Colin Powell dancing african music

Colin Powell was using his emcee and dancing skills to reach a younger crowd at London’s Africa Rising Festival:

Former secretary of state Colin Powell is the latest politician to get the urge to emcee, as the respected Washington veteran performed an impromptu freestyle this week at London’s Africa Rising Festival. The festival, which has become a popular showcase for African music and culture, paired Powell with African rapper Olu Maintain, originator of the Nigerian dance and song “Yahoozee.” Powell, to the crowd’s shock, alternated between performing the dance and spitting various call and response chants into the mic. After his set’s conclusion, Powell took a moment to pontificate with the crowd on the importance of African heritage, acknowledging their culture and never dismissing or forgetting it despite their achievements. “I stand before you as an African-American,” Powell reflected. “ Many people have said to me you became secretary of state of the USA, is it still necessary to say that you are an African-American or that you are black? And I say yes, so that we can remind our children.”