The Podcast

Things Covered

1) Some of the work that Derrick is doing in Accra

2) How did Soulfege get started?

3) Information about the evolution of the Soulfege band

4) Talks about their new album coming out July 15th 2008: Take Back the Mic

5) How the music industry has reacted to Soulfege in the age of gangsta rap?

6) Where you can get their new record?

7) How can you support Soulfege
Discussion about the famous Obama video

9) Why does Derrick Ashong support Barrack Obama?

10) Words of advice for someone who is about to immigrate to the States

Websites mentioned

1) www.facebook.com/soulfege

2) Pick up their record at the Itunes store: http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/

3) The Obama video:

The Interview

Things Covered

1) Brief snapshot of the earlier years in Derrick Ashong’s life

2) The relationship between Africans and African Americans

3) Derrick’s relationship with African Americans and Caucasians in his final years of high school.

4) How Derrick ended up in Harvard

5) Derrick’s experience as a major in African American studies

6) Most important insight that Derrick learned about Africans and African Americans after years of study

7) How did he end up becoming a professional public speaker

Who does he speak to as a professional speaker? What does he speak about?

9) What intrinsic values does Africa have?

10) Great take on the tribal disparities in Africa

11) Why don’t more African youth participate in the development of Africa and its diaspora in a meaningful way?

12) Are we African immigrants doing enough?

Important Websites

1) Soulfege website: www.soulfege.com

2) Soulfege Facebook page: www.facebook.com/soulfege

3) Derrick Ashong’s famous Obama video:

When I wrote about Coach Carol’s book, one of the things that came up was the fact that there aren’t that many people for the African boy-child to look up to and the general lack of support that African boys have from their peers.

Anyway I was browsing around the blogosphere, and while I was checking out Africabeat, I found this Youtube video where this young African man was asked to justify why he supports Obama. I must say, I have been absolutely blown away!

This brother actually made American politics make sense.He actually made me start believing that American politicians can exist for anything other than corporate or self-interest.

Most of all, he moved me. So check him out and let me know what you think and what you know of him.

The fourth video is by Kirk Nugent. Over the course of this blog, I will post up that video A LOT. I don’t think “Pursue your passion” will ever go stale. Do you?