Apex Zero - 'Drummer Warrior Storyteller' LIVE at 'Legacy 101: Spirit of the Village' Festival 2022

On Oct 29th 2022, Apex Zero and his incredible team brought Drummer Warrior Storyteller to life at Rich Mix, as part of ‘Legacy 101: Spirit of the Village’ Festival 2022. In its most complete form yet, the living visual album was presented as an engaging, immersive installation exhibition and immersive live theatre show.
The exhibition was curated with artists Kyungmin Son (Research Table), Kyung Hwa Shon & Ekua McMorris. The exhibited work included two collaborative short films - Drummer Warrior Storyteller (Parts One & Two) - built around the album’s music, as well as photography by Ekua McMorris, expanded painting by Studio Godson and the film crew, live painting by Dora Lam, metalwork by Roxanne Simone (with thanks to Gregory & Tesseras Blacksmiths Ltd) and Lucie Gledhill, and outfits designed and made by Charlita Hall and Honey Malaolu. Each piece interprets the music and themes of the album or were created through the filming process. The films, the first of which recently won an Audience Award at the Short Focus Film Festival 2022, were shown on The Stage’s main screen, followed by panel talks with the artists and curators.
As well as those mentioned above, the exhibition features work made in collaboration with Steph Be, Theo 'Godson' Oloyade, Alethia Antonia, FUBUNATION, 3000CeanHill, Chiba Visuals, Alicia Warner, Informotion Worldwide, Village 101, GlobalFaction, Breakin' Convention, Slim Yearwood, Anna Beel, Akil Wilson, Yamella Drummers and Ukombozii Ancestral Drums.
Drummer Warrior Storyteller was then presented for the first time as an immersive live theatre production crafted with creative director and choreographer Muti ‘Mutivation’ Musafiri. Using live music, dance, spoken word, visual effects, projection and sound design, audiences were welcomed into the universe of the album and guided through its multidimensional story. The performance explores African Caribbean storytelling, Spirituality and political traditions. The cast and crew process and interpret their own and collective experiences of the infinite interwoven stories of home, diaspora, displacement, migration and more that are central to that which is labelled ‘Black Experiences’.
The immersive live theatre production is a collaboration between Apex Zero, Muti Musafiri, Daniel Oluwasayo Olabode, Kitmapper, Tilé Gichigi-Liperé, Poetikah, Guy Kelton Jones Sr., Moussa Dembele, Dembis Thioung, Ukombozii Ancestral Drums, Corrie Onyx David King, Grace Ogundipe Akinbode, Andre Bright, Charlita Hall, Honey Malaolu, Dennis Cooke and features music made by Micall Parknsun, Al Lawson, In:Theory, RU1 Fam, Isatta Sheriff, Logic, Renee Soul, Big Cakes, Jazz T, Crazy Haze, Mazzi & S.O.U.L. Purpose, Elia-Naa, Nilotika Cultural Ensemble.
The night ended with a beautiful afterparty, with DJ Chantz Dee spinning a wide range of local and global Black music and Mas Law holding down the mic. The dance cyphers were off the chain.
Event Link:
richmix.org.uk/events/apex-ze...
Drummer Warrior Storyteller is a living visual album striving to embody Nigerian author Chinua Achebe’s perception of storytelling; the Drummer calls the people, the Warrior fights the war, the Storyteller recounts the events, creating history, forming memory and giving meaning to the survival of those who endure. For more information, head to:
www.apexzero.co.uk/
Artistic Director: Apex Zero
Creative Director: Muti Musafiri
Curators: Kyungmin Son (Research Table), Kyung Hwa Shon, Ekua McMorris
Production Manager: Pembe Tokluhan
Visual artists: Roxanne Simone, Dora Lam, Akil Wilson
Visual Effects: Daniel Olabode
Animator: Joey Baker
Projection: KitMapper
Styling/Costume: Charlita Hall & Honey Malaolu
Costume Assistants: Ieshah Samuels & Anastasia Hall
Jewellery: Lucie Gledhill
Camera Operators: Jimmy Chiba & Theo Morris
Editors: Jimmy Chiba & Apex Zero
Cast:
Griots: Poetikah & Guy Kelton Jones Sr.
Dancers: Grace Ogundipe Akinbode, Andre Bright, Corrie Onyx David King
Actors: Itricia Xpressions, Ola Lekan & Asantewaa Nisbeth
Orisha Priestesses: Priestess Osunyemi & Ama Mo
Musicians:
Kora: Moussa Dembele
Drummers: Dembis Thioung, Yamella Drummers & Ukombozii Ancestral Drums
Hardware/Soundscape: Tilé Gichigi-Liperé
Production Team:
Savannah Japal
Aaliyah Glasgow
Ejiro Umude
Jacqueline 'Jackie' Owusu
Damien Shipley-Marshall
Shakira Wong
Maria Marilyn Joseph
Yuan Tao
Camille Meisner
Siying Cui
Janneth Catherine Amara
After Party:
DJ: Chantz-Dee
Emcee: Mas Law
Supported by:
Arts Council England
Partners:
Legacy 101: Spirit if the Village Festival 2022 (Village 101)
Rich Mix
Research Table
Petok Productions
Chiba Visuals
Unrefined I
For more information head to:
www.apexzero.co.uk/

[@iamhiphopmag]

WE NEED MORE OF THESE EVENTS! Beautiful...

[@apexzero]

Thanks family!

[@chinamanyard]

yes brother Apex, keep it up fam. Much love

[@apexzero]

Much love family 🙌🏾

[@cakerdonline]

The event was crazy. I was there, in awe and thoroughly enjoyed it all. Keep up the good work

[@apexzero]

Salute family. Appreciate you