Glam Africa presents: The Renaissance Men

Words By Boipelo Jean Chababa

2019 has been an interesting year for us as black people. At Glam Africa, we're used to celebrating remarkable women and putting their achievements on full display, but for this edition we wanted to specially acknowledge some of the strides being made by men, that are changing the world in big ways. From music to TV & film, and even the world of sports, here are a few that have wowed us this year.

Burna Boy, The glue between Old Africa and New Africa

Whether the title is self-professed or fanbestowed, it is certain that the Nigerian-born ‘African Giant’ is indeed the giant we needed to bridge the gap between the old sound of Africa and a new one, which has now gone global. Burna Boy draws inspiration from musical legends like Fela Kuti and Hugh Masekela to create a unique sound that has captured international ears like none other.

Akon, Lighting up the way

Every now and again we find ourselves wondering where Akon is, and what he is up to, but with each instance, the answer lies somewhere with his contributions to the growth of the African continent. In 2015 the Senegalese artist launched a solar project that was projected to provide electricity for around 600 million people. Very few men in recent years have come close to matching Akon's contributions towards eradicating poverty and improving the lives of African people.

Colin Kaepernick, Restoring the dignity of a man’s life

When future generations talk about historical figures who were “on the right side of history” despite reproach in their own day, we imagine that Kaep will be at the top of their list. A natural athlete, Colin Kaepernick was destined to be one of the top quarterbacks in Americanfootball. However, in 2016, after deciding to 'take a knee' during the national anthem in protest against police brutality, Kaepernick became public enemy number one to detractors of the Black Lives Matter movement. At the time, he said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish of me to look the other way.” Kaepernick also made a ‘Million Dollar Pledge’ to donate to organizations that worked to fight against systemic oppression. Sadly, the NFL blacklisted him as a result of his protest, but Kaep refused to let this deter his mission. In 2018 Nike launched a campaign with the athlete using the slogan “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”

Trevor Noah, Tapping into a joyous Africa

Famously known as the comedian who was ‘born a crime’ (also the title of his 2016 autobiography), Trevor Noah has broken through the glass ceiling of success, becoming the first African host of the American late-night programme, The Daily Show, which was previously hosted by Jon Stewart. Trevor’s story is one of an unconventional family structure told through the eyes of a child who had all the odds stacked against him, starting with South Africa's apartheid system, which put him in a peculiar and unpleasant situation as a mixed race child. In 2018, he launched the Trevor Noah Foundation with the aim of developing brighter futures for vulnerable youth in South Africa, through education.

Tyler Perry, Building our own table

Most famous for creating and portraying the hilarious grandma character, Madea, that has become an 11-movie blockbuster franchise (with a sitcom and cartoon in the ranks too), Tyler Perry is also revered for pushing the boundaries of black storytelling. Tyler Perry recently unveiled his own 330-acre studio, which is set to change the film industry as it stands, and will be opening up to writers, directors and actors of colour. It will also include a shelter for homeless/displaced LGBT youth.

Jaden Smith, Saving the world one bottle at a time

From the tender age of 12, child actor and music prodigy Jaden Smith wanted to do something about the pollution in the ocean so he started working on a solution. Five years later, in 2015 Jaden launched a new bottled water company that sells responsibly sourced water packaged in 1005 recyclable plant-derived cartons. His company has grown so much since then, officially launching in the UK in 2018. In September 2019, Just Goods was valued at a whopping $100 million.

Stormzy, Influencing change for the diaspora

Still on his musical rise, British-Ghanaian artist Stormzy first came onto our radar with his 2015 single 'Shut Up'. Since then he has broken international barriers and has gained a loyal fanbase of millions across the world. Stormzy voice, however, goes far beyond his music, and he often uses his influence to speak on sociopolitical issues in the UK. A stern advocate for the improvement of conditions for minority groups and cultures, Stormzy famously called out former-Prime Minister, Theresa May, for her inaction following the Grenfell Tower fire. Stormzy was named one of the '100 Most Influential People on the Left’ in 2017 by conservative commentator Iain Dale. In 2018 he launched Merky Books, his own imprint under publishing house Penguin, which has already released worthy contributions to the world of literature and diverse voices with releases such as Taking Up Space and That Reminds Me.