The 3rd Annual Thisday Africa Rising Music and Fashion Festival continued its four city, three nation tour, on August 1, 2008 with headline performances by Jay-Z and John Legend at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

The festival, created by media mogul Nduka Obaigbena, seeks to present a different approach for finding solutions to pressing issues in Africa. The tour officially launched in Nigeria with two shows in July that featured performances by Jay-Z, Rihanna and Usher.  The event will culminate in a grand finale in London, England at the Royal Albert Hall on October 14, 2008.

Nigeria rocked the world with the third leg of the THISDAY “Africa Rising” music and festival held at the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Friday.

An impressive line up of renowned musicians including Senegalese recording artist, Youssou N’Dour, American pop stars, Jay-Z and John Legend gave a sensational performance leaving the audience wild with excitement.  The 2,400 capacity hall was packed.

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John Legend

Legend worked the crowd as usual. His sensational moves, cute looks and impressive piano rendition left fans yearning for more. He also performed two new songs from his yet to be released album.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z held the audience spell-bound for almost an hour. He left no one in doubt that he was a rap guru. Dressed in his signature t-shirt, baggy jeans, bling necklace, he electrified the crowd. He went political when he juxtaposed pictures of President George W. Bush with that of wars, poverty, starvation on the huge LED TV screen at the background. Jay-Z ended the song with a picture of Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, apparently presenting him as the alternative.

The THISDAY music festival now in its third year is meant to showcase talents from the African continent. It aims to paint a positive picture of a continent viewed by the international community as a hopeless case. With more than 23 African countries growing at an average rate of five per cent in the last few years, the festival intends to draw attention to the success stories hardly told in the Western media.

John Legend

This year’s event kicked off in Abuja, followed by Lagos and Washington, D.C. The grand finale will take place in London on October 10.

The success of the festival is underpinned by the performance of big names in the music industry. Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Busta Ryme, En Vogue, Ciara, Missy Eliot, Rihanna and Ursher are some of the artists that have featured in past events.

Source: THISDAY Music & Fashion Festival Sets Washington DC Agog

Photo credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images North America

Video - Jay-Z at Thisday Africa Rising Festival, Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, August 1, 2008

Video - John Legend at Thisday Africa Rising Festival, Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, August 1, 2008

We will update with more video as it becomes available.

Jay-Z

John Legend

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Video & Photos: Thisday Africa Rising Festival 2008, Jay-Z, John Legend, Washington, DC 8-1-08