US music legends rock Joburg’s all-day party
JOBURGERS got a burst of pre-festive season party vibes with the arrival of major US music stars this week.
Grammy winner Mary J Blige and US heart-throb Maxwell were headline acts at yesterday’s inaugural BET Experience at the Dome. They joined a range of local stars for a day of activity — comedy, music and even basketball.
Maxwell, real name Gerald Rivera, who arrived at the beginning of the week, shared details of his South African safari with fans.
“It’s so beautiful out here, I could live here forever,” he wrote on Instagram, where he also posted several pictures of his trip.
Singer/songwriter Raphael Saadiq, who arrived in the country on Thursday, almost immediately declared that he was in no rush to leave.
Saadiq, of the ’90s music group Tony! Toni! Toné!, said he would stay on for at least a week after the event.
His tour manager, Anthony Morgan, said the Dance Tonight singer “wants to experience South Africa and the people”.
Saadiq’s plan to visit Soweto was thwarted by traffic congestion, but when he gets to Cape Town the musician hopes to visit Robben Island and Table Mountain.
Saadiq has penned songs for artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Angie Stone and D’Angelo.
On Friday, he revealed that he was working “on a song for Mary J Blige”.
Also performing yesterday were comedians David Kau, Celeste Ntuli, Tats Nkonzo, Jason Goliath, Joey Rasdien, John Vlismas, Skhumba and, from Kenya, Daniel “Churchill” Ndambuki. A fashion show added a touch of glamour.
By the time the sun set, local music acts were warming up the crowd.