CLEVELAND — Weedie Braimah moved to the music during a practice for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s Juneteenth event.
“It’s really amazing to see what they’re gonna do with my music, you know, visually,” Braimah said.
Braimah is the musical director of Djapo Cultural Arts Institute. He said their dancers will perform to the beat of his music at the celebration.
“This group that I’m working with, and I’m also a part of Djapo, have been the lead and founders of doing Juneteenth concerts and performances, [and] workshops in the city of Cleveland,” Braimah said. “I find it very honorable to be a part of it, certainly to have it at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
Braimah is a Grammy-nominated musician. He said he plays the djembe, a drum that originates from west Africa.
“Even though in Ghana, where I was born, they don’t play this instrument. It’s very famous now throughout Africa [and] throughout the world,” Braimah said.
Time Magazine listed Braimah’s project, “The Hands of Time”, as one of the 10 best albums of 2021.
“I mean, to be number eight in the top 10 albums of 2021 by Time is [sic], it’s really amazing. It was right by ‘Donda’, which was written by Kanye West,” Braimah said.
He said his Juneteenth performance takes place on the one year anniversary of the release of his single “Ships Come In (A lullaby)”.
“[The date] will be six one eight, which is the old East St. Louis area code, where I grew up,” Braimah said.
Braimah added that he’s proud to take part in an event that commemorates the emancipation of Black slaves in America.
“Now, I pray that we don’t turn this into a big moneymaking archive or anything like that. But, I’m really happy that people who are direct descendants of this day are able to celebrate the way they should,” Braimah said.
The Juneteenth celebration at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is free to the public and kicks off right at 2 p.m.
