MATTHEW AFRICA

Matthew Kane Africa
Beloved Bay Area DJ and music connoisseur, was killed instantly on September 3rd in a collision on Highway 33 in Stanislaus County, California at the age of 40.
Apart from his birth in Durham, NC, and a brief stay in New York City, Matthew spent his life in the Bay Area. He graduated from Urban High School (1989) and earned both undergraduate (B.A. in African-American Studies) and graduate (J.D. 2000; Notes and Comments Editor of the California Law Review) from the University of California at Berkeley. He practiced business and intellectual property law for four years at two major San Francisco law firms, before leaving to pursue full-time his passion for music. His activities were as varied as his tastes: as a KALX radio station host, resident D.J. at several local clubs, author of album liner notes, record reviews, blogs, mixes and podcasts, Matthew was considered by friends and fans an "encyclopedia of musical knowledge". He did not confine himself to a single genre but instead, like a man solving a puzzle, sought the right sonic pieces to create his vision of the perfect soundscape. His sudden death was a blow to family, close friends and casual fans alike; tributes erupted on Facebook, blogs, and radio stations, often with a common refrain: "He could have been a master of anything - making coffee, repairing cars, raising kittens - but what mattered wasn't what he knew but how he shared it. He was a mentor, a guide, a gentle hand on the shoulder that helped point you in the direction you wanted to go, even if you didn't realize it at the time." Many tributes mentioned a particular album or song that Matthew gave to them - frequently rare recordings that were valuable and hard to find - as having been instrumental in the development of their musical sensibilities. Though his life was cut tragically short, Matthew lived it true to his passion, doing what he loved, helping generate and honor a love for music that he shared with his many friends.
Matthew is survived by his wife and family, including parents Bruce Africa (Carolyn Elderberry) and Martha Fay Africa (Stewart Levine), sister Julia Africa (Bryce Klempner), a small brood of feral cats, and an equally disorderly tomato patch in his backyard. A large and devoted group of friends have organized a celebration of his life for those close to him which will occur at Oakland's Kaiser Center's Rooftop Garden on the afternoon of Sunday, October 7th from 1-4pm. RSVPs are requested on his Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/152344704907827/?notif_t=plan_user_invited