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Guest Blog: FlashBack – When Big Brother Africa 1 Housemates Visited Ghana

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L-R... Bruna, Sammi & Cherise in Accra (May, 2004)
L-R... Bruna, Sammi & Cherise in Accra (May, 2004)

Today, 7th September, marks exactly 20 years the grand finale of the first edition of Big Brother Africa was held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The show, which began on May 25 in 2003 and lasted for 106 days, was produced by Endemol for Electronic Media Network, also known as “Em-Net” (stylised as “M-Net”).

Big Brother Africa 1 (BBA1) was the first in the world to have housemates of different nationality from one continent, viz. Cherise (Zambia), Mwisho (Tanzania), Tapuwa (Zimbabwe), Warona (Botswana), Gaetano (Uganda) and Stefan (Namibia).

The rest were Bayo (Nigeria), Abby (South Africa), Sammi (Ghana), Alex (Kenya), Zein (Malawi) and Bruna (Angola).

Broadcast 24 hours a day on M-Net’s defunct channel 37 on DStv – Africa’s premier satellite TV provider, the show brought a mix of voyeurism and entertainment which captivated the show’s diverse audiences – an estimated 32 million TV viewers across Africa.

The house saw betrayals, trust, intelligence, intrigue, love, emotional attachment and detachment at their peaks. The good and bad habits exhibited by the housemates during their sojourn in the house provided useful lessons to the viewers.

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The BBA1 was a novelty to scads of people on the African continent at the time, especially the “shower hour” where some of the housemates were seen on live TV bathing completely naked (exclusively shown via the live feed on DStv).

These live TV nude images offended a section of the public in some African countries who deemed it as an affront to “public decency” and also described it as the “vilest spectacle” ever on television in Africa.

In Zambia, for instances, a petition was started to get the show off Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) TV – the state broadcaster which was airing the daily highlights of the show.

Sam Nujoma, the then President of Namibia, also tried to stop the state-owned Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) TV from airing it but to no avail. Some folks were of the view that the President’s “dislike” for the show may have been born out of the fact that the Namibian housemate, Stefan was not a “black” Namibian and so he should not have been Namibia’s representative in the pan-African contest (there are “white citizens” in Namibia, just like in South Africa and Zimbabwe).

The “immoral show”, as BBA1 was referred to by some religious groups, also came under sharp criticism in Malawi and was subsequently banned by the Malawian Parliament through a parliamentary vote. Two weeks later, a high court in Malawi overturned it, arguing that the Parliament acted out of its jurisdiction. For this reason, the highlight broadcast of BBA1 was immediately restored on TV Malawi, much to the delight of the show’s ardent viewers in Malawi.

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Carl Fischer (aka “Mr. Big Brother”), the white South African who imported the Big Brother franchise to Africa from the Netherlands – where the TV format was created, was famously quoted as saying, “If (the show) didn’t generate any controversy, the project would be a failure.”

The maiden edition of Big Brother Africa went down in the annals of television history in Africa as the highest-rated TV show. Due to its success, BBA1 was later telecast in the USA on “Africa Channel” (which is distinct from the “Africa Channel” in the UK), making it the first non-American edition of Big Brother to be broadcast in America.

BBA1 Housemates in Ghana

Two months after the end of BBA1 in 2003, Metro TV (then owned by Talal Fatal), in collaboration with No.1 Records, organised a trip for some of the housemates to Ghana dubbed “November to Remember”.

During their short stay in the country, the 5 housemates featured in music videos to Tala Fatal’s Eboni Band music project.

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BBA1 winner, Cherise appeared in “We Are the Children” with the Tema SOS children. Bayo and Mwisho were in “Money Can’t Buy Love” – sung by Knii Lante. Kwesi Pee’s “Odo Fakye Me” starred Abby and Gaetano.

The same visuals for “Odo Fakye Me” were rehashed for the music video of the song’s English version, “Forgive and Forget” vocally performed by 2 Face Idibia from Nigeria. The original “Forgive and Forget” was composed and sung by Talal Fatal himself.

Apart from all these, a music extravaganza was organised to honour the visiting former BBA1 housemates at the Accra International Conference Centre, with performances from seasoned comedian/satirist KSM; magician Christopher Voncujovi; and Ghanaian music acts like Batman (Samini), Kwesi Pee, et al.

The housemates were also involved in a string of activities put together by Talal Fatal and his team from Metro TV and No.1 Records, with supports from Boomerang Night, Joy Soap, Novotel Hotel (now Accra City Hotels), Joy FM, Vibe FM (which later became Live FM and now Original FM) and Atlantis Radio.

Angolan housemate Bruna, who couldn’t join her fellow BBA1 housemates for that memorable trip to Ghana in November 2003, might have heard about the warm reception her colleagues had gotten during their visit. And so when she (Bruna) decided to launch her self-titled music album “BRUNA” (her second album) in West Africa in May 2004, she chose no other nation but Ghana for that cause.

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Accompanied by Cherise, who was on her second visit to Ghana, Bruna and her team had two days of exhilarating nights in Accra, with Ghanaian BBA1 housemate Sammi B acting as a host and ‘tour guide’. Bruna’s visit to Ghana culminated in a big party at the Boomerang Nightclub in Accra.

Life Just After BBA1

Whereas housemates like Zein Dudha (Malawi), Alex Holi (Kenya), Bayo Okoh (Nigeria) and Mwisho Mwampamba (Tanzania) gradually faded into oblivion after the show, the other housemates leveraged on the Big Brother brand to launch new careers, especially in showbiz.

Immediately after BBA1, Cherise Makubale aka “Tumba” (the winner from Zambia) travelled extensively across Africa as a Goodwill Ambassador and engaged in numerous charity works. She also got the chance to meet Nelson Mandela and some other dignitaries in the various countries that she visited on the continent.

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Her foundation, “Cherise Makubale Foundation” (CMF), a non-profit organisation, supports orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia. Currently, the Zambian philanthropist is resident in the UK with her British husband and Zambian mother.

Ghana’s Samuel Kwame Bampoe aka Sammi B was already a popular broadcaster at Joy FM/Adom FM (and a budding musician) before travelling to South Africa to take part in the continental reality show. However, the Ghanaian housemate became a household name in Ghana and across the continent afterwards. On his return, Sammi got ‘juicy’ offers to work with radio stations in Kenya and elsewhere.

He also hosted “233 For Ghana” which aired on DStv’s Channel O for a couple of months in 2004. The TV show, produced by Abraham Ohene-Djan and his OM Studios team, placed a huge spotlight on Ghana’s music/entertainment sector at the time. For once, the rest of Africa got to see what our compatriots were doing here in Ghana on the showbiz scene. According to a source at MultiChoice, Channel O agreed to broadcast this half-hour Ghanaian TV show solely because of Sammi – the show’s presenter.

Despite the fact that he didn’t win, Gaetano Kagwa was accorded a “national hero” status in Uganda. His name was bandied around the entire country to the extent that it reportedly triggered the president, Yoweri Museveni (who is still the president and has been ruling the nation since 1986) to ask one of his aides, “Aaaaaaaahhhh… Who is this “Geee-Ta-No”? Is it a name of a new political party?? Or a rebel leader in the making???

The Ugandan president was then told that Gaetano was the Ugandan representative in the BBA1 show, an explanation which ‘allayed’ his fears. Gaetano was later invited by the president for a tête-à-tête, helicopter ride and presidential dinner.

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When M-Net (the organisers of Big Brother Africa) were scouting for a new host for “Studio 53” magazine TV show in 2005, following the exit of the show’s inaugural presenter – the late Alyce Chavunduka (a renowned Zimbabwean media practitioner), Uganda’s Gaetano was one of the folks brought in to steer the affairs of the show. The suave Ugandan gentleman subsequently rose to become a formidable and famous media personality in the East Africa sub-region, presenting shows on the radio and TV.

Gaetano wasn’t the only former BBA1 housemate employed by M-Net after the reality show. Tapuwa Mhere from Zimbabwe was equally given the chance to be a part of the “Magic Family” (M-Net – “Where Magic Lives”). She worked in the television production department of the South African pay-TV network.

“Tap”, as she’s dearly called, was part of the M-Net team that handled the first ever “Big Brother Nigeria” (BBN), which was held in Lagos from March 5 to June 6 in 2006. BBN was rebooted and rebranded in 2017 as “Big Brother Naija”, after an 11-year hiatus.

South African housemate, Abby Platjees followed her Big Brother Africa “sweetheart” Gaetano to Uganda after the show and fell in love with East Africa. She would later make Tanzania her new home, establishing herself as an entrepreneur and media personality in the East African state. 

For the obvious reasons, Bruna Tatiana Estevão, whom many BBA1 viewers had acclaimed as the “most beautiful” female housemate in the house, was a cynosure of all eyes in Angola where men hovered around her like stubborn flies.

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The Angolan musician/model set the ‘unpopular’ record of being the first ever housemate to be evicted from the Big Brother Africa house, an incident which stemmed from the fact that most voters in Angola (a lusophone/Portuguese-speaking country) and some other part of Africa had misconstrued the voting system.

From the show’s commencement in 2003, till its 4th season (Big Brother Africa 4: The Revolution) in 2009, the public voted for the housemates they wanted to “evict” and not to “keep” in the house. Unfortunately, a section of the voting public misunderstood it, and as a result of this, the people of Angola, likewise other ‘ignoramuses’ in other part of Africa, voted massively for Bruna, thinking they were rather keeping her in the house.

Gaetano’s trip to the Big Brother UK house was the “prize” for the best cocktail contest which Bruna had won. But because of her eviction, which happened just some few days to the UK trip, it was passed on to Gaetano who had placed second in the cocktail contest.

The Big Brother housemate swap was a “twist” designed to liven up the season 4 of the UK version, which was also being screened at the same time as the African version in 2003. The UK’s housemate, Cameron Stout (the eventual winner of that season of Big Brother UK) also got the chance to spend some days in the BBA1 house in South Africa.

Just like Bruna, Stefan Ludik returned to Namibia as a “celebrity”. To date, the “white” Namibian is one of the country’s most celebrated musicians and actors. He’s appeared in a series of Afrikaans-language TV shows produced in Namibia and Mzansi (South Africa).

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Botswana’s Warona Setshwaelo, who was one of the last housemates to be evicted from the house, also became a celeb in her natal country and continued with her acting/video editing career. She currently resides in Montreal, Canada where she still plies her trade as an actress/video editor.

By Eugene Selorm Owusu

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Season Two of The HBO Original Drama Series HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Debuts June 17th on M-Net and Showmax Express from the US

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House of the Dragon S2 Social KV

The eight-episode second season of HBO Original drama series House of the Dragon debuts in the US on Sunday 16 June – and will be available on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) Express from the US at 1am on Monday 17 June and make its prime-time premiere at 7pm on the same day. The series will also be available on Showmax.

 

Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. As each side believes theirs to be the rightful seat on the Iron Throne, the Green and Black trailers reflect those two perspectives in separate yet complementary halves of the same story. For global audiences, “All Must Choose” their side of House Targaryen as the realm fractures in season two.
Logline: Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the series, set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” tells the story of House Targaryen.
Season two returning cast: Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Additional returning cast includes Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham.
Season two new cast: Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne.
Season two credits: Co-Creator/Executive Producer, George R.R. Martin; Co-Creator/Showrunner/Executive Producer, Ryan Condal; Executive Producers Sara Hess, Alan Taylor, Melissa Bernstein, Kevin de la Noy, Loni Peristere, Vince Gerardis. Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood.”

 

Pick your side of House Targaryen on your DStv or stream it on Showmax, each week from Monday, 17 June 2024. 

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AMVCA: Tune In for a Night of Elegance and Achievement this Saturday on Africa Magic

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Call to watch Main Event 2

The anticipation is palpable as the 10th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, scheduled for 11 May 2024, in Lagos approaches. Viewers are invited to witness the splendour of this prestigious event, broadcasting live on Africa Magic from 3pm on DStv and GOtv.

Reflecting the rich diversity and innovation of African cinema and television, this year’s awards promise some thrilling adjustments with the introduction of exciting new categories such as Best Actor and Best Actress in leading or supporting roles. With a total of 27 categories, including 16 non-voting and 9 audience voting categories, along with two esteemed recognition awards the Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer Awards – there’s ample opportunity to honour exceptional African talent.

Kicking off the festivities with a prime view of the red carpet hosted by celebrity personalities Toke Makinwa and Uti Nwachukwu viewers can watch the continent’s biggest stars strut their stuff in dazzling creations from some of Africa’s most talented fashion designers from 3pm before settling into the prestigious awards at 6pm.

The main award will be hosted by renowned television host and current host of Nigerian Idols IK Osakioduwa and will feature musical performances from Nigeria’s popular performers Seyi Sodimu, Shaffy Bello, Adekunle Gold, KCee, Chike and Congolese soukous singer Awilo Logomba throughout the awards ceremony.

Save the date for this Saturday, 11 May, and tune in for the live broadcast across all Africa Magic Channels on DStv and GOtv. Don’t miss this remarkable celebration of African creativity and achievement!

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Keep your DStv subscription activated to ensure you don’t miss the star-studded event! To upgrade, reconnect or manage your subscription download the MyDStv app on your mobile app store or visit www.dstv.com to join in on the excitement and manage your account. You can also catch all the action while on the move. Stream all content on the DStv Stream app by downloading it from the app store. 

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Radio & TV

The Queens of Durban are not Holding Back!

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Real Housewives Of Durban The S4 2024

The Real Housewives of Durban reunion will air on Showmax in two parts on 15 and 22 May 2024, following a dramatic Season 4 finale. It saw the ladies separated into two groups and tea spilt from all directions, with accusations of witchcraft, infidelity, control and alcoholism. 

We chatted with all the ladies to get a sense of how they are feeling about the reunion, which will be hosted by MaBlerh, and facing up to everything that’s happened this season.  Newcomers Ameigh Thompson, Angel Ndlela and Zama Ngcobo are all feeling nervous about their first reunion but that won’t stop them from showing up.

Zama, who has been involved in some of the biggest feuds in the season, says she won’t run away from anything that happened. “I am not a coward,” she says. “What I said on the show is how I feel. People think I won’t show up to the reunion because I am scared. I am not. I am going to go in there and speak my mind. I will not be intimidated by anyone.”

Angel says she’s looking forward to the reunion. “I am glad that I will have the chance to tell my side of the story, while providing clarity where need be,” she says. “Watching the show, I learned a lot of things about myself. It was an amazing experience.” 

Ameigh feels like the show has made her stronger and more resolute in her decisions. “Watching myself has been very interesting,” she says. “The journey has made me realise that I am the person I have always known I am. I have been through a lot as a person and a mom, and I hope that my story has helped other women who are in similar situations. There is a light at the end of every tunnel.”

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For the OG’s who have done this from the beginning, they understand better than anyone that reunions are a game-changer. Nonku Williams is very clear on what needs to be said and done. “I have been doing this for so long,” she says. “The reason why I am still here is because I understand the assignment. Some people come here, and they want to be what they are not and that is why it does not land. I will always be me and that is my superpower.”

Sorisha Naidoo is done trying to make peace where there is none. “I know what my boundaries are, especially when it comes to friendships,” she says. “I know who my friends are and I know the people who I want to move forward with. And that takes the load off me because I don’t have to please everyone.”

JoJo Robinson, who joined the show in Season 2, says this season has been her calmest yet. “Season 4 has been very relaxed for me,” she says. “I had a very intense Season 3 but just like that, things changed. I’m glad I came back.” Maria Valaskatzis and Slee Ndlovu, who both joined the show in Season 3, have been at the centre of some of the biggest conflicts this season. 

“My game plan for this reunion is just to speak the truth,” says Maria. “I am not going to tiptoe around anything and anyone.” Slee feels like she wants to get to the bottom of things that were said about her. “My biggest thing for this reunion is the witchcraft accusations,” she says. “I need the people who accused me of that to tell me what they mean by that, because I am confused and offended.”

Re-watch S4 ahead of the reunion: 

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https://www.showmax.com/za/stream/shows/the-real-housewives-of-durban/4ef50893-f8ed-3698-9cb5-683c8c06ae15

The second season of The Real Housewives of Nairobi premieres on Showmax on 10 May 2024, with new episodes every Friday. The Real Housewives of Nairobi follows the lives of the most stylish, opulent and hardworking women in Kenya as they navigate their relationships and careers. Season 2 features returning cast members Dr Catherine Masitsa, Minne Kariuki and Vera Sidika, who will be joined by newcomers Farah Esmail, Reja Keji Ladu and Zena Nyambu.

Enhance your streaming entertainment experience by adding Showmax to your DStv subscription at a discounted rate. Download the MyDStv App or visit the DStv website to sign up.

Join the conversation: 

#RHODurban

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2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) to air LIVE on DStv

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2024 MTV VMAs Logo

MTV has announced the 2024 “VMAs” will make its return to New York on Tuesday, September 10th at the UBS Arena. Airing LIVE on MTV, DStv Channel 130 on Wednesday, 11 September at 1:00am WAT and 2:00am CAT around the world in more than 150 countries. This year’s global fan-filled phenomenon will celebrate the best music videos of the past year with supersized performances, epic tributes, and unforgettable appearances from the world’s biggest celebrities.

“We’re excited to bring this year’s VMAs to UBS Arena, one of the country’s newest and most cutting edge venues,” said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events, Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music, Paramount+. “Celebrating one of music’s biggest nights with the incredible, robust New York area fans is something we’ve been looking forward to since the moment last year’s show ended.”

“It’s an honor to host MTV and the VMAs at UBS Arena,” said Mark Shulman, Senior Vice President of Programming, UBS Arena. “This is the culmination of bringing a world class event to a venue that offers state of the art capabilities and the best in fan amenities. We look forward to welcoming this year’s top artists, fans, and viewers worldwide to experience our arena and campus at Belmont Park.”

“We are excited to welcome back the MTV Video Music Awards to New York State,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “From its origins at Radio City Music Hall in 1984 to this September’s event at the UBS Arena, the VMAs continue to captivate millions, showcasing the very best in music video artistry. As we prepare to host this 40th anniversary event, let’s embrace the spirit of creativity and innovation that defines our state’s cultural landscape.”

The “VMAs” will air across MTV’s global footprint of linear and digital platforms in more than 150 countries and territories, reaching over 319 million households.

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Additional details will be announced closer to the show. Follow @MTV and @VMAs on social to keep up with all-things #VMAs.

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Who is the Real “Kitchen Mama”??? Bolanle Omotayo of Schneider Electric and Yemisi Obe of Grandios Pap Compete in a fierce Pasta Battle on Episode 3 of Cooking With GameChangers

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CWG Ep 3

It’s a battle for the best on the new episode of Cooking With Game Changers!

On this episode, Bolanle Omotayo, Marketing & Communications Manager at Schneider Electric, Anglophone West Africa, and Yemisi Obe, Founder of Grandios Pap, slug it out for the Ultimate GameChanger title by preparing their unique versions of pasta.

A day in the life of these GameChangers is explored after which they battle in the kitchen for the title of “Ultimate GameChanger” even as our Judges M.I Abaga, Kaffy and Captain Toba determine who wears the crown. Daniel Etim-Effiong, the show host, makes their time on Cooking with GameChangers extremely delightful.

Who will win this episode? Watch now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ1HXGwBXNw

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Watch a day in the life of Bolanle Omotayo of Schneider Electrics- https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=icbYqpz2i4Q&t=0s

Watch a day in the life of Yemisi Obe of Grandios Pap – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVgAYza1JIg&t=0s

You can watch previous episodes of Cooking with GameChangers here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH_-OcY4pX3GoR_WSsKTwzbP7WRcHJc_O&si=FsK-NiFhrfzSZiXY

Cooking with GameChangers follows a-day–in-the-life of a top corporate executive and entrepreneur who ends up in the Cooking with GameChangers kitchen for a cook-off supervised/judged by celebrity host, Daniel Etim-Effiong and judges M.I Abaga, Kaffy, and Captain Toba.

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Cooking with GameChangers is a spinoff of Nigeria’s most syndicated talk show, “Binging With GameChangers” which garners over 60 million monthly viewers and airs on TV stations nationwide.

Watch the latest episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ1HXGwBXNw

Subscribe to YouTube Channel: @B2GNetwork

Watch the show every weekend on TV stations nationwide:

SATURDAYS:
NTA Network: Saturdays at 10.30 AM
Silverbird: Saturdays at 1.30 PM
Views Channel: Saturday 6:30 PM; Repeat: Mondays at 9:30 PM; Wednesdays at 9 PM

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SUNDAYS:
Africa Magic Family: Sundays at 3.30 PM: Repeat: Wednesdays at 1.30 PM
TVC: Sundays at 5.30 PM
NTA2: Sundays at 5.30 PM
Wazobia Max: Sundays at 5.30 PM; Repeat Mondays at 7 PM
Wazobia TV: Sundays at 5.30 PM; Repeat: Mondays at 7 PM

Follow the show across social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookingwithgamechangers/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/cookingwithgame
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@cookingwithgamechangers
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cookingwithga...
LinkedIn: @CookingwithGameChangers

Cooking with GameChangers is proudly supported by Power Oil, 2Sure and Aquafina.

Media Partners: BellaNaija, Pulse.ng and Ameyaw Debrah.

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Radio & TV

Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio this Friday with Ruger & BNXN

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unnamed 5

This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Ruger and Bnxn, the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week, Africa Rising and Nandi Madida’s Favourite Track of the Week!

Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida this Friday, April 19th 9a Lagos/London / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

Cover Star Interview
Nigerian Afropop artists Ruger and Bnxn join Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about their latest single, “Ilashe.” They also discuss their first collaborative album, ‘RnB,’ what inspired them to work together, and how they use their lyrics to unpack deep topics.

The Big 5
Nandi Madida shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Joeboy feat. Qing Madi, ODUMODUBLVCK & Blaqbonez feat. Lekaa Beats, Ricky Tyler, Filah Lah Lah, and CKay feat. Olamide.

Africa Rising
South African amapiano duo Shakes & Les are the latest artist featured from Apple Music’s Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features their singles, the Leemckrazy collab “Funk 99” and the DBN Gogo & Zee Nxumalo collab “Funk 55 (feat. Ceeka RSA & Chley).”  Listen HERE.

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Nandi’s Song of the Week
Each week, Nandi Madida chooses her favourite track from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week she spotlights South African amapiano DJ and producer KMAT and her track, “MKK (feat. CowBoii, diygubzin.live & Ranger),” from Apple Music’s Amapiano Lifestyle playlist. Listen HERE.

Tune in and listen to the full episode this Friday, April 19th at 9a Lagos/London / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

***
Ruger and Bnxn tell Apple Music about their Joint Album, ‘RnB’

Bnxn: This project shows synergy at its finest.
Ruger: 100.
Bnxn: It shows quality, it shows the real essence of collaboration – how to bounce off each other, how to learn from each other, how to pick this and flow off what this person [did]. It’s like a relay race—
Ruger: 100!
Bnxn: —but we’re only coming first, you feel me. You gotta understand from the beginning to the end of every record, it’s a crazy collaborative process, from the artists to the producers, so I am beyond proud of this project. It’s why the last song we said “Not Done,” because hopefully…
Ruger: Hopefully we’re not done!

Ruger tells Apple Music why He and Bnxn Work Well Together

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You know most Afrobeats artists, they’re always about gyration, enjoyment – let’s make songs people will party to, let’s talk about enjoyment and money and that. We’re talking about everything! Go back to our projects, we talk about everything, we talk about relationships. Most artists in Naija don’t talk about relationships like that, they talk about ‘your body’s banging, you’re fine, you’re this’ but we’re saying the deeper things. As much as the whole world is appreciating that part, I think Nigerians have to actually appreciate that about us, because when we go outside the country that’s what they love about us. “That guy is speaking to me!”

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