The piano king dropped a 27 track album and the streets are loving each track album and are deciding on their favourite track from the album.Kabza De Small has finally dropped his much-anticipated album, I am the king of amapiano: Sweet & Dust, and the streets are going crazy.Kabza has been trending the whole morning on Twitter with his fans and music lovers showing love for Piano king.Whilst most are loving the album, critics will always have something to say, with some saying complaining that all the songs sound the same.

For the first time in its 46-year history, the National Arts Festival is being held virtually.

The online celebration of the arts got underway on Friday, June 26 and aside from a few technical glitches, the festival remained steady in showcasing everything set out for the day.

The live event was suspended when Covid-19 shuttered theatres, cultural spaces and festivals globally. Rather than cancelling the event, the organisation decided to take the experience online for eleven days.

The festival will continue until Sunday, July 5, 2020 and includes art, music, theatre works, dance, talks and comedy and much more. This year’s festival is a richly diverse collection of works that totals more than 270 hours of viewing online.

There will also be a vibrant Fringe visual art element to the Virtual National Arts Festival where artists are invited to exhibit their work.

National Arts Festival Fringe manager, Zikhona Monaheng said: “We have facilitated this space for artists to showcase their work and also for buyers to be able to connect directly with artists and potentially even commission works.

This is a great opportunity for artists who may not ordinarily be able to attend the Festival to exhibit through this virtual channel,” said Monaheng.

One of the major partners who have come onboard this year is ViacomCBS Networks Africa channel brand BET Africa.

Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager of ViacomCBS Networks Africa said: “The Virtual National Arts Festival opening is a momentous opportunity for Arts and Culture in South Africa and for the continent.

ViacomCBS Networks together with BET Africa is excited to bring audiences extensive and inspiring content that will be showcased.

We are thrilled to support the Virtual National Arts Festival alongside great partners like the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and Standard Bank. Together we look forward to elevate local African creativity and talent to the world”.

How it works

The Festival occurs entirely on National Arts Festival. The event consists of a daily programme, with new shows added every day, a vFringe for artists to stage their works and sell individual tickets, the vFringe Galleries; a collection of online art for audiences to browse and the Virtual Green where hundreds of crafters and traders were showcasing and selling their wares. Both the Standard Bank Jazz Festival and the Creativate Digital Art Festival were threaded into the Daily Programme.

Visitors can choose from a Full VNAF Pass which includes the daily programme for the full eleven days (including the Standard Bank Jazz Festival), a daily pass – for which audiences can stream works falling on that specific day on demand – and a Jazz Pass for those who were focused on the jazz alone. Audiences can also buy single tickets for single shows.

The vFringe is not included in any of the passes, as this is where audiences are able to support artists directly by purchasing tickets for their individual shows.

As the coronavirus has had such a heavy toll on the arts, the National Arts Festival waived the registration fees for artists to participate in the Fringe this year and 90% of the ticket takings will go directly to them.

All tickets and passes bought will be valid until July 16, 2020.

Audiences can play their purchased shows on any device with internet access.

There are also a number of free events and workshops to explore at the Festival this year. Although they are free, audiences must book for these events in advance.

Details on how to buy passes and tickets for the Virtual National Arts Festival can be found on the Festival’s website

The National Arts Festival is currently taking place virtually for the first time since its inception in 1973.

This historical moment kicked off on Thursday, June 25, as revellers are enjoying the festivities from the comfort of their homes.

The online celebration of the arts got underway on Friday, June 26, and aside from a few technical glitches, the festival remained steady in showcasing everything set out for the day.

Taking place this Friday is The Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival, that has taken place in Makhanda for the past 28 years.

Students get to interact with the performing jazz musicians, who hold workshops and discussions with attendees. This year, the SBNYJF students have access to the online Jazz Festival, and they also have opportunities to meet the musicians online for discussions.

The Q&A session is a free webinar scheduled with Spha Mdlalose Sisonke Xonti as Sakhile Sima moderators.

Also taking place this evening is a special performance by Sakhile Simani (trumpet), Bokani Dyer (piano), Nhlanhla Radebe (bass), Tumi Mogorosi (drums), who pay homage to their roots while propelling the jazz art form.

The 2020 National Arts Festival Featured Artist is indigenous musician, Madosini Latozi Mpahleni, also known as Madosini. A series of 11 episodes (one released each day of NAF) features Madosini performing in varied settings – from grand stages to intimate rooms, solo and in conversation with other musicians.

The first episode is available this Friday.
Another show to look forward to is The Solo Ball with Tandile Mbatsha. His work is currently pushes gender boundaries.

The phrase “Intyantyambo Iyaphuma Engxondorheni” can be translated to describe a metaphor for a flower blooming on infertile land that is the mantra he holds as a method of perceiving the questions, how are LGBTQI+ people emerging from the margins and rules of society? How do queer people conceive joy in a society plagued with hate crimes? How do young LGBTQI+ bodies self-actualise?

Mbatsha has two offerings on the National Arts Festival, the pre-recorded work features five young people who use monologue and movement to address these enquiries.

The show takes place at 8pm.

Taking place on Saturday, June 27, is The Very Big Comedy Show featuring six of South African’s finest and funniest comedians. Hosted by Rob van Vuuren, Lindy Johnson, Alan Committie, Kagiso Lediga, Robby Collins and Tumi Morake share stories of their worst gigs ever.

A recording of the live event will be available from 27 June.

Access all Content on the NAF & Jazz programme from the premiere date until Thursday, July 16. Daily passes are R80.00.

Society has created a notion that men don’t cry and whether that is true or not (it’s not), one thing is for sure, testing for Covid-19 will make anyone cry, even men.

As the world continues to adjust to what is now the “new normal” of living within a global pandemic, testing for Covid-19 has become a usual activity for many, especially essential workers.

And although many people have spoken about how uncomfortable the test is, media personality Andile Ncube shared his experience on Instagram by posting a video of himself getting tested.

Andile recorded his interaction with the medical practitioner, who tested him while he was seated in his car.

He was tested by collecting the sample through his nostrils, which, as many could see, is uncomfortable and even painful for many people.

“That is horrible,” was all he could say after the test was done.

He also revealed that there had been some “involuntary tearing” during the test but that he was brave.

“You freaked me out, bra. Now I don’t wanna go,” actress Gabisile Tshabalala said in the comments section, after watching the test being taken.

Another Instagram user said: “Yoh! I’m so afraid of this test. It looks soooo damn uncomfortable”.

While another said: “I’m sorry but I don’t think I would do this. He literally pushed it all the way inside your nostrils … and that stick was hella long. It looks v

Jada Pinkett Smith wants to “amplify” Breonna Taylor’s life and joined a rally at Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort on Thursday to demand justice for her.

The “Magic Mike XXL” star was joined by her son Jaden and daughter Willow at the rally at Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort on Thursday to demand justice for Breonna, who was shot dead while sleeping in her apartment in March, with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker claiming three Louisville cops had walked in with a no-knock search warrant, making him assume they were intruders and gunfire breaking out, with over 20 shots fired, including eight at his sleeping partner.Speaking at the rally, Jada said: “One thing I want you to know i] that it does not go unseen that the revolution stands on your shoulders.

I want you know that we want to say thank you, because it is you standing out here that’s gonna keep shining a light on Breonna’s name.

And, what we need is justice for our sister Breonna and that’s why we are here today. And that’s why my family is here today. From one family to another – to Tamika [Palmer, Breonna’s mother], we wanted to come here, show her love and amplify your voice and amplify the life of your daughter.”

Common also spoke at the rally, and he urged for justice for Breonna.

He wrote on Instagram alongside a video of the speech: “Justice For Breonna Taylor Rally … We flew out to #Kentucky earlier today to demand justice for Breonna Taylor at a special rally that was organized by @UntilFreedom and Breonna’s Family.

“It has now been more than THREE months since she was murdered by police in her own home and still no justice. We must continue to speak out and speak up. For the rally, I wrote a poem dedicated to Breonna and Black Women everywhere. We Love you Breonna. (sic)”