Film Funding: Crowdfunding

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9 days left to Kickstart #TheMuvement w/ Maimouna Youssef

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#TheMuvement Kickstarter for Maimouna Youssef

If you like compelling vocals and music with a purpose, than be sure to check out and support Maimouna Youssef before November 1st.

Independent artist, activist, teacher and mother Maimouna Youssef is raising money to fund her studio album #TheMuvement and her first worldwide tour, the Mumu Fresh World Tour.  She has been seen sharing the stage with some of hip-hop’s most prolific artists such as The Roots, Erykah Badu, Nas, Common, Jill Scott and more.  Her Kickstarter campaign will raise money to reach markets in Europe (Germany, UK, France, etc.), South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Australia, Japan, and many others.  Since receiving her Grammy nomination with The Roots in 2007 for their hit, “Don’t Feel Right,” Maimouna has made waves in the music scene with three independent projects: The Black Magic Woman EP (2011), her first full length studio album, The Blooming (2011), and her latest project, The Reintroduction of Mumu Fresh(2014).  However, surviving as an independent artist without the support of a record label is challenging, so the artist took to Kickstarter to garner the funding & support she needs to spread her message & beautiful voice. As with all blessed individuals full of faith & God, Maimouna has built a loyal following in the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia) and abroad off the strength of her music and captivating stage performances alone.

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I was first introduced to the talented Maimouna Youssef during my stint in local news as an audio mixer, where she performed live during the stations morning news show.  In 2002, she competed, performed and won WBFF Fox45’s first ‘Baltimore Idol‘ winning her an opportunity to fly out to Los Angeles to audition for the first season of American Idol.  At the time, this high school senior captivated the entire control room and studio with her powerful vocals.  I immediately became a fan and had the pleasure of working with her capturing various performances around Baltimore, Maryland.  I even interviewed Maimouna Youssef and her cousin Omari Foreman, which made up the duo Cirius B, for a local spoken word mini-series ‘B-More Poetic‘ that I directed & produced.  Since then I have followed her success and make sure to purchase each album and mixtape she releases.

She’s known for remaking popular Top 40 songs into more consciously & afrocentric lyrics that usually outshine the original songwriters and performers:

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Late Expectations launches on Indiegogo

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She’s living a lie

To please everyone else.

Except her own self.

Haiku written by Thais Francis

Thais Francis

In true form to her driven talents, Thais Francis has ventured on yet another artistic endeavor since her first theatrical stage play “Outcry.”  She has achieved a multitude of talents since her childhood in Washington, DC and roots in Trinidad & Tobago from actress, dancer, singer and writer.  The recent graduate of NYU’s Tisch School has written her first ever screenplay “Late Expectations.”

The film “Late Expectations” is a coming of age film around India, a Brooklyn high school senior living the teenage dream with a full scholarship to Brown University, that battles a secret that threatens to end her most important relationships.  Thais and her dynamic team of NYC graduates and industry professionals need to raise $22,000 to complete the post-production phase of the film project.  Shot in 35mm, “Late Expectations” is an independent film with fresh, young talent that reflects the underserved audience the film empathizes to provide a voice for those struggling to find their identity.

For more information and to support this film please visit their Indiegogo website HERE.

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