| “gets to the song’s dark heart” – CBC Music ‘Africvillean Funk,’ one of the standout tracks from Aquakultre‘s recent LP Don’t Trip, a G-funk-indebted feel-good bop featuring the guest vocals of Halifax-based rapper, Trobiz. The accompanying video – which was written by Lance Sampson (AKA Aquakultre) and longtime videographer John Walsh – is based on true events, telling the story of the A. Murray MacKay Bridge that was built in Africville, a primarily Black community located on the south shore of Bedford Basin on the outskirts of Halifax. – watch ‘Africvillean Funk’ video // order Africvillean Funk t-shirt – “When it’s all said and done, Africvilleans still have not received proper compensation or reparation for their homes that have been torn down in the name of “urban renewal,” explains Sampson. “At this point, the call of action should be, and still stands: “Let the people build back their homes”. Even through the years and years of protest led by Eddie Carvery, “The Funk” (fight) still continues.” – listen to Don’t Trip // order Don’t Trip on LP/CD/CASS/DIG – – watch videos for ‘Lunch’ // ‘Don’t Trip’ – “The visuals for Africvillean Funk tell a historical fiction tale of The People scheming up a way to make sure that such events never happen again,” he continues. “The Mayor, played by Adam Ross, shows some resistance and confusion at first, but eventually sides with the people in their fight. But In the end, The Funk still continues.” For context, the first records of a Black presence in Africville date back to 1848, and it continued to exist for 150 years after that. Over that time, hundreds of individuals and families lived there and built a thriving, close‐knit community. Unfortunately, discrimination and poverty presented many challenges for the community of people in Africville. The City of Halifax refused to provide many amenities other Haligonians took for granted, such as sewage, access to clean water and garbage disposal. Africville residents, who paid taxes and took pride in their homes, asked the City to provide these basic services on numerous occasions, but no action was taken. The City compounded the problem by building many undesirable developments in and around Africville, including an infectious disease hospital, a prison and a dump. |