This will be the fifth such event this year in the build-up to the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Kigali, Rwanda from 8-14 December 2021. CANEX is an initiative launched by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) designed to support Africa’s creative industries.
Berry is an official Goodwill Ambassador for the fair and helped over 50 African songwriters with online workshops in The Cookout 2020.
The Cookout contributed to the IATF’s goal of using virtual connectivity to engage, educate and enthuse creative people around the world to connect and collaborate with African talent. Each of the five sessions also resulted in a new song, written with Berry in real-time, giving contributing participants a publishing share in the work. Such was the event’s success that Berry and CANEX decided to repeat it this year.
A six-time Grammy nominee, Berry has collaborated with J Cole & Dreamville, Akon, Babyface, Usher, Ari Lennox and Mary J Blige, but drew particular acclaim for his work on Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’ album, for which he co-wrote ‘Sandcastles’.
Since March, participants from different regions of Africa have enjoyed access to Berry’s skills, experience and his studio.
The final session is open to people from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia, who can register here:
