DESCRIPTION:
The Shoko International Spoken Word & Hip Hop Festival is a celebration of poetry, hip hop and urban culture that strives for positive social change and democracy. Running in Harare, Zimbabwe, from the 21st - 24th September, the inaugural Shoko included live concerts, an artists' debate, an international poetry slam, film screenings, live recordings, live graffiti and a cultural activist conference. The festival succeeded to bring in acts from 8 different countries including headline acts such as Akala (UK),
Tumi & the Volume (SA), Hired Gun (USA) and Andreattah Chuma (Botswana).

1,200 people visited Shoko over its four day duration. Meanwhile there were over 50 performances and 15 workshops/seminars took place.

In the prevailing climate of fear in Zimbabwe the Shoko Festival proved to be unique in its use of urban culture for social change and democratization. Through the debates, workshops, conferences and concerts Shoko created a free space for open democratic debate while also encouraging a new generation of spoken word and hip hop artists.

EXEC. PRODUCER... Magamba Cultural Activist Network
PRODUCER... Nomadic Wax
FIELD PRODUCER... Lena Jackson
DIRECTOR... Lena Jackson & Magee McIlvaine
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY... Lena Jackson
2ND CAMERA... Simon De Swardt
WRITER/EDITOR... Magee McIlvaine
ART DIRECTOR... DJ Nio
MUSIC... DJ Plain View (*intro animation music)
FEATURING... Tumi & The Volume (South Africa)

WWW.MAGAMBANETWORK.COM
WWW.NOMADICWAX.COM