Africa came to Los Angeles on Thursday as Heavy-K, Anatii, Da L.E.S, Luthando “Loot Love” Shosha and Ayanda Thabethe – presented South African music & culture at an exclusive event with host Common at The Absolut Elyx House in Hollywood.
The event brought the Absolut Elyx tour of L.A. by the five South African artists to a close after four V.I.P. days in the City of Angels.
Set in the Hollywood hills overlooking the city, Heavy K, Da L.E.S. and Anatii delivered the sounds of Africa to a celebrity audience, and brought the house down. Guests included Stephan James, star of the movie The Race and Selma, music producer Karl Rubin (Skrillex, Diplo and Justin Bieber’s Where Are You Now) and Sope Aluko from Black Panther, amongst many others.
PICS: Loot Love and Ayanda Thabethe sashay down Rodeo Drive
Loot Love and Common. Picture: Supplied
“It was a blessing for me to go to South Africa last year and I am excited that African culture is finally becoming part of the global cultural narrative. We have to keep building that cultural bridge,” commented Common on the night.
“It was so cool to bring our music to the US and to know that people really felt it and got down to it,” says Heavy K.
Heavy K and Common. Picture: Supplied
After the event at The Absolut Elyx House, the group headed to the nightclub Poppy where they saw Chance the Rapper in a pop up performance with the rap group Migos.
Ayanda Thabethe and Common. Picture: Supplied
“This has been an amazing week. There was simply no time for jetlag! We saw the best of Los Angeles and it was equally as exciting to bring over our South African culture. And Common was just the coolest, most real person I could ever have hoped to meet,” said Ayanda Thabethe.