Africa Archives - Rolling Out

Multiplatinum and award-winning singer and producer Akon once said he took a self-imposed moratorium from the music industry in a magnanimous gesture to let others shine. While maybe partially true, many fans will now believe the prolific hitmaker went on hiatus from creating hits so that he can create a vision for a real-life magical…

Akon continues to catch backlash following his controversial views on slavery. The 47-year-old music artist, who’s originally from Senegal, shared his thoughts on slavery during a recent interview with VLAD TV. Akon compared the impact of slavery on Senegalese and Black Americans. “In Senegal, we’ve kind of overcome the thought of slavery, we don’t even…

In his latest video, Jidenna shares the power of Africa on the song, “Black Magic Hour.”

Beyoncé’s Black Is King proved to be a powerful project that empowered Black people around the world and displayed the beauty of Africa and its people. However, some have lashed out at Beyoncé after someone on Twitter suggested that she should be known as “Mama Africa.” Can we normalizing calling Beyonce "Mama Africa" #BlackIsKing pic.twitter.com/vKlFKxAtRg…

Facebook has announced plans for a major investment in internet connectivity in Africa. The American social media giant has revealed it is investing in data centers, submarine cables and Wi-Fi infrastructure, and that the continent’s economy will ultimately grow by almost $60 billion by 2024. The investment means that more people in sub-Saharan Africa will…

Some are skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine trials that have begun in Africa. On June 24, 2020, the first COVID-19 vaccine trials began in South Africa. The vaccine was created at the University of Oxford in Britain, according to The Associated Press. In South Africa, more than 118,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, and…

A ban on the sale of cigarettes in South Africa since the country’s COVID-19-induced lockdown began in March has cost the economy millions of rands daily in the form of tax revenue lost to illicit sales of smokes, a variety of industry officials say. This comes after the South African government had banned the sale…

After COVID-19 became a global pandemic, Black people in China began facing racism by government officials and citizens of the country. Blacks were evicted from homes and businesses while experiencing other forms of discrimination. Police reportedly ordered bars and restaurants not to serve clients who appear to be of African origin. Local officials also have…

Blacks who have faced racial profiling in China will soon get help leaving the country. Bobi Wine, a Ugandan politician and musician, teamed up with Neil Nelson of Atlanta Black Star to help those in need, according to a joint press release by Wine and Nelson. The two are working together to airlift those who…

Although the global pandemic reportedly started in Wuhan, China, Africans, and Blacks from other countries are being targeted in China. Officials in Africa have confronted the Chinese government for the ongoing racial mistreatment that Blacks are facing in the country as the pandemic spreads, according to Associated Press. Blacks have been evicted from homes and…

Two French doctors are facing a backlash after suggesting that a vaccine for the coronavirus should be tested on poor Africans. During an interview with on LCI, Dr. Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin Hospital in Paris, responded to a question about coronavirus vaccine testing ideas. “Shouldn’t we be doing this study in…

John Boyega has teamed up with a streaming giant to develop non-English language films centered on West and East Africa. The Star Wars actor’s UpperRoom Productions will collaborate with Netflix to “develop film projects based on stories, cast, characters, crew, literary properties, mythology, screenplays and/or other elements in or around African countries.” David Kosse, vice…

Anyone can create global impact, just ask native Detroit millennial Ellyce Ferguson. She built a school in Kenya, Africa. Ferguson’s desire to start a school in Africa arose from a travel abroad program at her HBCU’s alma mater, Howard University. The program was designed to take hundreds of students to the motherland to help them…

Colorism continues to be a global issue that impacts Black people in America and abroad. In the new documentary Skin, actress and producer Beverly Naya and director Daniel Etim, explore how skin bleaching has become an epidemic in Africa. Naya recently shared her thoughts on the project, which can be viewed on Amazon Prime, and its…

Torrance T. Stephens is an infectious disease scientist by training who is now running for mayor in Palmetto, Georgia. The Memphis native is a graduate of Morehouse College, where he studied psychology, biology and chemistry. Stephens received a master’s degree in educational psychology and measurement from Atlanta University and a Ph.D. in counseling from Clark…

Beyoncé gave fans an inside look at the making of her The Lion King: The Gift album with a TV special. The 38-year-old superstar — who voiced Nala in this year’s The Lion King remake —released the LP inspired by the Disney movie, which features collaborations with the likes of husband Jay-Z, their 7-year-old daughter…

Ethiopia has broken the world record for planting the most trees in a 12-hour span according to CNN. The Ethiopian people took on the tree planting challenge as a part of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s “Green Legacy” reforestation campaign. #GreenLegacy is a vision for the next generation. It is creating a blueprint for them…

By Elisabeth Omilami If I could talk to Ms. Kellyanne Conway, who is asking us the question “what is our ethnicity” so we would know where to “go back” to, I would say, “Sweetheart, I don’t know what my true ethnicity is because my specific ethnicity was disrupted by racists over and over again. I…

Beyoncé loyalists and fans of The Lion King alike are sprinting to YouTube to watch her newly released music video for “Spirit,” the original song the superstar wrote for the movie soundtrack. The video debuted Tuesday evening, July 16, 2019, on the ABC/Disney special The Lion King: Can You Feel the Love Tonight, hosted by Robin Roberts.…

A couple in Texas will only serve seven years in prison after forcing a child into slavery. The abuse began in 2000 when the unidentified 5-year-old girl arrived in America from West Africa, according to Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The child’s father arranged for her to leave the small village in Guinea with the hopes of…