Africa's Next-Gen cultural shapeshifters announced

Image supplied. The inaugural Keep Walking: Africa Top 30 List have been announced

An innovative new initiative from Johnnie Walker and Trace, the list comes after two months of rigorous searching with top talent managers and industry leaders across the continent to identify a definitive list of pan-African cultural shapeshifters.

Africa’s creative economy positive

Keep Walking: Africa Top 30 comes at a time when trends for Africa’s creative economy are overwhelmingly positive. Unesco reports indicate that Africa’s still largely untapped film industry could quadruple revenue to $20bn, and create an additional 20 million jobs, while digital music streaming revenue in Africa is expected to reach $500m by 2025.

With African culture now having its voice heard around the world, the Keep Walking: Africa Top 30 list includes names who are impacting global culture such as music producer, Tempoe (who produced C’Kay’s global phenomenon Love Nwantiti), Amapiano star Musa Keys, film director Meji Alabi (Tiwa Savage’s 49-99) and visual artist Prince Giyasi (renowned for his Apple iPhone campaign and how he presents his home city, Accra).

“We’re thrilled to have been able to bring this new awards platform to life along with Johnnie Walker and to identify this inspirational group of cultural shapeshifters,” says Valentine Gaudin-Muteba, Trace MD Southern Africa.

"They all follow their own paths and, in doing so, bring nuance and progress to African culture; for which the world is taking notice,” adds Gaudin-Muteba.

The extensive list includes artists & creatives from across the continent - from Angola to Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gabon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia - all of whom have given impetus to shape and moved African culture forward.

Image supplied.DJ Desiree (South Africa) named in the music category in the inaugural Keep Walking: Africa Top 30 List

The inaugural Keep Walking: Africa Top 30 list

• Music: DJ Desiree (South Africa); Ish Kevin (Rwanda); producer Tempoe (Nigeria); De Hermes (Mozambique); Guchi (Nigeria); Musa Keys (South Africa); Pongo (Angola); Marioo (Tanzania); DJ Black Spygo (Angola); Ruger (Nigeria); Yilim (Ivory Coast).
• Art: Fanuel Leul (Ethiopia); Obou Gbais (Ivory Coast); Prince Gyasi (Ghana) and; Sungi Mlengeya (Tanzania).
• Film: Director Meji Alabi (Nigeria/UK); actress Syndy Emade (Cameroon); director Maradona Dias Dos Santos (Angola); Evelyne Illy (Ivory Coast); SkinnyFilmmaker aka Jay Muigai (Kenya); actor/director Kang Quintus (Cameroon); actress Eliane Silva (Angola); actor Silvio Nascimento (Angola).
• Fashion: Lafalaise Dion (Ivory Coast); Luxury Recycle (Mozambique); Nana Kwasi Wiafe (Ghana); Junior Orina (Kenya); Mainga Sanderson (Zambia).
• Media: Fidjil (Cameroon); Nana Mitch (Ghana).

“We’d like to congratulate all the recipients - they are all so deserving of this recognition. In our search across the continent for a fully pan-African list, it was always so rewarding to discover that, while creators come from many different regions and from different creative paths, there was always one intention - to unify and progress Africa’s collective culture. Along with Trace, Johnnie Walker is proud to be able to contribute by presenting this recognition,” adds Adrian De Wet, brand lead House of Walker and IPS.