Michalis Afolayan

Lyricist (rap), musician (African and classical percussion), actor, activist and researcher of Africana philosophy and practice, born in Greece with origins from Nigeria, West Africa and specifically from the Yoruba tribe. As a lyricist and performer, he released, in 2000, a rap album entitled Paremvoles – En Opsei. He studied African percussion with Lefteris Grigoriou, Ponta O’Bryan, Haruna Dembele, Mare Sanogo, Babara Bangoura, Toumani Diabaté, etc. He studied classical percussion with Konstantinos Vorisis, Kostas Theodorakos, Theo Vazakas and Charalampos Taliadouros. Since 2006, he has been working as an actor and musician in theatre and television. He has combined his knowledge of West African rhythmology and rhythmical text approach in performances of ancient Greek theatre. He is the founder and artistic director of the Anasa Cultural Center for African Art and Cultures, which began as an African percussion and dance group with an emphasis on performance, combining narrative and anthropology theatre practice, with Daphne Asimakopoulou as choreographer. He has many years of teaching experience following the method of Mamady Keita. He is engrossed in empowering communities and the younger generation through Africana philosophy and applied anthropology with a focus on Africa and its diaspora.