The weekly club, Afro Funke', which celebrated its tenth anniversary in May 2013 as a weekly event (now a periodic event) was the brainchild of Afro Roots star, Rocky Dawuni, who realized LA's need for a night dedicated to African music, culture and art and it's far reaching legacy around the world. Dawuni, who's based in LA and his native Ghana, together with talent booker and photographer Cary Sullivan created Afro Funke', bringing on board resident DJ and co-founder DJ Jeremy Sole. Each week Afro Funke’ presents international guest DJs, live band performances, guest musicians, dancers, cutting edge films, record release parties, fundraisers, fashion shows, art installations, crafts and more. Sole spins his unique “Musaics,” or sound collage-blends of hip hop, jazz/funk, dub reggae, afro beat, and remixed world beats; pieced together with tribal breaks, and uplifted by dubbed-out turntable manipulation and live instrumentation. DJ Glenn Red was invited to be the second resident DJ and is an integral part of the Afro Funke' Sound. Afro Funke’s profile has been greatly enhanced by its unique photo based flyers which feature Cary Sullivan’s cutting edge photographs of West African life.
Dawuni has long considered the pioneering Nigerian superstar Fela Anikulapo Kuti as a profound influence and proudly continues Kuti's tradition of fighting for the rights of common people through his own music. Kuti died on August 2, 1997 from complications due to AIDS, but his contribution to music lives on and his signature 'Afro Beat,' sound is an integral component of Afro Funke's focus. Dawuni best describes his vision when stating, "Afro Funke' seeks to create a sonic pipeline that will connect funky Africa and the African Diaspora and at the same time, serve as a convergence point for progressive souls." DJ Jeremy Sole reiterates, "The intention of Afro Funke' is to seamlessly blend the native rhythms of every culture into one groove, reinforcing the fact that we are part of a global family. I am honored that we can help our family members on the other side of the globe through the many fundraising events we do at the club!”
Guest performers: Stevie Wonder, Zap Mama, Rocky Dawuni & The Revelation Project, Ronnie Laws, Remi Kabaka, Najite, Leon Mobley, Boozoo Bajou, Nickodemus, Keziah Jones, Dwight Trible, Fuzzbee Morse, Pimps Of Joytime, Chico Mann, Todd Simon, Satnam Ramgotra, Alan Lightner , Derf Reklaw , Chuck Prada, Chicago Afrobeat Project, Soulfege, Locos Por Juana, Masanga Marimba Ensemble, Kusun Ensemble, Saba Saba, Tita Lima, Subatomic Sound System, Hermano Brothers, Drastics and many more
Guest DJs: AL JACKSON (Soul Children), ALFRED HAWKINS (Firecracker, Soundlessons), ANDY WILLIAMS, ANTHONY VALADEZ. ARGYLE & CONCISE, ASAD (Footlong Development), ASPARAGUS (Raw Fusion), AZUL*213 (FIRECRACKER),BASTARD JAZZ Records, BIG BANG (NYC), BOBBY SOUL (Soul Hustlers / Descarga) ,BOIMA (Spearhead), CARLOS MENA (Yoruba Records), CARLOS NINO (KPFK), CAROL C (Si*Se), CENTER (NYC), CHIEF BOIMA (SF), CHRIS ANNIBEL (Afrokinetic), CHRIS HAYCOCK (Jhramatic),COLEMAN (Mochilla / Firecracker),DAM FUNK (Stonesthrow), DANNY HOLLOWAY (Droppin'BombZ),DAZ (Umoja Sound, Truthseekas) , DON GUAPO (Soundlessons) ,DREZ, DUB CLUB (The Echo) ,DUSK (R.I.P. / Root Down),DRM (Bastard Jazz), EGON (Stonesthrow), EXPO (Basement Heads / Zulu Nation),FISHER P (Afrodisiac Records) ,FRANK (E) ,GARTH TRINIDAD (KCRW), HIGHER (Pum Pum) ,IAN FROST ,Ini SOUND Feat. AURELITO & SHAKESPEARE (Chocolate Bar),JEDI (Digable Planets, Def Poetry Jam), JEREMY ELLIS, JESSE DE LA PENA (Chicago), JHRAMATIC SOUND SYSTEM (Damon Bell & Haycock),JOHN BELTRAN (Ubiquity),JROCC (Beat Junkies), JUN (Bossa,Nova / Umoja / Soundlessons) ,KID GUSTO, KRISTI LOMAX (Restless Soul / KPFK),LADY SHA (Lioness LA) ,MAGA BO (Brazil), MARK MAXWELL (KPFK) ,MARK RAE (Yes King) ,MARQUES WYATT (Deep) ,MATT ROBINSON (Funky Reggae), MEXICAN DUBWISER (Sistema Local),MIKE ZARIN (Atlanta), MONALISA, HAUL & MASON (Afrodisiac Sound), NATE SCOTT (Truthseekas),N’DEA DAVENPORT (Brand New Heavies) ,NICKODEMUS (Turntables On The Hudson) , NNAMDI MOWETA (Afrodicia, KPFK) NOSTALGIA 77 (UK), NUTS (Brazil), OBAH (NYC), OHMEGA WATTS, OAKASON (Krossfayah Sound) ,PB WOLF (Stonesthrow), PELAU,PHERS1, PHOREYZ (The Get Back), QUANITIC (Columbia), RASHIDA (Prince), RHETTMATIC (Beat Junkies), SABO (Turntables On The Hudson), SAKE ONE (Pacific Standard Time, SF) ,SESQUI (Listen Recovery Crew) ,SLOE POKE (Descarga / Rootdown) ,SMALL CHANGE (NYC), SOULICO (Israel), SOUL SESSIONS (Plan B / Baby Bubba) ,SPINNA (NYC / Wonderfull) ,SUN TZU SOUND, TOPHONE (XL8R), TOM SCHNABEL (KCRW), TOMAS (Umoja Sound) ,TOM THUMP (SF),TY G (Hvw8), VIKTER DUPLAIX, WISEACRE,WHAT? (Beat Junkies), WYATT CASE (Rootdown) and many more
Celebrity guests: Queen Latifah, Prince, Machel Montano,Djimon Hounssou, Edward Norton, Gary Dourdan, India Arie Johnny Gil, Me’shell Ndegeocello, Raphael Sadiq, Sean Penn, Seun Kuti, Vanessa Williams, Junior Marvin, Akosua Busia, David Kirton, and many more…..
