#NNPA BlackPress

African Culture Comes Alive in ‘The Burial of Kojo’ by Blitz the Ambassador

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The Burial of Kojo,” is essentially a human story of courage and survival, a 2019 Pan African Film Festival Official Selection and the winner of the Urban World Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Award.

Published

7 years ago

April 6, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

“The Burial of Kojo” — among the offerings from Ava DuVernay’s Array Now Film Distribution Company and currently airing on Netflix, has been called quite the marvel that flexes visual storytelling muscles that you didn’t know existed.

Critics have also lauded the new flick for taking “unexpected risks with camera work and off-center choices when it comes to pushing a narrative forward.”

Deadline Hollywood’s Dino-Ray Ramos said the film may “have a flair for the opulent, but through all of its sumptuousness, it’s grounded with a very personal story.”

The New York Times noted that when musicians turn to film directing, it doesn’t always work out. However, for hip-hop artist, filmmaker and Ghanaian visual artist Blitz the Ambassador, it more than works out with “The Burial of Kojo.”

Blitz wrote, directed and scored the film in what many already label as a dazzling and modern fable.

“I say that the film is my grandmother’s story because her stories were real and they always had some moral and was always still rooted in the real world,” Blitz told NNPA Newswire just prior to a special screening at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., on Friday, April 5.

“It’s a magical story that deals with a little girl who has to find her father after he goes missing on a mining expedition,” Blitz said.

“The Burial of Kojo” counts as the tale of two brothers told through the gifted eyes of Esi, a young girl who transports the audience to the beautiful lands of Ghana and other worlds that exist between life and death.

Born from a newspaper article and a Kickstarter campaign, Blitz captures the beauty of a family, even when the circumstances aren’t beautiful, according to the movie’s production company.

“The Burial of Kojo,” is an essential human story of courage and survival, a 2019 Pan African Film Festival Official Selection and the winner of the Urban World Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Award.

The initial scene of the movie immediately grabs the audience’s attention.

A car burns on a beach and Esi, begins to share the story of her father and uncle via what she says is a dream that’s really not a dream at all. “My birth was supposed to bring prosperity and good fortune to my family.”

“The Burial of Kojo” depicts Esi as a child who has the trust of an old blind man. She begins dreaming of a man in a crow costume – the movie moves through various forms of imagery with the characters colored in purple and red lighting. “It has a lot of magical entities and elements that are used to tell a sometimes-traumatizing story,” said Blitz.

“I was most concerned with how to contribute through specific African lens,” he said.

Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, Blitz, whose real name is Samuel Bazawule, comes from a music background of Afrobeat, Jazz, Highlife and Motown.

He moved to the United States and attended Kent State University in Ohio before relocating to New York where his hip hop career began to flourish, according to Deadline Hollywood.

He started a band called Embassy Ensemble and his own label, Embassy MVMT which pushed the genre forward.

While he was making music, he always knew that a filmmaker was dying to come out.

“It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do,” he said.

“I come from visual arts — I draw. Those things are a gateway to understanding visual structure and colors. I always knew that at some point I would want to expand into motion pictures, but it just didn’t seem plausible.”

To view the trailer for “The Burial of Kojo,” click here.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

REV. EARLE J. FISHER: After #MLK50: #MLK51 – Going in circles

Don't Miss

Prince: Three Years Later Fans say their ‘Guitar still Weeps’

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

#AutoNetwork

The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

#AutoNetwork

The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.