[Music Video + MP3] Ian Kamau – You, I (prod. by Jai Nitai Lotus)

New track by two of my favorite Canadian artists, Ian Kamau and song producer and video director, Jai Nitai Lotus. Here’s Kamau on the genesis of his relationship with Jai Nitai:

Jai Nitai and I have always had good conversations since we first met in his hometown of Montreal in 2012. In June 2014 I traveled to Montreal to attend a theatre festival, I was also looking for opportunities to record. After traveling throughout Africa the previous years my mind was on collaborations with artists from some of my favorite places; Montreal is a favorite of mine. Nitai and I organized a time, spent an evening at his home in NDG around the dinner table with his wife and daughter and by the end of the evening we had recorded a simple song. “You, I” is a song about the insecurity of modern relationships, a song about “ifs” and “maybes” produced by Jai Nitai (artist/producer from Montreal / @JaiNitaiLotus) and written and performed by myself (writer/artist/producer from Toronto/ @IanKamau).

Like Jai’s work on this track? Stay tuned this weekend for an advance preview of his track, “Pi (Brahma Built)” from his forthcoming Acknowledgement mixtape that will be exclusively premiered on the This One Goes To Eleven… album project celebrating The Kitchen‘s 11 year anniversary.

Previously on The Kitchen:

– Jai Nitai Lotus – Honest (Numbers on the Board) [Music Video + MP3]

[Music Video] Ian Kamau – Black Bodies (from the One Day Soon album)

It’s been one year since Ian Kamau‘s One Day Soon was released. His message, especially in this song, is still relevant though after the ‘Summer of the Gun II’ here in Toronto. Read about Kamau’s inspiration behind the song HERE.

Bonus: Download the One Day Soon FREE EP HERE [zshare link]

[via @IanKamau]

[Event] TONIGHT in Toronto: aFRaKaRen at Love Jones Sundays Hosted by Ian Kamau

LOVE JONES SUNDAYS… Where Poetry Meets Soul

Hosted by Ian Kamau

Featuring Spoken Word performances by:

Tommy Hagos, Elmnt, Ms. Faith, Najla Edwards, AfraKaren, & Shoolie

Musical performances by…
Mario “The Voyce” & Angelique

MUSIC by DJ Soul Child

At Cayo Coco
304 Richmond St West (across from the Scotiabank Theater)
7:00 pm -12:00 am
Cost: $10

This is the very close friend of a very close friend and her music/poetry is tremendous. If you’re in the T.Dot WuDot and are into things more on the black bohemian, spoken word, urban progressive side of things creatively, you might could wanna go check this out tonight.

See flyer and details above or CLICK HERE for more information on the Facebook page for the weekly Love Jones Sunday event series.

Connect with aFRaKaRen online: Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Need additional convincing? Check out Ren‘s (what we know AFRaKaRen by) music (the excellent 11:11 EP produced by very slept-on local producer, Gigz ‘The Unknown Producer’) below:

[Music Video] Ian Kamau – The Village

From the One Day Soon album. Shout to the home girls, Ren and Tuku who are featured along with young, master Harlow in the video.

MP3 stream (no download): OneDaySoon(Sampler) by Ian Kamau

[heads up: Anousheh via IanKamau.com]

Listen to Ian Kamau’s new One Day Soon album in FULL

First official album from the Toronto-based spoken word artist/MC/community activist, Ian Kamau. Think the melodic-yet-monotone lilt of Slick Rick mixed with the spoken word cadence of K-os and you’ll get some sense of what this kid sounds like if you’re not already familiar from when I posted about him on the old Kitchen. Or just hit play above….

Learn more about Kamau in my homegirl Anupa‘s feature interview with him from the Toronto Standard, “Ian Kamau is Saving Toronto and Your Soul—One Song at a Time.”

Follow Ian Kamau – facebook | twitter | website