NextGen: DJ feMo Is Putting Africa's Alternative Sounds on the Map
DIASPORA—Over the course of July we'll be publishing short profiles, essays and interviews on the theme of "Afrofutures." Together these stories will be a deep dive into the way African and diaspora thinkers, technologists and artists view a future for Africans in the world and outside of it.
Take a look at our introduction to Afrofuturism here.
Throughout this month, we'll also highlight and celebrate young, leading talents who already put into practice what a future with black people look like through their work in our daily profile series, 'NextGen.'
In our 15th edition, meet British-Nigerian DJ, producer and radio presenter, DJ FeMo.
Oluwafemi Gbadamosi, known as DJ feMo, is a British-Nigerian DJ, producer and radio presenter currently based in London.
Femo’s mixes and songs are a medley of global sounds that are intended to put the alternative sounds and styles of Africa in conversation with the rest of the world. Her show, So Rad, on London’s youth-led Reprezent Radio is on air every other Thursday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and is a platform to showcase Nigeria’s entrepreneurial and creative youth culture. Through her show she tell unique stories and brings more awareness to alternative and rising African artists.
When asked about what Afrofuturism means to her she says, “Afrofuturism, to me, is a movement that champions Pan-Africanism in Africa and the rest of the international black diaspora. It is a constant learning process that helps us to grasp the history of Africans around the world and what shapes the present conditions of black people internationally. This understanding further helps us to configure the idea of what we want our future as a community to entail."
She continues:
"It is important that black people begin to take control of the narrative on Africa in educational institutions as well as in the media because as human beings we attach our self-worth to what we know about ourselves. Due to our failure to cherish and pass on information about history within black communities, there is a sincere lack of pride about our heritage plaguing most black youths today. Afrofuturism allows us to be multifaceted and knowledgeable assets to our community through our different skill sets and characteristics."
feMo hopes to continue to spread positive messages with her show and brand Something Radical.
"Personally, I’d like to bring to the forefront information about alternative music, culture and lifestyles within Nigeria in the past, present and future," she adds. "Something Radical intends to broaden the perspective of Africa in Western media and represents actual Africans, not someone’s idea of what Africa is supposed to be.”