Powell Busts a Move
Former Secretary of State and current dance sensation Colin Powell graced the stage of a London hip-hop concert "in celebration of African culture." The song he sang and danced to? A Nigerian hit about people spending money gleaned from U.S. Internet scam victims.
Former Secretary of State and current dance sensation Colin Powell graced the stage of a London hip-hop concert “in celebration of African culture.” The song he sang and danced to? A Nigerian hit about people spending money gleaned from U.S. Internet scam victims.
Powell probably was unaware that the song was about fraud.
He spoke about his own black identity in the U.S.: “It took a lot of people struggling to bring me to this point in history. I didn’t just drop out of the sky, people came from my continent in chains.”
Your support matters…The BBC:
America’s former top diplomat took centre stage along with Nigerian performer Olu Maintain, who sang his hit Yahoozee.
It is not clear if Mr Powell was aware that the song was about Nigeria’s notorious internet fraudsters.
The song tells of an easy-money lifestyle of women, cars and alcohol.
The scammers, known as “yahoo yahoo boys” make money by advance fee fraud, known as “419” after the legal statute that outlaws it.
Independent journalism is under threat and overshadowed by heavily funded mainstream media.
You can help level the playing field. Become a member.
Your tax-deductible contribution keeps us digging beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that unearths what's really happening- without compromise.
Give today to support our courageous, independent journalists.
LGBTQIA+
Countries in Africa have some of the harshest and most discriminatory LGBTQ+ policies in the world.
Global Voices
Zimbabwe’s hydropower collapse is a harbinger of crises to come.
Europe
For the French President, recruiting various African intellectuals turned out to be a key asset in trying to shift the Françafrique narrative, while simultaneously protecting French interests on the continent.
Women
Emboldened by the overturning of Roe v Wade, Western conservative movements are dialling up their Africa campaigns
World
In the Horn of Africa, a climate-fueled food catastrophe looms.
Africa
We need to dispel the myth that billionaries are geniuses.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.