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Independence Day Party

July 9, 2007

July 4th, the Independence Day in America, fell smack in the middle of the week.There had to be a party somewhere on Tuesday July 3rd. I learnt of a few parties and planned on attending one of them. A party hosted by Mezesha Entertainment was happening in downtown Minneapolis at the Lounge Night Club, where Dj Xpect from Kenya was celebrating his birthday.10:00 o’clock and the party was well underway.

Three different rooms catering to three different sounds were alive with people moving and grooving. In the front room, those who enjoyed listening to Hip-hop danced free and vibrant to new and old songs. In the middle room, there was reaggae and dance hall that appealed to a large crowd.There were some African guys in a corner dancing to a routine. They moved in unison almost as one. There were a few ladies with bodies limber, dancing in ways that seemed close to impossible. Not only was it captivating, but stunning and somewhat artistic. In the third room, also called the Cathedral room, Kenyan music rocked the place. Old jams and new Kenyan music entertained the crowd that seemed insatiable.

The hit squad which comprises of Dj’s Diamond, Don, Hustla and Xpect were some of the Dj’s keeping the club ablaze. Besides the hit squad, there were guest Dj’s Fusion and Ambassador also present. Moving from room to room, the transformation from one music scene to the next was like travelling to differernt worlds. As the evening wound down, there was promise of more parties during the week, sponsored by Mezesha Entertainment.

True to their word, on Wednesday, Independence Day, I attend a barbecue at Riverside Park in Minneapolis that is hosted by Mezesha Entertainment.

Amongst those at the barbecue, I get to meet Njeri Karanja who is the Executive Director of ‘Ladha Ya Kenya’ (Kenyan Flavor). Njeri produces and documents Kenyan events on a local channel in Minnesota. Her goal is to uplift the Kenyan community globally through educational and informative television.

At the barbecue too, is Jimmy Omoke who has two websites; Kenyans.org that depicts the people, culture, lifestyle, arts and music of East Africa and Kisii.com that highlights the Bantu speaking people of Western Kenya through news and different forums.

The barbecue almost comes to a premature end when a light shower threatens from the darkening skies. Fortunately it’s a false alarm and the fun runs well into the evening. Far off in the distance there is the sound of firecrackers, a welcome sound on this day. The sky is lit in different hues of red, blue and white. When the fireworks are done and the night animals emerge, we decide to part ways and contentedly leave for our homes.