Hosted by Opposed Reign, SV’s is a triweekly DJ occasion connecting Adelaide’s get together set and inventive group to the up to date music and tradition of Africa.
It was a fortuitous assembly of minds when Jefferson Ofesi walked onto the roving set of Magajie Samoura’s music video, deep within the pandemic instances of 2020.
Magajie, a neighborhood rapper, was taking pictures the video for ‘Actual Ones’ when a buddy of Jefferson’s noticed the movie crew.
“He was like, ‘Yo, I simply noticed a complete lot of Africans they usually’re taking pictures a video’. I used to be like, ‘Oh, cool’,” Jefferson remembers.
Jefferson, who’s a photographer and designer, moved to Adelaide in February 2020 and was nonetheless constructing a community in his new metropolis. A casually easy-going presence, he wandered over to the shoot along with his buddy and launched himself.
“Abruptly there’s these two guys who pulled up out of nowhere, and I’m like, ‘What’s occurring?’” Magajie laughs.
“He pulled up and he beginning serving to out, out of nowhere, you realize? That was the very first thing. I used to be like, ‘He’s cool’, as a result of most of my homies have been there not even doing something, you realize?
“He was taking behind-the-scene pictures, and after the video simply despatched me a few pictures on Instagram, after which ever since then it’s simply been cool, and we began working collectively.”
Magajie runs file label Opposed Reign, by way of which he releases his music and brings collectively a variety of creatives to supply movie clips and dwell occasions.
He’s placed on reveals like Phrase on the Avenue, a hip-hop showcase pageant that has run two editions, and this yr he, Jefferson and Issami Siraji collaborated on a collection of Sunday events referred to as SV’s (aka Sundae Vibez).
Issami Siraji, Magajie Samoura and Jefferson Ofesi
Hosted at The Caribbean Bar on Financial institution Avenue, SV’s is an intimately sized gathering, occurring each three weeks, which has persistently attracted a sell-out crowd.
Each Jefferson and Magajie toyed with the concept of a laid-back DJ-led get together independently earlier than realising they’d an identical concept of what Adelaide was lacking.
Firstly, one thing Sunday-appropriate.
“The factor about SVs is it’s all about intimate, unique sort of interactions,” Magajie says.
“You may’t get that on a Saturday. The group is a bit too rowdy. Sunday is for working-class individuals who possibly have work on Monday however [are] truly not mad on the concept of going out on a Sunday, simply having a relaxed time.”
Secondly, one thing centred on the pursuits of Adelaide’s African diaspora.
“I’m very into merging cultures,” Jefferson says.
“I would like folks to study. I really like music. I take heed to all the pieces. I take heed to rock, metallic – a contact of all the pieces.
“So I’m like, ‘I do know Afrobeats, it’s going mainstream’, and [Magajie] was like, ‘Oh, I’ve had the concept for, like, ever, however I’ve by no means accomplished something’. I used to be like, ‘Do you suppose we should always do it?’”
For the primary SV’s occasion, the group examined the waters with free entry, they usually have been shocked on the stage of enthusiasm they acquired, promoting out the 60-person capability in 24 hours. They launched a ticket worth for the occasions that adopted.
The subsequent SV’s occasion is occurring on Sunday, 8 Might, and can function DJs Soultea (Tumelo Nthupi), Yxng Dave (David Biar), LaMu (Elton Lamu) and Z-N0 (Jefferson, who made his Djing debut on the first SV’s get together).
Jefferson’s purpose with the music programming is to capitalise on the rising reputation of African genres like Afrobeats, dancehall and amapiano, and provide Adelaide audiences perception into artists from the continent.
“A lot of our lives as Africans, we spent our lives form of being influenced by Western tradition – Western music, hip hop, rap, R&B – however nonetheless, nobody is aware of us,” Jefferson says.
“However now, they’re attending to know us, so there’s no higher time than now for us to introduce folks to how we, as a folks, have enjoyable, what we like.”
Although SV’s is pitched at a common viewers, Jefferson, who’s Nigerian, and Magajie, who was born in Sierra Leone, hope the occasion will assist hold native Africans linked to their homeland – whether or not they’ve moved right here not too long ago or are a era or extra eliminated.
To Magajie, this function provides every SV’s occasion a particular, irreplicable feeling.
“As a result of we aren’t simply occasion promoters, we’re creatives – we’re attempting to do it for the tradition, you realize?” he says.
“The those who come to an occasion, these are younger, artistic folks which might be very energetic to really transfer the tradition, the leisure trade of Adelaide.
“It’s not nearly going out within the evening and dancing, it’s extra about making a artistic house the place folks can come out, have enjoyable, community with folks, and really have a extremely good time.”
“That is the opposite facet of Africa you in all probability didn’t know,” Jefferson provides.
“There’s a lot wonderful music, a lot wonderful expertise coming from there.
“We even have African children who grew up right here, so that they have actually no connections to residence. It’s like, we’re attempting to present them part of them that’s lacking: ‘Oh yeah, that is the tradition. That is the place it’s at proper now’.
“You may be right here proper now, however we’re maintaining you updated with all the pieces again residence, by way of artwork.”
Simply as necessary, although, is their purpose of pleasing each ticket-bearing punter.
“Our purpose isn’t solely for revenue. It’s to depart folks with that impression of you got here out, you had fun,” Jefferson says.
“And what actually made us comfortable was, after the final occasion, the following day, we have been getting messages: ‘Thanks a lot for this’.
“And this morning, I went for a drive with one in all my buddies, we went to Windy Level. We have been simply going to the lookout, and we bumped into some Africans there – I don’t know them. The woman seems to be at me and is like, ‘You’re the SV’s man… I used to be there on the final one. It was so good. I’m bringing all of [my friends]. We’ve already bought our tickets’. She’s like, ‘Thanks a lot for doing this’.
“That’s what we wish. It actually warms our coronary heart.”
Maintain updated with SV’s date bulletins by following the Instagram web page. Buy a ticket to this week’s occasion right here.
