Samuel āBlitzā Bazawule can hardly contain his own smile and emotions as he talks about the experience of directing the musical adaptation of Alice Walkerās award-winning novel āThe Color Purple,ā which opened Christmas Day to glowing reviews.
The 2005 ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” graduate, who earned a degree in business administration, recently joined the movieās powerhouse cast in a sit-down interview with Jennifer Hudson on āThe Jennifer Hudson Show.ā Bazawule talked about the challenge of making some of the storyās most iconic scenes, including the moment when Walker herself gave him feedback on the film.
Watch the interview:
The film features performers such as Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo and former āAmerican Idolā winner Fantasia Barrino.
, Mark Meszoros of The News-Herald raved about Bazawuleās interpretation of the novel, stating the film delivered āenthralling scene after enthralling scene.ā Meszoros also noted that the Ghanaian multimedia artist's credits include making 2018ās āThe Burial of Kojoā and co-directing Beyonceās āBlack Is King.ā
Now based in New York, Bazawule has become known for his creative work as an award-winning filmmaker, musician, visual artist and author. Before moving to the Big Apple, Bazawule made a name for himself here in Kent as a hip-hop artist, which is where the moniker āBlitz the Ambassadorā originated.
In , Bazawule said ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” is where he found himself:
āThis is where I found Blitz. Prior to my ĪēŅ¹¾ē³” experience, I was just an emcee. I was just out here rapping,ā he said. āI was talking about what everybody else is talking about. Until I take certain classes Oscar Ritchie Hall, freshman year ā and I get hit with so many facts that I could have, should have, known coming from where I come from.ā