DRUMMER WARRIOR STORYTELLR (PART ONE) -TRAILER

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Welcome to the private viewing page for Apex Zero's latest project ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’. We ask you to please respect the artists and the private nature of this page by not sharing, downloading or copying the url or any of its content and links without permission.


‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller' is a multi-layered visual album, aspiring to embody Nigerian author Chinua Achebe’s perception of storytelling; the Drummer calls the people, the Warrior fights the war, the Storyteller recounts the events, creating history, giving form to memory for those who survive. Centering African Caribbean perspectives, the album explores personal experiences of oppression and liberation of diasporic, migrant and marginalised people in London and beyond through music, film, dance, photography, painting, metalwork and performance, engaging audiences through multiple mediums in the form of an immersive installation exhibition.


Made in collaboration with Steph Be, Theo 'Godson' Oloyade, Alethia Antonia, FUBUNATION, 3000CeanHill, Chiba Visuals, Alicia Warner, Informotion Worldwide, Village 101, GlobalFaction, Breakin' Convention, Lita Styles, Ekua McMorris, Dora Lam, Anna Beel, Roxanne Simone, Lucie Gledhill, Kyung Hwa Shon, Akil Wilson, Ukombozii Ancestral Drums, Micall Parknsun, Al Lawson, In:Theory, RU1 Fam, Isatta Sheriff, Logic, Renee Soul, Big Cakes, Jazz T, Crazy Haze, Mazzi, Raquel, Nilotika Cultural Ensemble. Supported by Arts Council England.


The first part of the album's short film premiered at Breakin' Convention Festival at Sadler's Wells, London on July 3rd and 4th 2021.

DRUMMER WARRIOR STORYTELLR (PART ONE) - FULL FILM

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DRUMMER WARRIOR STORYTELLER PREMIERE INSTALLATION

THE HACKNEY SOCIAL - AUGUST 2021

(Alicia Warner)

The ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’ visual album is a cross-art collaboration built around 12 tracks. The project explores the violence, resistance to it and resultant trauma experienced during the fight for African Liberation whilst also focusing on the victories, joys, growth & creative potential of African people on the continent and in the diaspora. With the impact of 2020 and the events led by the Black Lives Matter movement resonating globally, it is essential for African Caribbean people to take ownership of our battles and the authorship of our stories. With his collaborators, Apex is interpreting his music into numerous iterations, all driven by personal experiences of Black and Brown people in London, roughly divided in two halves. The first part focuses on the frustration, anger, alienation and awareness caused by racism, it's embedded structures, police/state violence & denial of opportunity. The second half (currently in production) will break from the image of the ‘struggling’ Black figure, focusing on joy, love and aspirations to live and grow despite society’s obstacles.


The sold-out premiere installation of 'Drummer Warrior Storyteller' was held in East London venue The Hackney Social on August 22nd 2021, marking the 230th anniversary of the start of the Haitian Revolution. The event included a screening of the projects first short film, expanded painting created through the filming process, photography by Ekua McMorris, live painting by Dora Lam, a Q&A / discussion hosted by Victoria Nzeribe (Love of Culture) with Apex Zero, Steph Be, Ekua McMorris, Dora Lam, tyroneisaacstuart, Priestess Osunyemi, Jonzi D, Muti Musafiri, Omowale Pert-Hru and Shezal Laing, live performances from Apex Zero, Isatta Sheriff, Ukombozii Ancestral Drums and music from DJ Steaz.


Apex’s aim is to exhibit the visual album as an interactive, living installation that continues to grow as the full project is completed. After two successful premieres in London, the long term goal is to tour this exhibition nationally and internationally.

DRUMMER WARRIOR STORYTELLER - FULL ALBUM

(PRIVATE SOUNDCLOUD LINK)

'THE ANCESTORS' - PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

(Ekua McMorris)

'THIS RIDDIM (ON ANCESTORS)'- LIVE PAINTING

(Dora Lam)

'LIVE FREE (ON INSURRECTION)' - EXPANDED PAINTING / PHOTOGRAPHY

(Apex Zero x Studio Godson)

REACTIONS

“It had dance, it had abstraction...the lyrics was always gonna be Fyah. I just think the whole vision was beautiful”

Jonzi D (Breakin’ Convention)


“The energy, passion and commitment to our community gives me hope and confidence for our future. I can't wait to get a copy of the album”

Dr Toyin Agbetu (Ligali / UCL)


“Deeply powerful work that really captures how I feel about the situation we as a people are in, and highlights some real solutions”

Shezal Laing (Slavery Remembrance / Sankofa Day)


“One of the dopest things I’ve experienced...I haven’t felt that way about music and film in a long time. What the collective has put together is something else; drummers, paint, photographs, rapping, the Libations...it came together beautifully”

QBN Blue


This was a brilliant, highly emotive and powerful look at police brutality beautifully shot, edited and scored...I would certainly like to see this extended with a bigger budget to see how Apex could expand on this concept.

Skandouz (Frshrz / Connoisseurs of Hip Hop / I Am Hip Hop Magazine)



For more information or to express interest in working with Apex, please email:

contact@apexzero.co.uk and copy in rishma@wearemediahive.com

DRUMMER WARRIOR STORYTELLER

Visual Album Screening / Exhibition

6pm - 22nd August 2021 - The Hackney Social

We SOLD OUT The Hackney Social for the first installation of ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’, sharing a powerful experience with friends and family, new and old, on the 230th anniversary of the start of the Haitian Revolution. The ancient riddims channelled by the Djembes of Ukombozii Ancestral Drums, the Libation by Orisha Priestess Osunyemi and the performances from Apex Zero, Isatta Sheriff and DJ Steaz cultivated an electric, moving energy felt by all.


We held a serious reasoning session, facilitated by Victoria Nzeribe of 'Love of Culture' where Apex, Steph Be, Ekua McMorris, Dora Lam, tyroneisaacstuart, Priestess Osunyemi, Jonzi D, Muti Musafiri, Omowale Pert-Hru, Shezal Laing and numerous audience members expressed their views on the processes, emotions, meditations, reactions, interpretations and messages of the project. 

BREAKIN' CONVENTION 2021

Visual Album Screening

3rd & 4th July 2021 - Sadler's Wells

The premiere screening of the first film element of 'Drummer Warrior Storyteller' was at the sold out Breakin' Convention 2021 festival, featured as one of a number of projects supported by Jonzi D's legendary Hip Hop Dance Theatre platform during the Covid-19 pandemic.


The R&D for the project's choreography was worked on throughout  Breakin' Convention's Open Art Surgery initiative, with mentors Jonzi D, Jade Hackett and Ivan Micheal Blackstock giving valuable insights and guidance throughout the process.


The R&D gave space for Studio Godson, Alethia Antonia and FUBUNATION to work with Apex and Steph to interpret and elevate the vision of the project as artists in residence at Muti Musafiri's Village 101