Acts performing at Fuse Fest
We've been lucky enough to get a truly awesome line-up for the night. Internationally renowned comedians and musicians, each of them outstanding in their arena of performance. Read on for further details.
Mecca 2 Medina - Hip Hop Artists
Mecca2Medina have been in existence for eleven years. The group was formed by Rakin Fetuga, later joined by Ismael Yasin, and the music they create is conscious Hip Hop. Their aim is to bring back Hip hop to the days of crews like PE and X-Clan when hip hop aimed to educate, entertain and enlighten the listener.
M2M have completed two hip hop albums and two mini albums. These were:- Mecca Experience, Revolutionary Rap, Truthseekers and Seeing Through the Smoke. Mecca2medina have recently been on a tour in Nigeria, Holland and Sudan which was organised by the British Council. The main aim of the tour was to present a British form of Islam, showing that Muslims are living, working and involved in the arts in the UK. They are currently touring the UK with the Spittin' Light, Healing The Hood tour.
Mecca 2 Medina on MySpace
Jeff Mirza - Comedian
In his own words:
"I gave up my steady job as a Civil and Structural Engineer, before switching to become a stand-up. I was a finalist in the BBC Open Mic Award at the Edinburgh festival.
After having played the circuit in London and the big clubs such as Jongleurs & The Comedy Store. I am now developing a TV Sitcom and writing new material for this years World Wide tour.
I won this years prestigious EMMA award for Comedy which was held at London's Dorchester Hotel where the chief guest was Sir Richard Attenbourgh. The other nominees were Richard Blackwood, Felix Dexter and Gina Yashere. See me on the big screen or DVD in the movies: "Bend it like Beckham" and "It was an Accident" and also "Tomb Raider"."
Jeff's website
Prince Abdi - Comedian
Prince Abdi is the only Somali comic working in the UK.
He is a relative newcomer who has the material and confidence of that of a full time comic.
He has a lovely style in his delivery – pacy, upbeat and infectious – that makes the audience warm to him. Set pieces such as his Bollywood and Nollywood reconstruction capitalise on that energy well.
(Taken from Comedy CV)
Prince Abdi on MySpace
Poetic Pilgrimage - Hip Hop Artists & Spoken Word Poets
Poetic Pilgrimage are Muneera Rashida and Sukina Abdul Noor. They are an exciting up-and-coming female Hip Hop and Spoken Word duo set to take the world by storm with their fresh sound, intelligent lyrics and courageous characters. They are a rare act, being one of the few Muslim female outfits around and are unafraid to express themselves through the art of rhyme, covering personal, socio-political, uplifting and insightful themes.
Muneera and Sukina were both born in Bristol to Jamaican parents, and have been performing together as Poetic Pilgrimage for 6 years. The early part of their career saw them as favorites on the London poetry circuit where they performed alongside some of the biggest names often to standing ovations and they have become forerunners in the UK Muslim Hip Hop scene, strving succesfully to bridge the gap between their community and the wider Hip Hop and music scene. This was encapusulated when they were the support act for Talib Kweli earlier this year in Oslo, Norway.
Their intention is to make progressive Hip Hop music that fuses their African and Caribbean roots, the musical and spirtual traditions of their faith with their musical tastes such as World Music, Jazz, Afrobeat, Soul and beyond, providing a refreshing backdrop to their simple message of peace,unity and freedom.
The Future: Poetic Pilgrimage are striving for a future where they are able to spead their music to anyone with and open mind and an open heart. They hope to travel to various countries particularly Europe and Africa where the true spirit of Hip Hop still exists, where they can collaborate and work with artists of the same genre but they also hope to fuse Hip Hop with more traditional sounds from countries such as Senegal, Mali and Morrocco. Poetic Pilgrimage have now begun working with a highly talented band so watch this space for the evolution of their sound. In addition Poetic Pilgrimage are workshop facilitators and highly value the ability to teach Poetry and Hip Hop to a younger generation who can use their own words to change their realities
Poetic Pilgrimage on MySpace
Mohammed Yahya - Hip Hop Artist & Spoken Word Poet
Mohammed Yahya is a Mozambican born Rapper who was forced to leave his country during civil war. Having moved to Portugal, the young Mohammed yahya began to show an interest in music, partly due to his father’s influence as a singer. Being surrounded by poverty, Mohammed yahya used music and poetry to channel his thoughts, energy and emotion in a positive manner.
Early influences were from African music such as Kizomba, Funana and Marabenta. Later, having moved to London, Mohammed yahya become involved in various Hip Hop groups such as M.U.M.M.Y.A’S and Geneva Konvention. After Geneva Konvention spilt Mohammed yahya and Iron braydz formed Blind Alphabetz, to focus their musical attention on. The conscious and politically charged duo has been likened to Public Enemy among others and supported acts such as: Guru, Dead Prez and Saigon. In late 2007 Mohammed Yahya released his first album “Luvolution” alongside Iron Braydz, featuring some of the most respected artists in UK, and U.S.
In early 2008 Blind Alphabetz spilt up and Mohammed yahya decided to pursue his solo career as well as involve himself in artistic activism. He is one of the founders of Rebel Muzik Arts foundation, who put out a compilation cd in 2004, and a monthly Hip Hop, spoken word poetry night in London. Mohammed Yahya is highly involved in interfaith work and alongside Daniel Silverstein started the 1st ever Muslim/Jewish Hip Hop collective in U.K. He is also the president of Speech for Peace, an organisation that aims to create a positive movement that will inspire all communities to work together towards constructive engagement between one another exemplifying understanding and compassion in the work for social justice and human dignity beyond the barriers of religion, ethnicity and nationality.
Mohammed Yahya has received a great deal of publicity due to his positive artistic activism and has been featured in BBC, Channel 5 news, Islam Channel, Peace TV, Channel U just to name a few TV stations as well as respected publications such as : New Nation newspaper, Hip Hop Connection, Platform Magazine, Emel. His music has been played across the world and he has been invited to perform in England, Scotland, Morocco, Mozambique, Norway and Sweden. Mohammed Yahya impressively delivers soulful street poetry with hair raising honesty in both Portuguese and English allowing him to reach a wide audience across the world.
Mohammed Yahya on MySpace
Lemoy the Siamese Empress
Lemoy the Siamese Empress born in London Westminister. Her ancestry roots derive from North Africa.
She has been writing Hiphop lyrics since the tender age of 12.
Lemoy attended Anna Scher Drama School for a number of years and has always from an early
age had a keen interest in both acting, rapping and entertainment in general. She made home made
movies, documentaries and adverts from an early age. However, She does also, have a passion for law,
especially criminal law and human rights , and has studied Law in university and even pursued it
as a career to a certain extent.
Her name derived from the fact that people have always compared her to a Siamese Cat and cat like
features, and having 'the same bone structure as a Siamese cat' and have always addressed her as
the Little Princess or the Siamese Empress. Hence her music name.
Lemoy has always had a love of Hiphop and a love of words and poetry. Her father is a poet and has
written and published seven poetry books in French and Arabic. She believes rapping is in her genes as
she has taken this love of words, poetry and raps as a gift like her father has. 'He writes poetry and
publishes them in books and I write poetry and rap them over tracks'.
Lemoy incorporates French and Arabic in her rhymes and raps about almost anything, mainly to do
with life, herself, her views and opinions.
Lemoy, admires many artists but looks up to only 2 role models, namely that being her mother and
her mothers mother, who are 'both strong independent women who are powerful in both handling
business affairs and personal matters'.
Lemoy on MySpace
