R&B superstar Maxwell to headline BET Experience Africa

Making its African debut, BET Experience Africa will provides the perfect kick-off to the festive season, taking over the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg for a non-stop, jam-packed entertainment fest bringing together lovers of urban culture and music. Wowing visitors all day long, the BET Experience Africa will showcase great food, fashion, music, comedy, dance, sport and more. It is hosted by entertainment channel BET (DStv channel 129).

Inspiring, immersive and hugely entertaining, BET Experience Africa will feature stunning live performances on a central Sound Stage, as well as stand-up comedy routines and a fun-packed Celebrity Basketball Game. Fashionistas will revel in the Fashion & Beauty catwalk while checking out the hottest trends in the sneaker scene. For inspiration, attend one of BET’s informative and instructive Genius Talks, curated by experts and opinion formers in various fields.

The day will be rounded off with the BET Experience Concert, with superstar artists headlined by the Grammy-winning  Maxwell, alongside other international and African performers, who will be announced at a later date.

Born Gerald Maxwell Rivera on 23 May 1973, Maxwell has been credited with shaping the neo-soul movement that emerged in the late 1990s, along with the likes of D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Musiq Soulchild. His albums include Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996), Embrya (1998), Now (2001) and more recently BLACKsummers'night (2009), including the Grammy-winning hit ‘Pretty Wings’. He is also a record producer and actor.

Also on the bill is Grammy-winning R&B and soul artist, Raphael Saadiq, who will be appearing for the first time ever in Africa at the BET Experience Africa. Over the past two decades the multi-instrumentalist and producer has worked behind the scenes for acts like John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Whitney Houston and Elton John, to mention just a few. Fans of classic 80s and 90s R&B will remember Saadiq as a founding member and lead vocalist of influential chart-toppers Tony! Toni! Toné!. Since Saadiq’s early days, he has always carried a torch for old school R&B.

Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, said: “VIMN Africa and BET are proud to introduce this incredibly successful BET franchise to African audiences for the first time, celebrating so many rich and varied faces of the urban lifestyle experience under one roof.”

BET Experience Africa is promoted in partnership with Glen 21 and inspired by the BET Experience, held annually in Los Angeles. Ticket prices (which include access to the sound stage and other lifestyle activities, plus the concert in the evening) range from R750 to R1500 and are on sale now from TicketPro. For more information visit the BET Experience Africa website.