregistered by Kenya Copyright Board over low royalty payouts

    The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) has now announced a decision to deregister the three Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) namely Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP), Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) and the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK).

    The board, in a statement to newsrooms on Tuesday, said the decision was arrived at following failure by the CMOs to meet conditions set out in their provisional licenses in April this year and that were valid until May 30.

    The conditions included: Holding an Annual General Meeting; allocating 70% of revenue for royalty payment; engaging with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) with a view to reaching a payment plan on tax arrears.

    Others were; demonstrating evidence of marketing and promotion of the use of ICT collection system; uploading of repertoire to the system under KECOBO supervision; as well as implementing the CMO policy in total.

    “By the time the Board was issuing these conditions, it noted that several conditions for the 2020 license period had not been achieved. The Board set the conditions on the understanding that rights holders would be relying on the royalties collected by CMOs during the pandemic period,” said KECOBO Executive Director Edward Sigei.

    “The decision to deregister the CMOs follows show cause letters issued to the CMOs for non-compliance to the licensing conditions specifically breach of administrative cost limit and diversion of royalties into an undeclared account whose operations are not monitored by KECOBO. Several submissions were also received from rightsholder organisation in response to a public notice placed by KECOBO both in print and various social media platforms.”

    The board also claimed that the three CMOs, at the end of July 2021, collected Ksh.114 million in royalties but only distributed 35.9% (Ksh.41 million) instead of the agreed 70% (Ksh.79 million).

    “From reports of distribution from two entities received so far, PRISK allocated a further Kshs. 4 million while KAMP made an allocation of Kshs. 1.2 million from their allocation of Kshs.10 million and Kshs. 8 million respectively to cater for administrative costs,” read the statement.

    The board said it, hence, decided to deregister the CMOs based on these reasons and having been dissatisfied with with their explanation in response to show cause letters.

    KECOBO further suspended collection of royalties for three months during which period it hopes to reform the CMO legal structure to prevent any future misuse of funds.

    “The main issues flagged by the Board of Directors include the opening of a different account other than the KPM account authorised by KECOBO, having spent more than 65 percent of the finances on administration cost contrary to directives and not undertaking their role of engaging the public and raising awareness about the KPM system,” noted KECOBO Board Chair Mutuma Mathiu.

    “The collection of royalties by these organisations, therefore, stands suspended until further notice,” stated KECOBO Executive Director Edward Sigei.

  • Rihanna’s a Billionaire and World’s Richest Female Musician, Forbes Says

    Rihanna’s a Billionaire and World’s Richest Female Musician, Forbes Says

    Pop star Rihanna’s net worth is estimated at $1.7 billion, making her the richest woman musician in the world, but her music is not the primary source of her wealth, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

    The Barbados-born singer, whose birth name is Robyn Fenty, derives an estimated $1.4 billion of her fortune from her 50% stake in the Fenty Beauty cosmetics line, Forbes reported.

    The rest of Rihanna’s wealth comes from her share of the Savage x Fenty lingerie company and her income as a singer and actress, the magazine said.

    Rihanna’s beauty company, of which LVMH owns the other half, is known for its broad range of 50 skin tones, including dark shades for women of color, which were rare when it launched in 2017. This made it a leader in inclusivity in the industry.

    The singer of “Umbrella” and “Love the Way You Lie” ranks second behind Oprah as the richest female entertainer, Forbes said.

  • Likoni’s Bidi Badu Club Battles Dirty Dealings Claims

    Likoni’s Bidi Badu Club Battles Dirty Dealings Claims

    The proprietors of Bidi Badu, an entertainment joint in Likoni’s Shelly Beach, have refuted claims that they are hiding behind the establishment to do dirty business including drugs, child pornography and prostitution.

    Hashim Omar, the owner, says there is a smear campaign against his establishment by business rivals because his concept has attracted locals and business rivals are unhappy.

    He has invited authorities to do a thorough investigation into his establishment and unearth the truth.

    “For the last two weeks, there are people who have been sponsoring propaganda against us through social media. We have nothing to hide. Our business is clean,” said Omar.

    Bid Badu Bar and Restaurant has been at the centre of political rivalry in Likoni, with Bofu MCA Hemed Salama at loggerheads with the establishment’s management over their close ties with the area MP Mishi Mboko.

    Business partner Stephen Mure, said they are not allied to any political faction. “We are not involved in politics in any way. The only thing that has happened is we have worked with the area MP because she is the current MP and we have to work with her for the benefit of Likoni residents,” said Mure.

    Mure said the idea behind Bidi Badu is to revive Shell Beach, once the main attraction site in the South Coast, but which has since been abandoned since investors took off after the 1997 Kaya Bombo clashes in Mombasa’s Likoni and the concept has been gaining momentum through local and the international tourists who have been frequenting their beach eatery joint to sample the local food cuisines.

    “This beach was once the best at the Coast and investors were flocking here. After the Kaya Bombo clashes, all left and Shelly Beach is a shell of itself,” he noted.

    On May 17, MCA Salama led over 200 locals in protesting against the restaurant saying it operates beyond curfew hours and plays loud music, disturbing the neighbourhood.

    A month ago, Likoni deputy police boss Jecktone Opengo said the restaurant was ordered closed by the sub-county security and intelligence committee.

    This was ostensibly a result of protests from locals against the restaurant.

    “The sub-county security and intelligence committee took the bold move to close the restaurant following complaints that were raised. We have given the owners two days to vacate the premises failure to which necessary action will be taken,” he said.

    The over 200 protestors, led by Bofu MCA Hemed Salama, his Shika Adabu counterpart Mwalimu Hamadi and former Likoni MCA Omar Ochieng converged at Mshale grounds at around 10 am on Monday, May 17, demanding that the local security officials explain why the club was still operating despite the order.

    When the businessman Hashim Bidibadu arrived with his troops in a tinted private car, they matched to where the local politicians were addressing the protestors and started hurling insults. Bidibadu had an altercation with Salama before his Shika Adabu counterpart Hamadi and a group of youth intervened.

    Salama had said the business was operating past curfew hours and playing loud music thus, disturbing the locals.

    The residents led by Salama had wanted the local authorities to close down Bidi Badu bar and restaurant for condoning same-gender sex as well as attracting young girls into prostitution.

    According to Salama, the investor is taking advantage of the community’s poverty levels in the area luring them into commercial sex activities.

    He said Bidi Badu bar and restaurant once operated at two different points in Ukunda area within Kwale county but it was shut over the same allegations.

    “Our children have become sex workers while our boys turned to gays following the activities in these surroundings,” said Mr. Salama.

    “There are also dirty games going on inside this club which are against our Islam culture and we will not allow that to continue. The business had been shut down after our cries but it is still operating. We are aware of the influential politician who is protecting them for his benefit,’’ Salama said, adding that they no issues with other clubs operating in the area.

    BidiBadu proprietor had previously been evicted in Diani because of how he ran his business.

  • Diamond Platnumz Calls Forbes List Stupid For Putting His Net Worth At Sh500M

    Diamond Platnumz Calls Forbes List Stupid For Putting His Net Worth At Sh500M

    One week after Forbes magazine released a list of Africa’s richest musicians’ list, Bongo Flava star Diamond Platnumz has dropped an advice to the American magazine.

    Reacting to the ranking which put him at number 20 worth some $5 million dollars, Diamond wrote saying the magazine should next time do their homework before putting him on such lists.

    On a day he made his deal Mzikii official, the singer who sounded very annoyed with Forbes wrote on his instagram page, ‘ FORBES: next time Google me to know I am really worth of before putting me on your Stupid Richest African Musicians list!!!!!’

    The list came as a surprise to many of Diamond’s millions of followers on social media especially given his recent fortunes both musically and commercially across the African continent and beyond.

    Five years ago, CNN valued Diamond at $5 million.

    In November 2019, CNN again named Diamond Platnumz among Top 10 biggest music stars in Africa making him the only artiste from East Africa to feature in the lsit leaving behind some of what other sections then considered as household names.

    Those who made it in the list included Nigeria’s Burna Boy Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid.

  • Rapper DMX Known For Gruff Delivery , Dead At 50

    Rapper DMX Known For Gruff Delivery , Dead At 50

    NEW YORK (AP) — DMX, the raspy-voiced hip-hop artist who produced the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)” and who rapped with a trademark delivery that was often paired with growls, barks and “What!” as an ad-lib, has died, according to a statement from his family. He was 50.

    The Grammy-nominated performer died after suffering “catastrophic cardiac arrest,” according to the hospital in White Plains, New York, where he died. He was rushed therefrom his home April 2.

    A statement from relatives said he died “with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days.”

    The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, had struggled with drug addiction since his teenage years. His lawyer, Murray Richman, had earlier said he could not confirm reports that DMX overdosed.

    DMX made a splash in rap music in 1998 with his first studio album, “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot,” which debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The multiplatinum-selling album was anchored by several hits including “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” “Get At Me Dog,” “Stop Being Greedy” and “How It’s Goin’ Down.”

    DMX followed up with four straight chart-topping albums including “… And Then There Was X,” “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood,” “The Great Depression” and “Grand Champ.” He released seven albums, earned three Grammy nominations and was named favorite rap/hip-hop artist at the 2000 American Music Awards.

    DMX arrived on the rap scene around the same time as Jay-Z, Ja Rule and others who dominated the charts and emerged as platinum-selling acts. They were all part of rap crews, too: DMX fronted the Ruff Ryders collective, which helped launch the careers of Grammy winners Eve and Swizz Beatz, and relaunch The Lox, formerly signed to Bad Boy Records. Ruff Ryders had success on the charts and on radio with its “Ryde or Die” compilation albums.

    Along with his musical career, DMX paved his way as an actor. He starred in the 1998 film “Belly” and appeared in 2000′s “Romeo Must Die” with Jet Li and Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for “Come Back in One Piece” on the film’s soundtrack.

    The rapper would later open Aaliyah’s tribute music video, “Miss You,” alongside her other friends and collaborators, including Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim and Queen Latifah, after Aaliyah’s 2001 death in a plane crash at age 22.

    The rapper also starred in 2001′s “Exit Wounds” with Steven Seagal and 2003′s “Cradle 2 the Grave” with Li.

    But while DMX made his mark as one of hip-hop’s most recognizable names for his rap artistry and as an actor, the rapper was personally stifled by his legal battles — he was repeatedly arrested and jailed within a decade — and drug addiction. His addiction first took hold at age 14 when smoked a marijuana cigarette that was laced with cocaine.

    DMX pleaded guilty in 2004 after he posed as an undercover federal agent a nd crashed his SUV through a security gate at New York’s Kennedy Airport. He was arrested in 2008 on drug and animal cruelty charges following an overnight raid on his house in Phoenix. He tried to barricade himself in his bedroom but emerged when a SWAT team entered his home.

    In 2010, he was sentenced to a year in prison for violating terms of his probation. After he was admitted to rehab numerous times over the next year, he said he had finally beat his drug addiction.

    First responders helped bring DMX back to life after he was found in a hotel parking lot in New York in 2016. The rapper said he suffered from asthma.

    A couple years later, DMX was sentenced to a year in prison for tax fraud. Prosecutors said he concocted a multiyear scheme to hide millions of dollars in income from the IRS and get around nearly $2 million in tax liabilities.

    After his release, DMX planned a 32-date tour to mark the 20th anniversary of “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.” But the rapper canceled a series of shows to check himself into a rehab facility in 2019. In an Instagram post, his team said he apologized for the canceled shows and thanked his fans for the continued support.

    Besides his legal troubles, DMX took the initiative to help the less fortunate. He gave a group of Philadelphia men advice during a surprise appearance at a homeless support group meeting in 2017, and helped a Maine family with its back-to-school purchases a couple years later.

    Last year, DMX faced off against Snoop Doggin a Verzuz battle, which drew more than 500,000 viewers.

    He is survived by his 15 children and mother.

  • Ruto Say He Misses Window Shopping With His Wife

    Ruto Say He Misses Window Shopping With His Wife

    Deputy President William Ruto has revealed some of the things he misses most but he cannot do now in his capacity.

    According to the second in command, what he misses most is window shopping for new things in the streets, something he used to enjoy during his days as an ordinary citizen.

    “What I miss most is going for window shopping and spotting something new, but because of my position it is beyond me,” Ruto said during an interview with Jalang’o TV.

    To make matters worse, DP Ruto says that he cannot go shopping with his wife, Rachel, because of his deputy president position.

    During the interview, the former Eldoret North MP revealed his favourite delicacy- roasted maize. He says that roasted maize and meat help him stay energetic in his daily political life.

    “Roasted maize is the best for me, perfect delicacy for me,” Ruto enthused.

    Solomon Mkubwa is DP Ruto’s best artiste. The gospel singer’s “Mungu Mwenye Nguvu” is Ruto’s favourite hit.

    Ruto urged Kenyans to believe in themselves while going about with their hustles.

    “Have belief in your hustle and make this great nation of Kenya a better one,” Ruto said.

    He said that he will be attending national soccer team, Harambee Stars, match against African giants- Egypt in Thursday’s AFCON qualifier. The game will be played at the Kasarani Stadium.

    Fans will not be allowed to attend the game with the Ministry of Sports issuing a statement barring fans from attending the fixture, as a measure of curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.