Afropop Worldwide
Afropop Worldwide
Afropop worldwide is your source for music and stories from the African planet. We explore the the world through sound, from the ancient past to the cutting edge present, combining music, history, and culture. Distributed by PRI.
Black History Month: A Brief History of Funk
Funk is the personal favorite of many music lovers. In this panoramic history of the grooviest of genres, we hear track after track of absolute boogie-down classics. Everything from Sly and the Family Stone to James Brown, with a few stops to hear legends like the Meters, Kool and the Gang, and Parliament. We’ll also hear the great Bobby Byrd explain the rhythmic motor behind the JB’s, and Georges Clinton talk about the roots of his funk.
Produced by Ned Sublette
APWW #124
Black History Month: Shake it Fo Ya Hood, The History of New Orleans Bounce
New Orleans, Louisiana is home to some of America's greatest musical traditions, and plays an outsized influence on the evolution of everything from jazz through to r&b, rock and funk. Today, the city is still legendary for its second line brass bands and brightly costumed Mardi Gras Indians. But if you've rolled through New Orleans on pretty much any night in the last 30 years, you've probably heard another sound—the clattering, booming, hip-shaking, chant-heavy roll of bounce, a form of hip-ho
Planet Afropop - Boom.Diwan: Arabian Pearl Diving Meets Afro-Cuba
Ghazi and Boom.Diwan with Arturo O’Farrill is about as unlikely a group as you could imagine. Ghazi Al-Mulaifi is a rocking guitar player and an ethnomusicologist who studies the music of Arabian Gulf pearl divers, among them, his own ancestors. Boom.Diwan is an ensemble based around the Kuwaiti percussionists who preserve the vanishing art of pearl diving music. How they came together with Arturo O’Farrill, leader of New York’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra is a story for the ages. This podcast tel
Planet Afropop - Golden Elephants and Ibibio Gospel
In this edition of Planet Afropop, our newest producer Stella Hartman reports on the UK/Nigerian group Ibibio Sound Machine’s venture into gospel music. Then Georges, Mukwae and Banning preview the annual Syli D’Or battle of the Afropop bands in Montreal by profiling the two winners of the 2024 Afropop Award. Boubé is a young Tuareg composer/singer/bandleader from Niger who now makes his home in Montreal. And Less Toches is a powerful, pan-Latin American ensemble with a fresh, global take on cum
The Mighty Amazon
The Amazon River basin has long been a mystery to Brazil. Located far from the centers of business and power in the nation's southeast, the jungle provinces of the Brazilian north have long been ignored by the nation at large. But recently, Brazilians have discovered that the cities and waterways of the Amazon are home to some of the nation's hottest music. In this Hip Deep episode—a musical history of Pará state, where Afro-Caribbean influences have created a unique local flavor that connects t
Planet Afropop - The New Black Vanguard of Classical Music
In this episode, our new producer, Lauren Williams, revisits an old genre through a new lens. Classical music, a historically exclusionary space, is going through changes. We explore the process of writing and performing boundary-pushing classical music with Seth Parker Woods, a Grammy-nominated cello player who pulls from the sounds and stories of the Black diaspora to write otherworldly compositions, and Curtis Stewart, a Grammy-nominated Violinist who experiments with beats and electronics in
Black History Month: The African Roots of Rock n Roll
In this program you will the hear the African music roots of famed American blues and rock 'n' roll artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, the Isley Brothers, Robert Johnson, The Kingsmen and many more! Not everyone in this program is as well-known as the above mentioned juggernauts of music. Also included is Celia Cruz, Sexteto Habanero, Arsenio Rodriguez, and Baby Face Leroy. Co-produced by Ned Sublette and Robert Palmer, author of “Deep Blues”, regarded by many as
Botswana Dumelang
Botswana is a large, landlocked country in Southern Africa, a vast stretch of desert and savannah between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia with a population of only 2.2 million. While widely overlooked internationally for their music, over the past 20 years Batswana has steadily built a diverse and fruitful local scene that includes traditional choirs, hip hop and kwaito, R&B and jazz and even heavy metal. While the biggest star in the country, Franco, packs stadiums with his Congolese-derived
Cairo: Hollywood of the Middle East
By the mid 20th century, Cairo had become the unrivaled center for music and film production in the Middle East. Producers, writers, composers, actors, musicians, star singers, and creators of every stripe flocked here to take part in the city's fervent, international, progressive artistic milieu. This was the heyday of the diva Umm Kulthum, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, and the beloved singer and composer Abdel Halim Hafez. But events of the 50s and 60s signaled an inward turn for Egypt and Cairo. The 7
Johannesburg Meets Detroit: Soweto Gospel Choir's History of House
Our reporter from Texas, Akshaj Turebylu, triangulates the influences responsible for the irresistible, intercontinental, genre-bending, collaborative album called History of House. Our guides include Shimmy Jiyane, a founding member of the Soweto Gospel Choir, the pre-eminent African gospel performers in the world. We're also joined by Latroit, a Grammy-winning producer who got his start with the legendary techno wizards, Inner City. Akshaj speaks to Shimmy and Dennis to learn how Australian DJ
A Tale of Two Rebellions - Zanj, Fatamid
Our Hip Deep edition “A Tale of Two Rebellions" recounts the stories of two remarkable military campaigns in early Islamic history. Both uprisings take place in the late 9th century, both involve Africans as key players, and both set the scene for the crystallization of the Sunni-Shi’ite divide in Islam, which of course continues to this day. By Joseph Browdy and Banning Eyre.
APWW #535
The Zulu Factor
Beginning in 1815, under Shaka Zulu, the Zulus began a campaign of conquest that would subsume so many other groups that today, the Zulu are South Africa's largest ethnic population, numbering at least six-million. Ethnomusicologist Louise Meintjes, author of Sounds of Africa! Making Music Zulu in a South African Studio writes that the Zulu reputation for courage and style has given them "empowering significance as a defiant, self possessed, royal, and artful African people." This program will t
Planet Afropop: 2024 Wrapup
Georges, Mukwae and Banning share highlights from 2024, including new voices from Malawi and Namibia, highlights from the Nuits D’Afrique festival in Montreal, Mukwae’s song of the year, and George’s shout-out to Africans stationed on U.S. aircraft carriers. Plus a look ahead to Mali’s Bamba Wassoulou Groove, debuting at globalFEST 2025 in New York City on January 12. Great music and good cheer to end a most unusual year!
Abidjan: A New Musical El Dorado
In the 70s and 80s Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan was a major musical hub in West Africa. After a series of political crises, Abidjan is back. The Zouglou sound of the 1990s and the coupé decalé rage that followed are being reinvented in the era of Afrobeats and African hip-hop. The group Magic System is now invited to play major events in France—including President Macron’s election victory party! The group’s front man Asalfo has launched an annual music festival in Abidjan, FEMUA. On this progr
Proving the Bubu Myth
Every year on Sierra Leone’s Independence Day in late April, musicians and revelers descend upon Freetown from throughout the country. Parades and celebrations traverse the city, joining diverse neighborhoods with processional music, including one particular local style called bubu, a trance-inducing sound played by groups of young men blowing interlocking hocketed breath patterns into bamboo tubes. Bubu resonates with other African diasporic horn traditions, rara and gaga especially. It has lon
Global Griots in France
Traditional Manding (Mande) griots living in France sit at the crossroads between Africa and Europe. Historically, their role has been to weave traditional, oral histories, often within music, to promote a united, peaceful society. As they have become part of the modern global community, each griot has their own way of staying true to these historical roles, while also broadening their appeal to multicultural audiences. In this program, we hear how these international troubadours spread their me
Planet AFropop: Celebrating Toumani Diabate
An intimate look at Toumani Diabaté through 30 years of Afropop Worldwide conversations. From his home in Bamako to concert halls worldwide, Toumani revolutionized the kora and brought West African music to new heights – winning Grammys and collaborating with everyone from Ali Farka Touré to the London Symphony Orchestra.
Join us as his longtime friend and producer Lucy Durán shares personal stories, while rare recordings capture Toumani's genius at different moments in his incredible career. Th
Ebo Taylor and the Pioneers of Afro-Funk
This Hip Deep edition, based on field work in Ghana, tells the story of how highlife turned into Afro-funk. Guitarist/composer/bandleader Ebo Taylor, is our principle guide, taking us to his hometown Saltpond to explore the roots of his complex sound, and recounting his highlife years, and his deep study of American jazz in London in the early 60s—all part of a remarkable mix. We also hear from Ghanaian Afro-funk pioneer Gyedu Blay Ambolley and other observers and veterans of this history. Among
Planet Afropop: Breaking into Afrobeats: First Klaz and Kemuel
In this episode, our reporter in Lagos, Fay Fay, turns us on to two rising stars in African music’s dominant genre, Afrobeats. First Klaz, also known as Helicopter Boy, has made his from humble beginnings to become a top contender, and Kemuel has evolved from a rapper, modeled on gangsta stars, to become a tuneful and insightful Afrobeats singer/songwriter. Fay Fay takes us inside their journeys. We end with Harrison Malkin’s report on Colombian band Monsieur Periné, with a powerful new song abo
The Mighty Orchestra Baobab
Fifty years ago, the president of Senegal’s nephew was putting together a band for his new, upscale Dakar nightclub, and he recruited a handful of musicians who are still together today. Bringing together elements from their homes across West Africa to the Afro-Cuban style of the time, the Orchestra Baobab became one of Dakar’s top bands. From the rough recordings made in Club Baobab, to their 21st century revival, their music ranges from slow folk ballads to wah-pedal heavy psychedelia. We’ll t
The Hidden Blackness of Flamenco
Flamenco as we know it was “born” in Spain in the mid-19th century. But for centuries before that, Roma (Gitanos, Gypsies) had been living in Spanish cities, often rubbing shoulders with the descendants of Africans (Moors), who had been there as both citizens and slaves going back to Medieval times and earlier. This overlooked pre-history of flamenco is explored in Miguel Angel Rosales’s groundbreaking film Gurumbé. In this program, we meet Rosales and learn to hear flamenco in a new way. We als
Reggaeton and Race
The dembow, the beat behind reggaetón, is much more than just a backdrop for a night of partying and dancing. The style of music, widely associated with Puerto Rico and forged from a mixture of Jamaican dancehall, Panamanian reggae en español, and American hip hop, has always existed as a form of social and political resistance, and continues to do so in 2020. And as such, it has endured constant attempts to criminalize, censor, and police both the music and those who consume it, from the early
Nairobi Roars
The Kenyan capital is roaring into the 2020s. On this program singer/songwriter/producer Eric Wainaina introduces us to a rising cadre of artists rocking the Nairobi scene. From hip-hop and dancehall to r&b and Gengetone, the city’s cultural melting pot is coming to a boil at a time of political change when artists are finding their voices to speak out against government corruption and champion social justice movements. We meet artists on the front line--Juliani, Karun and Blinky Bill—and take
Planet Afropop: Sia Tolno And Afro Dead
Sia Tolno escaped war-torn Sierra Leone to become a popular singer in Guinea. As her career blossomed, she shifted to Afrobeat, with deep grooves and strong political messages. But festivals and her record company discouraged her new, big band direction, and she set out on her own. That’s when Sia met American guitarist/bandleader Aaron Feder, leader of Alma Afrobeat Ensemble out of Barcelona. When Aaron set upon the idea of creating a collective of musicians to interpret Grateful Dead songs in
Africa in Melbourne
Known as Australia’s music and cultural capital, Melbourne is a hub of creativity boasting a diverse arts scene. The African community in Melbourne has been growing with Africans from all parts of the continent bringing their fashion, food and music to the city. In this episode we’ll explore African musicians and music curators who are making their mark in Melbourne. Expect to hear a blend of traditional African instruments by the Melbourne African Traditional Ensemble (MATE); funky jazz fusion
Soul to Soul: Ghana's Legendary Music Festival
On March 6, 1971, a group of some of the top musicians from the United States – Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, The Staples Singers, Santana, and more – boarded a plane bound for Ghana to perform in a musical celebration that was dubbed the “Soul to Soul Festival”. Thousands of audience members filled Accra’s Black Star Square for a continuous 15 hours of music. The festival was planned in part for the annual celebration of Ghana’s independence, but also an invitation for a “homecoming” for
Planet Afropop: Yamé: From the Paris Underground to the World Stage
Yamé is a French artist of Cameroonian descent who artfully merges R&B, hip-hop, and jazz in his music. On the strength of his breakout single “Bécane,” with a video shot in Cameroon, this young artist held firm at #1 on the Global Spotify Viral charts, accumulating over 68-million streams to date, and winning the attention of the producer Timbaland. Like Stromei before him, Yamé has made the unlikely journey from Paris’s underground jam-band scene to global fame in record time. In this episode,
Sam Mangwana - Le Pigeon Voyager
They call Sam Mangwana "Le Pigeon Voyageur" - a roaming pigeon. He could also be called a rolling stone because wherever he lays his microphone is his home. In this episode, we behold the amazing return of rumba's living legend - Sam Mangwana. Produced by Georges Collinet.
APWW #863
The Cumbia Diaspora: From Colombia to the World
The Cumbia Diaspora: From Colombia to the World by Afropop Worldwide
Planet Afropop: Mokoomba in the House
When Zimbabwe’s dynamic roots band Mokoomba had a chance meeting with a house music producer and an American kamelengoni (Malian pentatonic harp) player, the sparks flew. A few weeks later, they all gathered for two days to write and record a song aimed at the lucrative Afro-House, DJ remix market. In this Zimbabwe-focused episode, we hear new mbira music from Mary Anibal and Othnell Mangoma Moyo, and go inside the creation of a future Mokoomba dancefloor sensation. Produced by Banning Eyre.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Hidden Sounds from Ecuador, Bolivia and Uruguay
Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian musical giants have long enjoyed the spotlight, yet throughout Latin America there are other black enclaves producing some of the New World's most vibrant music. Their stories have gone untold for far too long. In this episode, Afropop explores these lost sounds, starting in an Ecuadorian desert valley where African and Andean traditions have mixed seamlessly into fiery dance music. Then we're off to mangrove-studded Esmeraldas to search out the last marimba legends
Hispanic Heritage Month 2024: Rumba Boogie and Latin Doo-wop
High quality wav for soundcloud
Planet Afropop - The Women Of Tsapiky
Tsapiky is fierce, joyful, high-energy, electric-guitar driven dance music from southwest Madagascar. Producers Morgan Greenstreet and Boris Paillard went to Tuléar to record and interview today’s main female players in the tsapiky scene. The music is typically performed in “bal poussières” (dust balls, mandriampototse in malagasy) ) that can last from three days to a week—non stop! In this episode we hear both the raw rural blast of tsapiky as well as its cleaner studio version, both of which r
The Panama Beat
High quality wav for soundcloud
Hispanic Heritage Month 2024 - The New York Sound of Latin Music
New York City has long been a major incubator for Latin music with its large populations of Puerto Rican, Dominican, Panamanian, Cuban, and Colombian musicians and music fans. We celebrate some of the giants of New York’s Latin music scene—Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, Jerry Gonzalez—as well as less well known artists. Topics include the cross-pollination between Latin music and jazz, the Panama connection featuring Rubén Blades among others, the Latin-Jewish connection and much more. Produced and
Planet Afropop - Afro Nation
Planet Afropop - Afro Nation by Afropop Worldwide
African Sounds of the Indian Subcontinent
In this Hip Deep program, we explore musical connections between Africa and India. First up is the story of the Afro-Indian Sidi community. In the 13th century, Africans arrived in India as soldiers in the armies of Muslim conquerors. Some were able to rise through the ranks to become military leaders and even rulers. Their descendants continue to live in India today, performing African-influenced Sufi trance music at shrines to the black Muslim saint named Baba Gor. Next, we dive into the swing
South African Roots in the 21st Century
Yes, it’s the age of South African House, Afrobeats, Afro R&B and the likes, but roots music lives on in South Africa. This show updates the Zulu pop music known as maskanda, with a look back at its history and a survey of the current scene--rich musically, but troubled by fan rivalry that can lead to violence and even deaths. We’ll hear nimble ukapika guitar playing, heavy Zulu beats and bracing vocal harmonies. We’ll meet maskanda legend Phuzukhemisi and veteran South African radio broadcaster
Borderless Sounds: The New North Africa
North African music receives very little coverage in the United States. There are no high-profile mixes of recent Tunisian underground dance music from hip DJs, and no young Algerian musicians with major distribution deals in the U.S. So we decided to explore what exactly is going on in this part of the world. We trace the origins of some of the region’s most interesting current music to the banlieues of Paris, like raï ’n’b--a new autotuned and synth-heavy offshoot of raï. We also explore the G
Bongo Nation: Tanzania's Music Economy
Bongo Nation: Tanzania's Music Economy by Afropop Worldwide
Benin: Transforming Traditions
This program tells the story of generations of creative musicians from Benin who translate traditional, largely Vodun occult music into popular and experimental music. We hear traditional music styles including tchinkoumé, agbadja, and kakagbo, and explore how, starting in the 1970s, Sagbohan Danialou (a singer, drummer, guitarist and composer known as "l'homme orchestre," the one-man-band) and Tohon Stanislas transformed these styles into popular music. We hear from Samuel "Jomion" Gnonlonfoun
Shake It Fo Ya Hood - The History of New Orleans Bounce
New Orleans, Louisiana is home to some of America's greatest musical traditions, and plays an outsized influence on the evolution of everything from jazz through to r&b, rock and funk. Today, the city is still legendary for its second line brass bands and brightly costumed Mardi Gras Indians. But if you've rolled through New Orleans on pretty much any night in the last 30 years, you've probably heard another sound—the clattering, booming, hip-shaking, chant-heavy roll of bounce, a form of hip-ho
The Enigma Of Baba Sora
Foutanga Babani Sissoko, known also as Baba Sora, was one of the most generous patrons of Malian musicians, particularly griots, in modern times. His gifts of cash, gold, cars and houses are legendary, and the amount of music he inspired was voluminous. But the source of all those riches turned out to be dubious, to say the least. And when he died in March 2021, he had spent his latter years a poor man. In this episode we hear the man, the music and the remembrances of those whose lives were cha
The Cameroon - Cuba Connection
The Abakuá society of Cuba conserves with remarkable orthodoxy language and rituals from the Ekpe society of West Africa. For The Cameroon-Cuba Connection, Dr. Ivor Miller shares with Georges Collinet and Ned Sublette his decades of research into the roots of Cuban Abakuá in Cameroon. Featuring ceremonial and pop music of southern and southwestern Cameroon, as well as Abakuá-themed music from Cuba.
Rap, Reggae and Cultural Resistance in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Belo Horizonte is Brazil’s sixth largest city and including its surrounding districts, the country’s third largest metropolitan area. The capital of Minas Gerais, a state built on mining, dairy products and coffee production, Belo Horizonte is often seen as a parochial, conservative backwater, yet its thriving alternative arts scene provides robust forms of musical and cultural resistance to the exclusionary policies of reactionary president, Jair Bolsonaro, especially through local variants of
La Bamba – The Afro-Mexican Story
Much has been made of Mexico's rich Spanish and indigenous heritage, but until recently there's been little talk of Mexico's so-called "Third Root": Africa. Africans came to Mexico with the Spanish as soldiers and slaves -- so many that by 1810, the black population of Mexico was equal to that of the United States. Today, African heritage persists throughout Mexico, yet for a variety of reasons, black history has long been silenced. In this Hip Deep episode, we use music to explore that history
Youssou N'Dour Live at the Ritz
In 1989, very few Americans had heard the extraordinary voice of the man destined to be named “Best African Artists of the 20th Century.” Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour and his juggernaut mbalax band Le Super Etoile had played at The Ritz in New York three years earlier, and had recently been signed to Virgin Records. N’Dour’s own star was undoubtedly on the rise. But for many, this was an introduction to a whole new wave of West African popular music. Afropop Worldwide was on hand to record the show,
Amazigh Rising, Part 2
The long awaited follow-up to Afropop's popular 2002 program "Berber Rising" brings listeners up to date on music being made by the original inhabitants of North Africa, the Imazighen, or Berber. The program will include interviews and music from Takfarinas, Malika Zarra, Idir, Amazight, Fatima Tabaamrant, Iness Mezel, Najat Aâtabou and more. We'll take the pulse of the Berber village, the push for rights and recognition in Morocco and Algeria, and the global Amazigh community at a moment of tec
Amazigh Rising
The Amizigh, or Berber, are the original inhabitants of North Africa, which means their roots run deeper than the region’s better known Arab or European inhabitants. Berber history and music span from ancient sounds from the Atlas and Kabyle mountains to the latest pop fusions. In this, the first of Afropop’s Berber music series, we get the history and hear some of the extraordinary music that history has given us. Produced by Banning Eyre.
Planet Afropop - Season Finale with Noise Cans and the Swanky Kitchen Band
The 20th edition of Planet Afropop marks the end of our first season. In this episode, we sample top new music picks from Mukwae and Banning, Georges remembers a childhood sweetheart, Mukwae interviews Bermudian DJ Noise Cans, and Banning interviews Samuel Rose of the Swanky Kitchen Band from the Cayman Islands.
Mbalax Fever
From the 1970s to the present—hip-hop and Afrobeats notwithstanding—the most beloved and popular music in Senegal has been and remains mbalax. Mbalax grew out of a scene where urban bands Dakar bands like the Star Band and Orchestra Baobab were experimenting with Afro-Cuban music, funk and other foreign styles, blending and mixing them with local traditions. Perhaps inevitably, Wolof sabar drumming entered the mix in a big way, and mbalax was born. Sabar drums, played with one stick and one hand
Planet Afropop - The Garifuna Collective: They Came Before Columbus
In this episode of Planet Afropop, we explore the music and language of the Caribbean coasts’ Afro-indigenous Garinagu People of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, St. Vincent, and Nicaragua commonly known as the Garifuna. The official story is that these are descendants of enslaved Africans who were shipwrecked on the Island of St. Vincent in 1635. The distinct Garifuna language and music challenge this narrative with mounting evidence emerging of an alternative origin story of the Afro-Caribes befo
East African Taarab
The "taarab" music of East Africa's Swahili coast offers an amazing history lesson. Bantu and coastal Africans, Arabs, Portuguese, Germans, Brits, and Indians all figure in. With guest, anthropologist and author, Kelly Askew, this Hip Deep program explores the taarab music of Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mombasa, Kenya. The show features rare recordings by the likes of taarab pioneer Siti Bint Saad, groups Babloom Modern Taarab and Tanzania One Theatre, and Afropop's own recordings of Cul
Breaking Into Afrobeats
On "Breaking Into Afrobeats" Georges Collinet and Lagos-based producer producer FayFay, shed light on the challenges faced by aspiring artists in the Afrobeats music industry in Nigeria. This episode introduces listeners to emerging talents like Romi, Bayanni, Boy Spyce, Lady Donli, Young John and Kidd Carder - highlighting their journeys, obstacles, and aspirations.
Through interviews and music, "Breaking Into Afrobeats" offers a glimpse into the diverse experiences and challenges faced by emer
Planet Afropop - Chimurenga Legacy: Thomas Mapfumo and Mary Anibal
Afropop’s Banning Eyre published his prize-winning biography of Thomas Mapfumo, Lion Songs, in 2015. In this episode, he visits the Lion of Zimbabwe at his home in Eugene, Oregon, to discuss new music, the current state of Zimbabwe and more. We hear from Mapfumo’s latest album, Ndikutambire, and sneak previews of works in progress. We also meet 24-year-old Mary Anibal of Harare, a super-talented mbira player, singer/bandleader following in Mapfumo’s footsteps.
PA #018
Ethiopia Part 2: Diaspora and Return
Part 2 of our Hip Deep in Ethiopia series features insights from Professor Kay Shelemay of Harvard University, author most recently of Sing and Sing On: Sentinal Musicians and the Making of the Ethiopian American Diaspora (2022). This episode, originally aired in 2009, takes us into Ethiopian Diaspora communities in the United States and Israel, and also in Addis Ababa itself, where new winds are blowing. Harvard's Kay Kauffman Shelemay and Ethiopiques CD producer Francis Falcetto provide expert
Ethiopia Part 1: Empire and Revolution
Ethiopia was the first Christian nation in Africa, and the only African country never to be colonized. With ethnomusicologist Kay Kaufman Shelemay and Ethiopian music scholar and compiler Francis Falceto as guests, this Hip Deep program explores the role of the Ethiopian church and monarchy in building the country's unique brassy pop music. We sample the hot sounds of "swinging Addis" on the eve of the 1974 revolution. Produced by Banning Eyre in 2006.
APWW #512
Amapiano To The World
South Africa is one of the biggest dance music nations, and now it seems like the whole world is dancing along to its amapiano (piano/yanos) beats, a genre that blends its kwaito roots with house, jazz and its signature log drum.
Afropop Worldwide first explored amapiano’s origins and growing popularity in October 2020. Since then, the genre has seen explosive growth outside of South Africa. A combination of factors, such as: a fresh unique sound, social media, the African diaspora, hard work,
Planet Afropop - Gino Sitson: Cameroonian Renaissance Man
On this episode of Planet Afropop, Georges Collinet interviews fellow Cameroonian Gino Sitson. Sitson is a maverick maestro who blends unique vocal techniques with sounds from classical instruments—cello, violin, double bass—with African traditional elements. You have to hear it to believe it. You will likely share Georges’ amazement. Also, new music from Bamako-based Ivoirian reggae star Tiken Jah Fakoly. His latest album, Acoustic, marks a striking new direction for Fakoly.
Saving The Malawi Tapes
The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation recorded a goldmine of local music in the 1960s and 70s, but the tapes were neglected and close to ruined when broadcaster Waliko Makhala raised the alarm. With help from the Norwegian embassy and Norwegian broadcaster Sigbjorn Nedland, digitization got underway. In this program, we sample the results guided by Waliko, Sigbjorn and Martin White, curator of African Poems, a website dedicated to preserving poetry from around the continent. Produced by Martin Whi
Thomas Mapfumo Live at SOB's in NYC
In 1991, Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited made their second tour of the United States. It was a fascinating transitional moment in the band’s history. Mapfumo had recently added two musicians playing the metal-pronged, Shona mbira, enriching the band’s lineup of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass and percussion. The band had now evolved into a kind of folk orchestra in which everyone sang, allowing for beautifully layered vocal arrangements. This recording, made by Afropop Worldwide at
Planet Afropop - Rachid Taha: African Punk Ghost
In this episode, producer Elodie Maillot in Paris reviews the career of mercurial Algerian-French singer, composer and activist Rachid Taha, who died in 2018. With remembrances from producers Steve Hillage, Justin Adams and others, the podcast brings to life a singular life and musical career. Taha merged rock and rai music, love poetry and fierce critique, gentle sensitivity and world-weary toughness. Today, his impact continues to grow. And even though the artist is now gone - his musical ghos
Thomas Mapfumo - The War Years
This Hip Deep edition explores the legendary early career of Thomas Mapfumo, a singer, composer and bandleader whose 1970s music set the stage for the birth of a new nation, Zimbabwe. Using rare, unreleased recordings, and recollections by Mapfumo, key band members, and prominent Zimbabweans who lived through the liberation struggle, this program traces the development of chimurenga music. Central to the program, are research materials gathered by Mapfumo biographer Banning Eyre, and commentary
From Nashville to Nairobi: The History of Country Music in Kenya
In this episode, we'll trace the history of country music, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of Black artists and fans. We'll travel to Kenya to meet rising country stars who are bringing their own unique sounds to the genre. Hear their takes on the hits of Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and more. We'll also explore the history of Black country music with music historian Elijah Wald. Tune in for an interview and performance from Kenyan country singer Steve Rogers, radio
Planet Afropop - ARB: Nigeria’s Alternative Reflective Beats
In this episode, Planet Afropop’s Lagos correspondent Fay Fay profiles a unique multi-generational band on the Nigerian scene: Alternative Reflective Beats (ARB). True to their name, ARB's music embodies the vibrant rhythms of Afrobeat intertwined with a fusion of other genres. Their mission is to maintain their distinct musical identity while creating songs that appeal to both live audiences and streaming enthusiasts. By staying true to this vision, the band aspires to establish longevity in th
Women's History Month: Umm Kulthum - The Voice of Egypt
Umm Kulthum has been called the greatest singer in the Arabic speaking world in the 20th century. Born in 1904 the humble daughter of an Egyptian village imam, she went on to become a glamorous Cairo celebrity in her 20s, and soon after that, a cultural icon whose monthly live radio broadcasts brought much of Egypt to a standstill. She turned high poetry into popular culture. She extended musical forms with her virtuoso, extended vocal improvisations. Combining historical, religious, literary an
Women's History Month: Afropop Women Warriors
This program focuses on four female artists whose music is full of challenging messages for a challenged world. Climate change, womens’ empowerment, police brutality, official corruption… All that and more in new work from Angelique Kidjo, Dobet Gnaore, Fatoumata Diaouara and Shungudzo, plus a dive into Octavia Butler’s prescient cautionary tales with Toshi Reagon. Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #827
Planet Afropop - Singeli Jumps and Rumba Swings in Tanzania!
Afropop Worldwide took 24 adventurous listeners to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and Zanzibar in February. In this episode, Dar music veteran and aficionado John Kitime takes us through highlights, including the frenetic and risqué singeli music-and-dance craze currently electrifying the country. We also get Kitime's unique insider perspective, and some deep history, on Swahili rumba, still going strong in Dar Es Salaam nightclubs.
PA #014
Women's History Month: Four Women of the West
In West Africa, women are on the cutting edge of musical and cultural progress. This program looks at four singer/composers with roots in tradition and unique ideas about how to keep them current in the fast-changing milieu of today’s African music. Mali’s Fatoumata Diawara keeps her focus on messages, mixing traditional sounds and rock idioms to reach young audiences. Senegal’s Aida Samb is finding new avenues for that country’s trademark mbalax sound, including collaborations with Afrobeats st
Women's History Month: Cheikha Rimitti, Rebel Queen of Algerian Music
Cheikha Rimitti was certainly a queen. For some, she was the queen of raï (pronounced RYE), which means “opinion" in Arabic. For others, she was the queen of freedom, an Algerian Statue of Liberty wielding the fire of independence, as she sang daringly and frankly about love, sexuality, poverty, drinking and oppression. She defied taboos and her music was often banned. She used to say that "misfortune was her teacher” but she became an international star who died at 86, two days after a sold-out
Planet Afropop - South Africa in the Green Room: Bongeziwe and Bakithi
Bongeziwe Mabandla is a maverick South African singer-songwriter whose music draws on many of his country’s rich styles, but cannot be reduced to any of them. Along with his Mozambican producer Tiago Correira Paulo, he has developed a unique, keyboard-driven sound with deep, meditative textures. Planet Afropop’s Mukwae Wabei Siyolwe calls it “music you can dance to, pray to, cry to, and celebrate to.” In this episode Mukwae speaks with Bongeziwe and Tiago as they are about to embark on a world t
Women's History Month: Afropop Women of Note
To kick off Women's History Month, DJ Kix returns with Georges Collinet to take us on a musical journey across Africa, showcasing some of the continent’s formidable women who are quickly rising in the industry and making their presence known. In this episode, we’ll hear from: top Namibian MC, Lioness; Zimbabwean Afro-fusion artist, Gemma Griffiths; as well as Kaleo Sansaa from Zambia with her “sun-drunk” sounds and “solar-based” hip-hop; alongside Hibotep’s experimental East African electro vibe
Black History Month: The African American String Music Tradition
There’s been a lot of speculation about the chain of musical events that link the blues back to Africa. Most of that chain is unrecorded and shrouded in mystery. But there is one chapter, just before the blues, that we do know quite a lot about. That’s the history of African-American string bands. This program explores the history, with music and memories from a special guest: the late string maestro Howard Armstrong. Along the way, we hear music from Canray Fontenot, Blind James Campbell, Hobar
Planet Afropop - Mas Carnaval in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
The season of Carnival (Carnaval), in Guadeloupe brings the unmistakable sounds of music from the local culture clubs to the streets like no other carnival in the world. Every Sunday from the new year to Ash Wednesday, The islanders take turns showing off their cultural traditions. Enslaved Africans, were prohibited from assembling because of Article 16 of the “Code Noir” promulgated by the King of France, Louis XIV, in 1685. After the abolition of slavery on the islands in 1848, They have been
Black History Month: The Black History of the Banjo
This program traces the history of this most American of instruments from its ancestors in West Africa through the Caribbean and American South and into the present, as a new generation of Black women artists reclaim the banjo as their own. Rhiannon Giddens, Bassekou Kouyate, Bela Fleck and more talk claw-hammers, trad jazz, Appalachian folk, African ancestors and the on-going story of American music, which would be woefully incomplete without a Black history of the banjo. Produced by Ben Richmo
Black History Month: The Black History of Tap Dancing
Foundational for Broadway and the movies, intertwined with jazz, tap dancing is a Great American Art. Strap on your shoes and shuffle along as we trace the history of tap and celebrate the Black artists and innovators who built--and continue to build--this art form. From its murky origins melding African percussion and Anglo-Irish step dancing, to tap's golden age and its ongoing evolution. Produced by Ben Richmond.
Planet Afropop - Syli D’Or Winners And Artists For Aid
Every winter, starting in February, the organizers of the annual Nuits D’Afrique festival put on a battle of the Afropop bands. Bands face off, three a night at Club Balatou, and the audience votes a winner for the night. Eventually, the field comes down to nine finalists, and that’s when we at Afropop are asked to pick the winner of the Afropop prize from those nine acts. So as the festival is about to kick off again this year,we thought it would be great to honor the 2023 winners. The big win
Black History Month: The Ring and The Shout
This Hip Deep episode presents the stunning radio premiere of "Oh, David," the traditional song of the annual Easter Rock in Winnsboro, Louisiana. The Easter Rock is in fact a surviving ringshout—the oldest known form of African American music—but it's about 600 miles west of the ringshout's heartland in Georgia. It's located across the Mississippi River from Vicksburg in the Louisiana Delta, where they don't call it a "ringshout," but a “rock.” And it totally rocks. Producer Ned Sublette attend
Afropop Cover Songs
In today’s pop music, everybody is a composer. But what about the classics? The songs that last? In this program we survey African musicians reinterpreting each other’s songs, as well as songs from far outside their traditions. And we hear foreign takes on African diaspora music. From Louis Armstrong’s “Skokiaan” to Alpha Blondy’s “Whole Lotta Love,” it’s a journey of discovery and rediscovery. Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #854
Planet Afropop - Moh! Kouyate: A Conversation with a Global Griot
Moh Kouyate is a Guinean guitarist/singer/songwriter descending from a line of griots (jalis) in West Africa. As listeners heard in the Afropop Worldwide program Global Griots in France, he has lived in Paris since 2006, collaborating with a wide range of artists from genres far outside his traditional art. In this episode, Banning Eyre speaks with Moh about his adventurous life, and particularly, his ground-breaking, new acoustic album, Mokhôya. Also, fellow Guinean artist Natu Camara gives a s
The Nyege Nyege Villa - East African Hub of the Electronic Music Underground
In 2018, the renowned music journal Fact boldly claimed that “the world’s best electronic music festival is in Uganda.” In only a few years, Nyege Nyege has indeed become one of the hottest artistic hubs in East Africa, birthing two music labels that propelled local scenes, such as Ugandan acholitronix or Tanzanian singeli, across the globe. At the heart of this explosive universe lies a big house, known as “the Villa,” that almost constantly vibrates with sounds as musicians from the region and
Calypso, Reggae and Jab-Jab Soca: Musical Resistance in Grenada
Calypso and reggae have been mainstays of Grenada’s musical culture, until the emergence of the distinctive Carnival-based offshoot known as jab-jab soca, and more recent hybrid forms embraced by a younger generation of musical practitioners. On this program, we explore how the island’s tempestuous history has influenced its dynamic music scene, with testimony from leading Grenadian music figures, including calypso kings Ajamu and Black Wizard, members of the innovative group Moss International,
Planet Afropop - A Conversation with Okwy Osadebe
Okwy Osadebe is the son of Nigerian Igbo highlife legend Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. In this lively conversation with Georges Collinet and Eme Awa, of WOWD Radio in Takoma Park, we learn about the life, music and legacy of Okwy’s late father. We also learn about Okwy’s life in the United States, and his new album Igbo Amaka, and hear tracks from both father and son. It’s a Nigerian highlife extravaganza for the 21st century.
The Fertile Crescent of Music: Haiti, Cuba, and New Orleans
In 1809, the population of New Orleans doubled almost overnight because of French-speaking refugees from Cuba. You read that right-- French-speaking refugees from Cuba -- part of a wave of music and culture that emigrated from east to west in the wake of the Haitian Revolution. We'll look at the distinct African roots of these three regions, and compare what their musics sound like today. This Hip Deep program, originally broadcast in 2005, is being repeated in memoriam the pathbreaking historia
Spiritual Journeys: Randy Weston, A Jazz Life with the African Ancestors
Jazz legend, Randy Weston, more than any contemporary jazz artist, understood, honored and explored the roots of American music in Africa. He lived there, traveled there often, and spoke of his connections to his African ancestors in every interview during his 92 years. In this program, we revisit our musical conversation with Weston in 1998, and sample some of his late solo piano recordings. Produced by Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre.
APWW #789
Planet Afropop - Year End Special
Planet Afropop closes out 2023 with a focus on celebratory music from the Democratic Republic of Congo. First, Mukwae notes some of the year’s trends in global African pop. Then we go to the streets of Kinshasa with live music from Kin’Gongolo Kinyata, recorded at WOMEX 2023 in Spain. And we end at the 35th Anniversary Dance Party at SOB’s in New York City, with Samba Mapangala and Soukous Stars. It’s a rollicking finale to an eventful year in African music.
Spiritual Journeys: Tarab, The Art of Ecstasy in Arab Music
Tarab, the ecstatic feeling associated with listening to and playing great music, is a fundamental characteristic in many varieties of Arab music. In this program, we explore tarab with special guest UCLA ethnomusicology professor A.J. Racy. Racy draws on his lifelong study of music and musicians, and also his insights as a virtuoso performer on the nay flute and the buzuq. Racy guides us through the experiences of listeners and players, providing deep insight into many varieties of tarab. We he
Spiritual Journeys: The Soul of Mbira
In 1999, almost 30 years before ethnomusicologist Paul Berliner began his research on Zimbabwean mbira music, he organized a U.S. tour with mbira artists he had worked with over the years. Billed as the Mbira Masters of Zimbabwe, the ensemble presented Shona spiritual music as never before on American stages. Revered vocalists Hakurotwi Mude and Beulah Dyoko fronted an ensemble that also included Cosmas Magaya, Chaka Chawasarira and Berliner himself. Afropop Worldwide documented the tour and too
Planet Afropop - Three Takes on Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso in West Africa is a nation on the rise. Amid recent political turmoil, it faces the challenge and opportunity of managing vast mineral wealth, including gold. As promising as these riches are, Georges, Mukwae and Banning focus here on the country’s multicultural musical riches. We hear music from the late Baba Commandant and the Mandingo band, as well as interviews and live music from Dicko Fils and the Sahel punk experimental outfit, Avalanche Kaito. Open your ears to a too-often-o
Spiritual Journeys: Traveling Spirit Masters, The Gnawa of Morocco
Gnawa musicians have carved out a unique niche within Moroccan society, as people with revered spiritual power who use music and movement to heal the sick. The Gnawas’ ancestors came to North Africa as slaves. Today they are an elite class of musicians and spiritualists, celebrated in an annual festival that attracts some 400,000 fans, and invited to collaborate with such notable international artists as jazz legend Randy Weston. In this program, originally produced in 2009, author and schola
Changui!
Changüí is a little understood, loose and lively, community-based music of eastern Cuba. In this program we sample recordings from the 2021 box set Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo, and hear from Gianluca Tramontana, the man who made the recordings. Rooted in Afro-Haitian music, pan-Caribbean styles, Spanish poetic traditions and more, Changüí emerged in the mid 19th century in plantations, not unlike the blues. We also hear from musician and scholar Ben Lapidus, author of the only English langu
Planet Afropop - Mr Eazi Gets Evil
Mr. Eazi stands out among today’s Nigerian pop stars in a number of ways. For starters, in a world of musical dreamers and schemers, he never set out to be a musician. Now, the 29-year-old is one of the most innovative and respected artists in the Afrobeats universe. His 2023 album The Evil Genius is an ambitious concept album recorded in a variety of mostly African countries. Each of its 16 tracks has an accompanying artwork by a different African visual artist. And there’s more, as you will he
African Legends: Remembering Tony Allen
Tony Allen is among the greatest drummers of the past century. His sudden death at 79 in April, 2020, was a shock felt around the world. In addition to his seminal work with the king of Afrobeat Fela Kuti, Allen had a prolific solo career and performed and recorded with artists from Angelique Kidjo, Ray Lema, Ernest Ranglin and Oumou Sangare to Damon Albarn, Brian Eno and Jeff Mills. In this program we salute a towering career in global music, with insights from Michael Veal, co-author of Allen’
African Legends: Remembering Manu Dibango
Cameroonian musician and composer Manu Dibango passed away on March 24, 2020 at his home in France, an early victim of Covid 19. This episode is a tribute to the exceptional man who, by chance, as he says, gave us the famous Soul Makossa, a tune that opened the Disco era.
In this episode of Afropop Worldwide, Georges Collinet goes back in time to recollect his friendship with his fellow Cameroonian. He explores the many ways their lives paralleled and intersected after they were sent to France
Planet Afropop - Ghana At WOMEX 2023
On this episode of Planet Afropop, we focus on Ghana at WOMEX 2023. But first, Mukwae updates us with South African sensation Tyla, and her hit "Water." Banning has a conversation and informal jam session with Ghanain musician Kyekyeku - recorded by the EBU at WOMEX in Spain. And we wrap up with Ghanain singer, Florence. She shares her origin story and we hear her music.
Episode #005
African Legends: Remembering Oliver Mtukudzi
Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, one of the most beloved singer/composer/bandleaders out of Africa in the last century, died in Harare on Jan. 23 2019 after a long battle with diabetes. Tuku, as his fans knew him, composed countless songs that cut to the heart of life in Zimbabwe, from its struggle for freedom in the 1970s through the rocky road of independence ever since. In this program, we look back at our conversations with Tuku going back to our first visit to Zimbabwe in 1988, and hear his wond
African Legends: Remembering Fela
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti would be 85 years old today had he not died from complications of AIDS in 1997. By the time of his death, Fela was the inventor of the enduring and influential Afrobeat music style, the composer of an enormous body of music, and one of the bravest political voices in 20th century African music. It is fair to say that no African musician before or since has sacrificed more for the principles he believed in. Nigerian history and music have barreled forth during the two decades
Planet Afropop - Brazil Update, The Indigenous Edition
In this edition of Planet Afropop we focus on Brazil - especially with regard the the challenges facing indigenous people within the country. We speak with musical icon and now Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes. We have a conversation with Brazilian musical legend Carlinhos Brown backstage at Central Park Summer Stage in NYC. We also have a fascinating, free-wheeling conversation with musician, rapper, cultural activist, and deep-thinker, Emicida.
Episode #004
Accounting for Taste: Dire Straits, Jim Reeves, and Death Metal in Africa
When we talk about the influence of American performers on African music, we usually think about a few obvious examples, legends like Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix or James Brown. In this episode, we go beyond these stars to explore the legacy of some lesser-known inspirations. We’ll learn how the fluid guitar playing of ’70s rock band Dire Straits became massively popular in the Sahel, influencing Tuareg rockers like Tinariwen and Tamikrest. We’ll hear about the American country superstar Jim R
Africa Seven -.5db 7.25
Africa Seven (Steven Maecs) Producer Steven Maëcs speaks with with Rich Elson, the label manager of the fast-growing cult record label Africa Seven. Officially launched in 2015, based in London and Paris and with an outlet in New York. Africa Seven focuses on releasing curated remastered vinyl albums and eclectic painstakingly researched compilations, mixing big and big “ish” hits with thoughtful deep cuts.
Black To The Future
Sometimes music can take you to places you've never imagined! That’s what Afrofuturism does.… Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic that explores the intersection of African culture with science fiction, technology and the future - fusing magical realism with the beauty of Africa, beyond the clichés. The term was originally coined by Mark Dery (an American journalist working for The Washington Post & Rolling Stone). From the start, Afrofuturism was a child of music, born in the ‘60’s in the bound
Planet Afropop - Bombino And Bobi Wine
Banning, Georges, and Mukwae speak with Tuareg rocker Bombino; and Ugandan musician and politician, Bobi Wine.
Episode #003
Hip Deep in Mali: The Tuareg Predicament
The confederations and clans collectively known as the Tuareg descend from the oldest inhabitants of North Africa. They lead a mostly nomadic existence across the Sahara Desert, in the lands we now know as Algeria, Libya, Niger and Mali. Tuareg communities have long felt neglected by independent African governments, especially in Mali, which has endured a succession of rebellions. In 2012, a Tuareg uprising led to a year-long crisis in which the Malian north separated from the country and fell u
How the Sound of Saudade Traveled to Ethiopia
Saudade is a key emotion word for Portuguese speakers. The feeling of Saudade is an untranslatable word for the deep presence of absence. In this episode of Closeup, we bridge the gap between Brazil and Ethiopia, through the sound of music. On the surface, when comparing both respective countries few similarities come to mind. But given the cultural richness of each country in regards to the food, history, and art - once you dig deeper beyond the surface you will find the feeling of saudade to b
Planet Afropop - Lagos update with Fay Fay and a conversation with Las Hijas Del Rap
We get an update on Lagos from Afropop contributor, Fay Fay. And Mukwae has a reunion/conversation with Las Hijas Del Rap.
Episode #002
Ghana Must Go
Ghana Must Go by Afropop Worldwide
Introducing Planet Afropop
Planet Afropop is the latest offering from Afropop Worldwide. Every two weeks, this podcast will feature lively conversations among the three hosts--Georges Collinet, Banning Eyre and Mukwae Wabei Siyolwe—as well as interviews, new music, trending African cultural news and much more. This is the maiden voyage for this podcast. It includes an introduction to the hosts, an interview with Afrobeats star Yemi Alade, and a conversation with author and producer Ned Sublette about Afropop’s recognition
Hispanic Heritage Month 2023: The Story of Bugalu in NYC
We honor the late Joe Cuba with this portrait of "Bugalú," produced for Afropop Worldwide by Ned Sublette. Bugalú is the Spanish spelling of boogaloo, and was also known as “Latin soul.” Joe Cuba was one of bugalú’s most popular artists, best known for the major hit “Bang Bang” that his band created on the spot one night at a New York club. Joe was a mesmerizing storyteller, and we’ll hear some of the major bugalú stars tell their stories, including Johnny Colon (“Boogaloo Blues”) and Tony Pabón
Hispanic Heritage Month 2023: Soneros Mayores - Portraits of Beny Moré and Ismael Rivera
Beny Moré and Ismael Rivera are national heroes in their home countries, Cuba and Puerto Rico respectively. They were soneros of the highest order, masters of the art of improvised singing. We'll hear some of the songs that made them famous and follow their development as artists. Produced by Ned Sublette.
APWW #134
Hispanic Heritage Month 2023: Santo Domingo Blues - The Story of Bachata
Bachata is a music of the people. Recalling the American blues, bachata was infamous as the anthem of the hard-drinking, womanizing, down-on-his-luck man, vilified as the entertainment of the brothels and the cabarets, and worshipped by the down-trodden poor as the deepest expression of their feelings. Today it is an international sensation. Alex Wolfe, director of the film "Santo Domingo Blues: The Story of Bachata" brings us live ambience and stories of bachata stars Luis Vargas, Antony Santos
Wagogo Music Heaven
Veteran Afropop producer Banning Eyre visits the Zawose family compound in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, to experience the magic of the hypnotic music of the Gogo people, the Wagogo. Msafiri Zawose, son of the late Tanzanian music legend Hukwe Zawose, describes the music and the emergence of the new Zawose Reunion Band.
Hispanic Heritage Month 2023: The Cumbia Diaspora
In this episode, we find out how cumbia left Colombia in the ‘60s and ‘70s and traveled to other countries. Everywhere it went, it transformed itself, adapting to its new environment. In Peru, it mixed with psychedelic guitar effects and Andean sounds to become chicha. In Argentina, it became the expression of a new generation of restless youth in the burgeoning slums of Buenos Aires. And in Mexico, it became so instilled in the local culture that some have forgotten that it came from Colombia i
Congo Music’s Fifth Generation
In the early 2000s, Afropop told the story of “Four Generations” in Congolese music—from rumba and rumba-rock to soukous and ndombolo. Now time has marched on, and once again, thrilling new sounds are emerging from Kinshasa and its global diaspora. We’ll hear hyperkinetic roots-rock from Jupiter and Okwess, Fally Ipupa’s embrace of the current Afrobeats trend, experimental innovations from Pierre Kwenders in Montreal, and more. We’ll also speak with Congolese music connoisseur Lubangi Muniania f
A Spiritual Journey To Mbanza Congo
To make this unprecedented program, producer Ned Sublette traveled to Mbanza-Kongo, the ancient seat of the Kongo empire located in present-day northern Angola, where he spoke to Dr. Bárbaro Martínez Ruiz, professor of art and art history at Stanford. We’ll learn about the simbi, the spirits that Martínez Ruiz describes as “the multiple power of god”; hear Antonio Madiata play the lungoyi-ngoyi, the two-stringed viola of the Kongo court; attend a session of the lumbu, the traditional tribunal of
Movement: A Conversation with Jesus Diaz
Movement: A Conversation with Jesus Diaz: Meklit Hadero is a singer and composer and the host of a new podcast called Movement, which tells the story of global migrations through music. In this shared episode, Meklit speaks with Cuban-American percussionist Jesus Díaz about his journey from playing homemade drums in Havana to performing on the biggest stages in the world Diaz. Produced by Ian Coss and Meklit Hadero.
#cuba #jesusdiaz #meklithadero #iancross #afromusic #storyteller #afropopworldwi
389 Four Generations Of Congolese Music
Congo has always played an oversized role in entertaining dance lovers on the continent and beyond with greats like Franco, Tabu Ley, Doctor Nico, Zaiko Langa Langa, Papa Wemba, Pepe Kalle, and others. We start in pre-independence Congo with the beloved "Papa" Wendo Kolossoy, the grandfather of rumba, as he talks with us at his home in Kinshasa. We talk to the man and listen in on a recording session. After sitting out most of the 3-decade Mobutu era, Wendo put together a band of veterans with s
Stambeli Music That Heals From Tunisia
Stambeli is traditional healing music in Tunisia. It is related to Moroccan gnawa music using similar instrumentation and generally for the purpose of healing a person during a ritual ceremony. But Stambeli also stands on its own at a time of cultural and generational change in Tunisia. Producer Tasha Goldberg touches down in Tunisia to connect with young and old generations who value and honor the culture of Stambeli.
#tunisia #stambeli #ritual #tashagoldberg #sufi #sidialilasmar #alchaabania
The World Sacred Music Festival In Fes, Part 1
The World Sacred Music festival in Fes, Morocco fully delivers on its promise of bringing together profound, spiritual music from around the globe. In one edition of the Festival, Youssou N'Dour debuted his Egypt project, backed by an orchestra from Cairo; whirling dervishes from Turkey and qawwali singers Meher Ali and Sheher Ali from Pakistan revealed contrasting faces of Sufi music and dance; the Orchestra of Fes showcased Andalusian and Jewish traditions and the art of Arab maqam; and Sufi N
Acoustic Guitar Heroes of Africa
Producers Jayme Stone and Cory Seznec take us on a fingerstyle guitar journey through Africa.
Journeys With The Oud
The oud is the ancestor of many modern string instruments, including the lute and the guitar. Its origins may lie in Persia or ancient Arabia, but now, it is played all over the world, used in spiritual and secular music, in classical, pop, and jazz settings. In this program, we hear oud music from Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, and elsewhere, exploring the instrument’s history, lore, and rich variety of styles and sounds. We will talk with oud masters and innovators, and delve into
The Musical Legacy of Al Andalus, Part 1 - Europe
The 700-year period of Muslim courts and conquerors in Medieval Spain (711-1492) leaves behind many mysteries. In the first of a three-part look at the musical legacy of Andalusia, this program presents period recreations of medieval Spanish music and considers the lasting influences the era would have on Europe. This program takes a provocative look at instruments--the lute and the violin--at the tradition of troubadours, European poetry and vocal styles, and much more, all informed by the insi
Etienne Charles: The Freedom of Carnival
Carnival in Trinidad is a feast for the senses – sights, smells, sounds, all blend together into a colorful celebration that you just have to see to believe. Trinidad born trumpeter Etienne Charles has composed an ambitious multi-part suite of music honoring the elements of Carnival that he experienced from a young age called Carnival: Sound of a People Vol. 1. Producer Trevor Smith speaks with Charles and we hear excerpts from the work.
#etiennecharles #composer #musicalsuite #musicalspectacle
Mali Magic 2000
In January, 2000, a group of adventurous Afropop listeners accompanied by local artists including Habib Koite and special guest Bonnie Raitt toured Mali to hear the country’s extraordinary music. This program recaps the adventure with vivid live recordings of Habib, Khaira Arby, the Super Rail Band, Lobi Traore and others in nightclubs, private homes and in the dunes of the Sahara. It was a trip that could never happen today, but close your eyes and listen, and you’ll feel the magic. Produced by
Mali - Ancient Empires to Multicultural Democracy
If you’ve followed the news out of Mali since 2012, you may be discouraged by the conflict, violence and political turmoil in the headlines. But Mali has a long and profound history. It has met many challenges in the past. In this program, Professor Cherif Keita expertly guides us through the early history of Mali, up through the end of the 20th century, told through the music of the country’s great musical artists, Salif Keita, Toumani Diabate, Ali Farka Toure and others. It’s a classic!
Prod
Mali’s Amadou & Miriam Headline the 25th Afro Roots Fest in Miami
In this episode, we make our annual trek to Miami to record the Afro Roots Festival. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Mali's Amadou & Mariam headlined. Over four decades, Amadou & Mariam have managed to joyfully combine their love story with a musical career. Touring the globe, they have become some of the most famous ambassadors of African music. Collaborations with Damon Albarn, Manu Chao, Santigold, TV On The Radio, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been well received. The duo have played the wo
The Zimdancehall Story
Inspired by Jamaica’s dancehall music from the 90s and early 2000s, Zimbabwean dancehall music (Zimdancehall) started out as an underground subculture in the ghettos of Zimbabwe and is now the country’s most popular genre.
In this episode we’ll trace the subgenre’s rocky rise to the top and meet some of its founding pioneers: the likes of producer, Jusa Dementor, and recording artist, Sniper Storm. We’ll also explore the hidden layers behind the upbeat party tunes to reveal questions about: so
Breaking Into Afrobeats
On "Breaking Into Afrobeats" Georges Collinet and Lagos-based producer producer FayFay, shed light on the challenges faced by aspiring artists in the Afrobeats music industry in Nigeria. This episode introduces listeners to emerging talents like Romi, Bayanni, Boy Spyce, Lady Donli, Young John and Kidd Carder - highlighting their journeys, obstacles, and aspirations.
Through interviews and music, "Breaking Into Afrobeats" offers a glimpse into the diverse experiences and challenges faced by eme
Global Griots In France
Traditional Manding (Mande) griots living in France sit at the crossroads between Africa and Europe. Historically, their role has been to weave traditional, oral histories, often within music, to promote a united, peaceful society. As they have become part of the modern global community, each griot has their own way of staying true to these historical roles, while also broadening their appeal to multicultural audiences. In this program, we hear how these international troubadours spread their me
Journeys With The Kora
The 21-string harp, the kora, is a signature instrument of West Africa. Complex and beguiling, kora music was long the exclusive domain of griots, musical historians by heritage. But once recordings began to circulate in the 1970s, the instrument went international, finding its way into jazz, pop, rock and even classical and religious settings. In this episode, we sample a wide range of kora music, and hear tales of its remarkable global journey.
APWW #860
Produced by Banning Eyre
Taking the Pulse in Dar Es Salaam 2023
Dar Es Salaam, a deep water port on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean Coast, is a musical powerhouse. This on-the-ground report delves into the city's top music styles, Bongo Flava, modern taarab, Swahili rumba, local gospel and the latest craze, breakneck-paced singeli music. We hear from artists and producers, sample rehearsals and live shows, and reveal a rich musical world that is far too often overlooked in coverage of African music. Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #874
Oromo Music: Historical Memory and Competing Visions in Ethiopia
The Oromo are the largest ethnic group in the Horn of Africa, but were relatively little known outside of the region until recently. This episode “Oromo Music: Historical Memory and Competing Visions in Ethiopia” looks into the history of the Oromo people and how music became an integral part of the early Oromo nationalism movement in the 20th century. Georges speaks with Kumera Zekarias, a PhD student in ethnomusicology who is working on an oral history project of the 1977 Oromo Cultural Showca
Remembering Johnny Clegg
Johnny Clegg holds a unique place in South Africa’s musical pantheon. From his childhood immersion in Zulu culture, his mastery of Zulu language, dance and guitar playing, some 20 albums with three different bands, his tireless world touring and, finally, his brave public battle with cancer, Clegg was an inspired witness to tumultuous history in South Africa and around the world. Afropop was fortunate to conduct many interviews with the maestro and raconteur over 30 years. In this program, we sa
Soul to Soul at 50 - A Look Back at Ghana’s Legendary Music Festival
On March 6, 1971, a group of some of the top musicians from the United States – Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, The Staples Singers, Santana, and more – boarded a plane bound for Ghana to perform in a musical celebration that was dubbed the “Soul to Soul Festival”. Thousands of audience members filled Accra’s Black Star Square for a continuous 15 hours of music. The festival was planned in part for the annual celebration of Ghana’s independence, but also an invitation for a “homecoming” for
Sam Mangwana - Le Pigeon Voyageur
They call Sam Mangwana "Le Pigeon Voyageur" - a roaming pigeon. He could also be called a rolling stone because wherever he lays his microphone is his home. In this episode, we behold the amazing return of rumba's living legend - Sam Mangwana. Produced by Georges Collinet.
873 Pura Vida Costa Rica - Musical Hybrids in Central America -24 LUFS
873 Pura Vida Costa Rica - Musical Hybrids in Central America -24 LUFS by Afropop Worldwide
Remembering Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba, one of the greatest singers of the past African century, died on stage at age 66 in 2016. But his body of work, both in advancing Congolese rumba and innovating new African pop sounds, as well as influencing style, fashion and music production throughout Africa, is immense. In this episode we look back on an iconic career, drawing on some 20 years of interviews with the artist, and insights from Congolese music aficionado Lubangi Muniania. And, of course, the music!
From Nashville to Nairobi: The History of Country Music in Kenya
In this episode, we trace the history of country music in Kenya, dating back to the 1920s and 30s when local populations first heard Jimmie Rodgers on early country western 78 records, to the current day, where the clubs of Nairobi are filled with rising stars bringing their own unique sounds to country music. Hear their takes on the hits of Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and more. Tune in for an interview and performance from Kenyan country singer Steve Rogers, radio and tv presente
Sauti Za Busara, Sounds of Wisdom 2023
Sauti Za Busara means “sounds of wisdom.” That gives a clue to the music heard at the annual Sauti Za Busara festival in Stonetown, Zanzibar. It’s cool, savvy, surprising but never dull, and often hard-grooving. Afropop Worldwide attended the first edition in 2004. In 2023, we returned for a three-day feast of fantastic performances from the Swahili coast, the Indian Ocean and beyond. Taarab, kidumbak, Bongo Flava, Wagogo tradition and much more were on the menu. In this program, we hear live re
WOMEX - The Women Rule
The 2022 global music exposition, WOMEX, went down in Lisbon, Portugal. For the second year running, most of the African-related showcases featured bands led by women. In this episode we meet Selma Uamusse from Mozambique and Portugal, Djazia Satour from Algeria and France, Pilani Bubu from South Africa, and hear 78-year-old Lia de Itamaracá, Brazil, positively blow away this tough-to-please crowd. And we’ll hear from some guys as well, Fra! with highlife funk from Ghana and Aywa fusing Moroccan
871 Saving The Malawi Tapes
The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation recorded a goldmine of local music in the 1960s and 70s, but the tapes were neglected and close to ruined when broadcaster Waliko Makhala raised the alarm. With help from the Norwegian Embassy and Norwegian broadcaster Sigbjorn Nedland, digitization got underway. In this program, we sample the results guided by Waliko, Sigbjorn and Martin White, curator of AfricanPoems, a website dedicated to preserving poetry from around the continent. Produced by Martin Whit
AfroRoots Fest 2022 with Dayme Arocena and Sinkane
The Afro-Roots Fest is Florida’s state-wide celebration of Africa’s global musical heritage. The 2022 edition featured a diva of Afro-Cuban jazz, Daymé Arocena, Sudanese American indie rock band Sinkane, Miami’s own Latin music champions Cortadito celebrating their tenth anniversary, and more. We’ll hear live highlights and interviews with the principles. Produced by Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow.
Afropop Cover Songs
In today’s pop music, everybody is a composer. But what about the classics? The songs that last? In this program we survey African musicians reinterpreting each other’s songs, as well as songs from far outside their traditions. And we hear foreign takes on African diaspora music. From Louis Armstrong’s “Skokiaan” to Alpha Blondy’s “Whole Lotta Love,” it’s a journey of discovery and rediscovery.
Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #854
Cheikha Rimitti, Rebel Queen of Algerian Music
Cheikha Rimitti was certainly a queen. For some, she was the queen of raï (pronounced RYE), which means “opinion" in Arabic. For others, she was the queen of freedom, an Algerian Statue of Liberty wielding the fire of independence, as she sang daringly and frankly about love, sexuality, poverty, drinking and oppression. She defied taboos and her music was often banned. She used to say that "misfortune was her teacher” but she became an international star who died at 86, two days after a sold-out
The Prehistory of New Orleans Music - Treasures from the Hogan
In 2010, to mark the 5th anniversary of the Katrina disaster, we went way way back to honor New Orleans as the unique American treasure it is. This program tells the story of how jazz emerged in the context of all the other African American musics that proliferated in late 19th and early 20th century New Orleans: blues, ragtime, Mardi Gras Indian music, vaudeville and minstrelsy, spiritual church music, and more. With our guides Bruce Boyd Raeburn and Lynn Abbott, we'll comb through a vast world
Bangkok After Dark: The Story of Maurice Rocco
Jazz pianist Maurice Rocco was a star of American nightclubs and Hollywood films in the 1930s-40s, playing in an ecstatic, stand-up style that left a deep impression on rock and roll. But in the 1950s Rocco fell out of fashion. Hoping to reverse his fortune, he went abroad in 1959. Rocco landed in Bangkok, Thailand, where he lived and played in relative privilege, away from American racism and homophobia, in an elite tier of Vietnam War-era nightlife. His murder in 1976 by two young sex workers
The African American String Music Tradition
There’s been a lot of speculation about the chain of musical events that link the blues back to Africa. Most of that chain is unrecorded and shrouded in mystery. But there is one chapter, just before the blues, that we do know something about. And that’s the history of African-American string bands. This program explores that history, with music and memories from a special guest, the late string maestro Howard Armstrong. Along the way, we hear music from Canray Fontenot, Blind James Campbell, Ho
Béco’s Brazil: New Sounds for 2023
Brazilian broadcaster, producer and music aficionado Béco Dranoff returns to Afropop Worldwide with a set of great new music from South America’s music cauldron. We’ll hear current sounds from Bahia, Sao Paulo, Rio and Belo Horizonte, including Caetano Veloso, Afrocidade, Lucas Santtana, Ze Manoel, Da Cruz, Jadsa and more. Produced by Béco Dranoff and Sean Barlow.
Afro-Tech: Stories of Synths in African Music
Technology is one of the great drivers of musical change, and often one of its least understood. In this episode, we explore the synthesizer, looking closely at the history of this ubiquitous (and often debated) piece of musical technology, and investigating how and why it was first used in a variety of African musics. Enabled by groundbreaking record reissues by synth pioneers like William Onyeabor (Nigeria) and Hailu Mergia (Ethiopia), disco stars like Kris Okotie, and South African superstar
Amapiano To The World
South Africa is one of the biggest dance music nations, and now it seems like the whole world is dancing along to its amapiano (piano/yanos) beats, a genre that blends its kwaito roots with house, jazz and its signature log drum.
Afropop Worldwide first explored amapiano’s origins and growing popularity in October 2020, since then, the genre has seen explosive growth outside of South Africa. A combination of factors, such as: a fresh unique sound, social media, the African diaspora, hard work,
From Haiti To The World
From Paris to New Orleans and Boston, Haitian musicians are shaking up the music scene. The island’s powerful Africa-rooted culture—from celebratory rara and sensuous kompa to the deep well of vodun songs—has become a global force. In this program, we spend time with racine music veteran Lolo Beaubrun of Boukman Eksperyans, and his rising star son, Paul Beaubrun, both on a swing through New England. We also meet Paris-based Moonlight Benjamin, and hear recent New Orleans-tinged music from Lakou
A Visit To Afro-Sweden
Afro-Sweden? Who knew? Over the past 60 years, a number of musicians from Africa and its diaspora have come to base themselves, or have been born, in Sweden. And recently, they have emerged as a collective voice in Swedish society. From the acoustic Mande folk of Sousou and Maher Cissoko, to the kaleidoscopic hip-hop of Timbuktu, and the smooth soul-pop of Swedish-born, Gambian-descended Seinabo Sey, there’s definitely something happening in Scandinavia. On this program we speak with and hear re
New Africa - 2022
This year, we are launching a new tradition: a year-end episode that looks forward rather than back. We’ll ask artists and others to tell us about something new they discovered in African music this year, something that points to the future. The answers range from rising- star artists, to changes in the industry, to revelations about artists and styles that have been around, just not noticed. We’ll hear from Angelique Kidjo, Oumou Sangare, Fally Ipupa and many of the artists we met at WOMEX 2022
Ghana - Celebration Sounds
In hard times and boom times, people in Ghana know how to party. In this program, we hear the regional pop and neotraditional music that animates festivals, funerals and community celebrations across the county. We travel to the lush Volta region in the east to hear Ewe borborbor, agbadza and brass band music. In the northern city of Tamale, we hear Dagbani traditional music, hip-hop and pop, and visit the vibrant Damba chieftaincy festival in nearby Yendi. Back in the bustling metropolis, Accra
Afropop Women Of Note
DJ Kix returns by taking us on a musical journey across Africa, showcasing some of the continent’s formidable women who are quickly rising in the industry and making their presence known.
In this episode we’ll hear from: top Namibian MC, Lioness; Zimbabwean Afro-fusion artist, Gemma Griffiths; as well as Kaleo Sansaa from Zambia with her “sun-drunk” sounds and “solar-based” hip-hop; alongside Hibotep’s experimental East African electro vibes and Rhita Nattah’s Aissaoua-influenced Moroccan tunes
The Black History of Tap Dancing
Foundational for Broadway and the movies, intertwined with jazz, tap dancing is a Great American Art. Strap on your shoes and shuffle along as we trace the history of tap and celebrate the Black artists and innovators who built--and continue to build this art form. From its murky origins melding African percussion and Anglo-Irish step dancing to tap's golden age and its ongoing evolution.
Produced by Ben Richmond
APWW #851
WOMEX 2022 - The Women Rule!
The 2022 global music exposition, WOMEX, went down in Lisbon, Portugal. For the second year running, most of the African-related showcases featured bands led by women. In this episode we meet Selma Uamusse from Mozambique and Portugal, Djazia Satour from Algeria and France, Pilani Bubu from South Africa, and hear 78-year-old Lia de Itamaracá, Brazil, positively blow away this tough-to-please crowd. And we’ll hear from some guys as well, Fra! with highlife funk from Ghana and Aywa fusing Moroccan
Global Griots In France
Traditional Manding (Mande) griots living in France sit at the crossroads between Africa and Europe. Historically, their role has been to weave traditional, oral histories, often within music, to promote a united, peaceful society. As they have become part of the modern global community, each griot has their own way of staying true to these historical roles, while also broadening their appeal to multicultural audiences. In this program, we hear how these international troubadours spread their me
Ladama In The Studio
Ladama is a collective of four female musicians and activists from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and the U.S. Drawing on traditions from all these countries and beyond, they create original music with the zest of soul, r&b and pop. In this podcast, the group visits the Afropop studio to perform and deconstruct key songs in their repertoire. Narrated and produced by Zubin Hensler.
The Mighty Orchestra Baobab
Fifty-two years ago, the president of Senegal’s nephew was putting together a band for his new, upscale Dakar nightclub, and he recruited a handful of musicians who are still together today. Bringing together elements from their homes across West Africa to the Afro-Cuban style of the time, the Orchestra Baobab became one of Dakar’s top bands. From the rough recordings made in Club Baobab, to their 21st century revival, their music ranges from slow folk ballads to wah-pedal heavy psychedelia. We’
New Sounds From Nigeria 2020
Nigeria is today the undisputed powerhouse of African pop music. Call it Naija Pop, Afrobeats, Afropop or what have you. The likes of Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yemi Alade and Tiwa Savage are giants on the scene. In this program we hear the latest from these and others, and sample action on the Afrobeat and Alté scene. We also speak with key artists in Nigeria and the U.S. about the rising social activism among Nigerian artists in the era of the EndSARS movement against police violence. Produced by Bann
Agua y Luz: Music of Tumaco and the Afro Colombian Pacific
Currulao is the traditional music of Colombia’s majority-Black, southern Pacific coastal region. In this episode, professor Michael Birenbaum Quintero describes how this performative practice has been used to grapple with modernization, dramatize Black politics, demonstrate national heritage and generate economic development. Currulao connects the past to an emerging future as the identification and role of race in Colombia has changed across multiple generations of musicians. Produced by Nathan
Sam Mangwana - Le Pigeon Voyageur
They call Sam Mangwana "Le Pigeon Voyageur" - a roaming pigeon. He could also be called a rolling stone because wherever he lays his microphone is his home. In this episode, we behold the amazing return of rumba's living legend - Sam Mangwana. Produced by Georges Collinet.
APWW #863
Remembering Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba, one of the greatest singers of the past African century, died on stage at age 66 in 2016. But his body of work, both in advancing Congolese rumba and innovating new African pop sounds, as well as influencing style, fashion and music production throughout Africa, is immense. In this episode we look back on an iconic career, drawing on some 20 years of interviews with the artist, and insights from Congolese music aficionado and African Art Historian Lubangi Muniania. And, of course, th
Bacardi Beats Of Pretoria
Bacardi Beats Of Pretoria by Afropop Worldwide
The Fertile Crescent of Music: Haiti, Cuba, and New Orleans
In 1809, the population of New Orleans doubled almost overnight because of French-speaking refugees from Cuba. You read that right-- French-speaking refugees from Cuba -- part of a wave of music and culture that emigrated from east to west in the wake of the Haitian Revolution. We'll look at the distinct African roots of these three regions, and compare what their musics sound like today. This Hip Deep program, originally broadcast in 2005, is being repeated in memoriam the pathbreaking historia
Reissued - African Vinyl In The 21st Century
The golden age of vinyl records is long past in Africa, but the market for rare and reissued African vinyl outside the continent has been growing steadily since the early 2000s. DJs and collectors have turned an obsession with rare records and forgotten gems from Cape Town to Tangiers into an international reissue and compilation industry, led by record labels such as Soundway, Strut and Analog Africa. This program explores some of the complex and shifting dynamics of neocolonialism, cultural ow
Suso: Gambia's Global Griots
Suso: Gambia's Global Griots by Afropop Worldwide
Never Grow Old - A Salute to Toots and the Maytals
Toots Hibbert was a titan of Jamaican popular music. With his harmony group the Maytals he indelibly changed the island’s music scene in the early 1960s by infusing ska with gospel and went on to captivate overseas audiences by blending blues and funk with reggae, becoming one of Jamaica’s best-known performers. Never Grow Old: A Salute To Toots And The Maytals is an homage to Toots, whose incredible career only ended when he tragically died of Covid-19 in September 2020, aged 77. On this show,
South African Roots in the 21st Century
Yes, it’s the age of South African House, Afrobeats, Afro R&B and the likes, but roots music lives on in South Africa. This show updates the Zulu pop music known as maskanda, with a look back at its history and a survey of the current scene--rich musically, but troubled by fan rivalry that can lead to violence and even deaths. We’ll hear nimble ukapika guitar playing, heavy Zulu beats and bracing vocal harmonies. We’ll meet maskanda legend Phuzekhemisi and veteran South African radio broadcaster
Mauritius’s Sega Roots
The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is perhaps best known for sandy beaches and, recently, a catastrophic oil spill. It is also home to a unique folkloric pop music called sega. Sega is a product of an unusual history on an island that has been populated by humans for less than five centuries. In this episode we meet three musicians traveling the world to highlight environmental issues through music as part of the Small Island Big Song project. They take us deep into the history and current sta
Quelbe - Hidden Treasure Of The Caribbean
On a visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands in winter 2018, we took the pulse of the national music of St. Croix – quelbe. Rarely recorded, rarely exported, quelbe is an energetic form, led by sax or flute with percussion and banjo, and it fuels the traditional dance style, quadrille. St Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and sits alone 42 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John. That’s part of why traditional music and dance forms have remained strong on St. Croix. Meet bandleaders Stanl
The Gqom Generation of Durban, South Africa
The latest music craze to hit South African dance floors is a dark, pulsating and energetic sound called gqom. For the past seven years, a young and technologically skilled generation in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, has created and finessed a sound that has the world hooked and wanting more. It is an entire cultural movement complete with distinctive dance moves and styles. We talk to some of the deejays and young producers of this genre, like DJ Lag, Citizen Boy and Distruction Boyz, as well as Gqom
The Story Of Gumbe
The square gumbe frame drum was created centuries ago by enslaved Africans in Jamaica. It traveled to Sierra Leone with freed Maroons from Jamaica’s highlands in 1800. From there, the drum and its evolving, pan-ethnic music spread to 17 African nations. In this program we trace the history and legacy of this joyous and surprising music with field work in Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Mali. Produced by Banning Eyre in 2020.
APWW #817
Afrobeats By The Bay
When Ugandan American writer and producer Jessica Kariisa moved to the San Francisco Bay Area early in 2022, she did not expect to find a thriving African music club scene where DJs spin the latest hits, be they Afrobeats from Nigeria or Amapiano from South Africa. In this episode, she goes deep to tell the story of how this scene emerged. Narrated and produced by Jessica Kariisa
Nuits D'Afrique 2022
In its 36th year, the Nuits d’Afrique festival in Montreal pulled out all the stops to meet the expectations of an audience that was hungry to see and hear some of the world’s biggest stars. The Afropop team was there recording two nights of kora mastery, plus Gnawa roost from Moktar Gania, Haitian pop from Wesli, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force and more. The program is a deep dive and a solid salute to North America’s best African music festival. Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #859
Making Waves: A Congolese Guitarist Tests His Range
When Siama Matazungidi first heard soukous music on the radio in Kinshasa, Congo, it was as if the keys to a technicolor world of sound had landed in his lap. Though Siama’s father wanted him to pursue the pious (and stable) life of priesthood, it was the guitar that became his place of prayer, and the dream of soukous stardom his calling. Of course, the pathway to manifesting a dream is never without detours and diversions. This is the story of Siama reaching beyond himself to create African mu
Changui!
Changüí is a little understood, loose and lively, community-based music of eastern Cuba. In this program we sample recordings from the 2021 box set Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo, and hear from Gianluca Tramontana, the man who made the recordings. Rooted in Afro-Haitian music, pan-Caribbean styles, Spanish poetic traditions and more, Changüí emerged in the mid 19th century in plantations, not unlike the blues. We also hear from musician and scholar Ben Lapidus, author of the only English langu
The Zim Dancehall Story
Inspired by Jamaica’s dancehall music from the 90s and early 2000s, Zimbabwean dancehall music (Zimdancehall) started out as an underground subculture in the ghettos of Zimbabwe and is now the country’s most popular genre.
In this episode we’ll trace the subgenre’s rocky rise to the top and meet some of its founding pioneers: the likes of producer, Jusa Dementor, and recording artist, Sniper Storm. We’ll also explore the hidden layers behind the upbeat party tunes to reveal questions about: so
858 Oromo Music: Historical Memory and Competing Visions in Ethiopia
858 Oromo Music: Historical Memory and Competing Visions in Ethiopia by Afropop Worldwide
The Cavemen: Highlife in the Age of Afrobeats
In the age of slick, international Afrobeats music, and especially its epicenter, Lagos, Nigeria, one would not expect to find a group of 20-somethings composing and performing classic highlife music. But that is exactly what the two brothers known as The Cavemen do. And they’re finding success with the formula as well. Produced and narrated by Fay Fay.
Black To The Future
Sometimes music can take you to places you've never imagined! That’s what Afrofuturism does.… Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic that explores the intersection of African culture with science fiction, technology and the future, fusing magical realism with the beauty of Africa, beyond the clichés. The term was originally coined by Mark Dery (an American journalist working for The Washington Post & Rolling Stone). From the start, Afrofuturism was a child of music, born in the ‘60’s in the boundl
The Rise of Hip-Hop in Malawi
As in so many African countries, Malawian hip-hop evolved from a marginalized and often disparaged form of music, to an underground sensation, to a mainstream phenomenon. In Malawi, it has also come to play a role in the nation’s quickly evolving politics, serving as the voice of a burgeoning youth population. Ethnomusicologist Kenneth Lipanga unpacks the story, which he has studied deeply and experienced first-hand. Narrated and produced by Banning Eyre
Toronto's African Scene
Toronto is Canada’s most cosmopolitan city--“like New York but mellower” in the words of Kofi Akah, son of the Ghanaian highlife legend Jewel Akah. Kofi is one of many superb African artists who have made Toronto their home over the years. That list is long, and it has included highlife star Pat Thomas, South Sudanese rapper Emanuel Jal, rising Congolese star Blandine, Malagasy guitarist Donné Roberts, and a hidden treasure of Ethiopian music, Fantahun Shewankochew. In this program, we take the
Dakar Muse
"Dakar Muse" takes us to one of the most exciting musical cities in Africa. We'll meet young stars on the Mbalax scene, Senegal's national music, including Tarba Mbaye, Sidy Diop, Sidy Samb and Pape Diouf. And we'll hear rappers making their mark in the huge Hip Hop scene including Dip Doundou Guiss and Ngaaka Blinde. Finally, we pay tribute to the brilliant Mbalax pioneer Thione Seck, who recently died of Covid-19.
APWW #832
Produced by Sean Barlow
The New York Sound of Latin Music
"The New York Sound of Latin Music" demonstrates how the metropolis transformed the music. Guest Ben Lapidus, author of New York and the International Sound of Latin Music 1940-1990, talks to Georges Collinet and Ned Sublette about how innovations in rhythm and instrument design joined with folklore, jazz, New York's education system, and urban multiculturalism to make a new, world-changing music. We'll hear Eddie Palmieri, Sonny Bravo, Larry Harlow, Jerry González and Fort Apache, Eydie Gormé,
Botswana, Dumelang
Botswana is a large, landlocked country in Southern Africa, a vast stretch of desert and savannah between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia with a population of only 2.2 million. While widely overlooked internationally for their music, over the past 20 years Batswana have steadily built a diverse and fruitful local scene that includes traditional choirs, hip hop and kwaito, R&B and jazz and even heavy metal. While the biggest star in the country, Franco, packs stadiums with his Congolese-derive
The Nyege Nyege Villa - East African Hub of the Electronic Music Underground
In 2018, the renowned music journal Fact boldly claimed that “the world’s best electronic music festival is in Uganda.” In only a few years, Nyege Nyege has indeed become one of the hottest artistic hubs in East Africa, birthing two music labels that propelled local scenes, such as Ugandan acholitronix or Tanzanian singeli, across the globe. At the heart of this explosive universe lies a big house, known as “the Villa,” that almost constantly vibrates with sounds as musicians from the region and
856 Calypso, Reggae and Jab-Jab Soca: Musical Resistance in Grenada
Calypso and reggae have been mainstays of Grenada’s musical culture, until the emergence of the distinctive Carnival-based offshoot known as jab-jab soca, and more recent hybrid forms embraced by a younger generation of musical practitioners. On this program, we explore how the island’s tempestuous history has influenced its dynamic music scene, with testimony from leading Grenadian music figures, including calypso kings Ajamu and Black Wizard, members of the innovative group Moss International,
Africa in Melbourne
Known as Australia’s music and cultural capital, Melbourne is a hub of creativity boasting a diverse arts scene. The African community in Melbourne has been growing with Africans from all parts of the continent bringing their fashion, food and music to the city.
In this episode we’ll explore African musicians and music curators who are making their mark in Melbourne. Expect to hear a blend of traditional African instruments by the Melbourne African Traditional Ensemble (MATE); funky jazz fusio
Afro-Roots Fest 2022 With Daymé Arocena and Sinkane
The Afro-Roots Fest is Florida’s state-wide celebration of Africa’s global musical heritage. The 2022 edition featured a diva of Afro-Cuban jazz, Daymé Arocena, Sudanese American indie rock band Sinkane, Miami’s own Latin music champions Cortadito celebrating their tenth anniversary, and more. We’ll hear live highlights and interviews with the principles. Produced by Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow.
Bomba, Plena and Puerto Rican Protest Music
On this program, we look at Puerto Rican protest songs over the past two centuries, including Paracumbé's subversive bomba dances from the time of slavery, Las Barrileras 8M, an all-women drumming group demanding an end to violence against women and a new plena from Hector Tito Matos about the death of George Floyd.
The past three years have been incredibly traumatic for Puerto Rico: two hurricanes followed by slow recovery efforts that led to the death of 3,057 on the island, a text message sc
GCs DJ Road Show: Beco's Brazil
When it comes to popular music, it's hard to top Brazil for variety, excellence and sheer volume. On this program, Georges Collinet welcomes co-host Béco Dranoff in Brazil. Béco is a producer, broadcaster and lifelong connoisseur of Brazilian music. He recently returned to Sao Paulo after some three decades in New York City. He takes us on a whirlwind tour of music produced during the pandemic, from funk to hip-hop, to mangue beat and cool singer-songwriters, it's a feast of new talent for Brazi
Hip Deep Madagascar: Songs of the North
Salegy may be the most popular dance music of Madagascar. It’s a churning, harmonious groove with spine-stiffening vocal harmonies that emerged from towns and cities of northern Madagascar in the mid-20th century. On a trip to Diego Suarez, we learn that salegy’s older origins are both fascinating and mysterious. We meet young salegy stars Ali Mourad and Jacs, and speak with the genre’s reigning legend, Jaojoby, on the roof of his nightclub in Antananarivo. Along the way we visit a music school
Afropop Cover Songs
In today’s pop music, everybody is a composer. But what about the classics? The songs that last? In this program we survey African musicians reinterpreting each other’s songs, as well as songs from far outside their traditions. And we hear foreign takes on African diaspora music. From Louis Armstrong’s “Skokiaan” to Alpha Blondy’s “Whole Lotta Love,” it’s a journey of discovery and rediscovery. Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #854
Ring the Alarm: A History of Sound System Culture
In Jamaica, sound systems are more than just a stack of speakers blasting the latest tunes to an eager crowd. Over the last 70 years, they have come to represent the most common way that Jamaicans experience music. Sound systems have touched all levels of society in Jamaica, determining the island’s popular taste and profoundly influencing the daily lives of its citizenry. This program explores the evolution of sound system culture, from the Jamaican genesis of the 1940s to its gradual impact on
Ebo Taylor And The Pioneers Of Afro - Funk
This Hip Deep edition, based on field work in Ghana, tells the story of how highlife turned into Afro-funk. Guitarist/composer/bandleader Ebo Taylor, at 77, is our principle guide, taking us to his hometown Saltpond to explore the roots of his complex sound, and recounting his highlife years, and his deep study of American jazz in London in the early 60s—all part of a remarkable mix. We also hear from Ghanaian Afro-funk pioneer Gyedu Blay Ambolley and other observers and veterans of this history
From Nashville to Nairobi: The History of Country Music in Kenya
In this episode, we trace the history of country music in Kenya, dating back to the 1920s and 30s when local populations first heard Jimmie Rodgers on early country western 78 records, to the current day, where the clubs of Nairobi are filled with rising stars bringing their own unique sounds to country music. Hear their takes on the hits of Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and more. Tune in for an interview and performance from Kenyan country singer Steve Rogers, radio and tv presente
Abidjan: A New Musical El Dorado
In the 70s and 80s Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan was a major musical hub in West Africa. After a series of political crises, Abidjan is back. The Zouglou sound of the 1990s and the coupé decalé rage that followed are being reinvented in the era of Afrobeats and African hip-hop. The group Magic System is now invited to play major events in France—including President Macron’s election victory party! The group’s front man Asalfo has launched an annual music festival in Abidjan, FEMUA. On this progr
Afropop's Women Warriors
The Covid-19 pandemic forced musicians everywhere to step off the stage and stay home, reflecting. Now, as the world gradually opens up, they are reemerging with powerful new music, and lots of it. This program focuses on four female artists whose 2021 music is full of challenging messages for a challenged world. Climate change, womens’ empowerment, police brutality, official corruption… All that and more in new work from Angelique Kidjo, Dobet Gnaore, Fatoumata Diaouara and Shungudzo, plus a di
Afropop Women Of Note
In celebration of Women’s Month, DJ Kix returns by taking us on a musical journey across Africa, showcasing some of the continent’s formidable women who are quickly rising in the industry and making their presence known.
In this episode we’ll hear from: top Namibian MC, Lioness; Zimbabwean Afro-fusion artist, Gemma Griffiths; as well as Kaleo Sansaa from Zambia with her “sun-drunk” sounds and “solar-based” hip-hop; alongside Hibotep’s experimental East African electro vibes and Rhita Nattah’s
La Bamba - The Afro-Mexican Story
Much has been made of Mexico's rich Spanish and indigenous heritage, but until recently, there's been little talk of Mexico's so-called "Third Root": Africa. Africans came to Mexico with the Spanish as soldiers and slaves - so many that by 1810, the black population of Mexico was equal to that of the United States. Today, African heritage persists throughout Mexico, yet for a variety of reasons, black history has long been silenced. In this Hip Deep episode, we use music to explore that history
The Black History Of Tap
Foundational for Broadway and the movies, intertwined with jazz, tap dancing is a Great American Art. Strap on your shoes and shuffle along as we trace the history of tap and celebrate the Black artists and innovators who built--and continue to build this art form. From its murky origins melding African percussion and Anglo-Irish step dancing to tap's golden age and its ongoing evolution.
Produced by Ben Richmond.
APWW #851
Photo: "Talladega College Women's Tap" via the National Archives.
The S Factor
What is Afrobeat … what is Afrobeats? Maybe that’s a question for the ages! Is Afrobeats a new strain of Afrobeat? Is Afrobeats just a Lagos thing? From a hub of intense creative activity, Afrobeat (without the “s”) exploded out of The Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria - Fela Kuti’s shamanic musical church and political soapbox. The funky music and radical message spread and gained an audience worldwide. It was deliciously exciting for fans, while viewed as threatening to those in power in Nigeria. After
Remembering Tony Allen
Tony Allen is among the greatest drummers of the past century. His sudden death at 79 in April, 2020, was a shock felt around the world. In addition to his seminal work with the king of Afrobeat Fela Kuti, Allen had a prolific solo career and performed and recorded with artists from Angelique Kidjo, Ray Lema, Ernest Ranglin and Oumou Sangare to Damon Albarn, Brian Eno and Jeff Mills. In this program we salute a towering career in global music, with insights from Michael Veal, co-author of Allen’
Egypt's Living Traditions
As Egyptians struggle to forge a new, post-revolution identity, some will look to traditions. The country is rich in indigenous culture from the amorous odes of desert Bedouins to the keening boom and blare of a Zeffa wedding procession. New Cairo venues now present Nubian music, ancient sounds from the Delta and Suez regions, and even the music of the zar healing ritual—elevating these forms above touristic fare found on Nile Cruises and in old Cairo. This Hip Deep edition, rich with recordi
WOMEX - The Lusophone Connection
WOMEX 2021 in Porto, Portugal, delivered the event’s trademark extravaganza of live showcases from around the world. But given the location, there was a special focus on Lusophone acts from Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. This program features highlights and interviews from Pongo (Angola), Neuza (Cape Verde), Lucas Santana (Brazil), Bandé Gamboa (Guinea-Bissau/Cape Verde), Ayom (Spain) and more.
Produced by Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow
APWW #849
I Am The Upsetter: The Sonic Innovation of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
Jamaican record producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry is widely celebrated as one of the most important creative figures to emerge in the late-20th Century. In 'I Am The Upsetter: The Sonic Innovation of Lee 'Scratch' Perry,' producer David Katz, who is Perry's authorized biographer, draws on archive interviews to explore his incredible career, which began in the early 1960s and continued until August 2021, only ending when Perry died, aged 85. One of Bob Marley's most important mentors, Perry's Black Ar
Off the Beaten Track - Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Beyond
Off the Beaten Track - Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Beyond
This program ventures into corners of Africa we hear from rarely, guided by adventurous field recordists and crate diggers. The Zomba Prison Project is a set of recordings by inmates at a maximum security prison in Malawi, currently the poorest nation on earth. The project’s debut CD was nominated for a Grammy Award. Here, we speak with the producer, Ian Brennan, and hear tracks from a new volume of soulful, even heartbreaking, songs from
A Tango with Robert Farris Thompson
One of the spiritual fathers of Afropop Worldwide has joined the ancestors. After an extraordinarily rich and full life, Dr. Robert Farris Thompson -- or, as he preferred to be called, "T" -- passed on November 29, 2021, at the age of 88. Through his books, lectures and mentorship, T revolutionized the study of African art and culture beginning in the 1950s, and he inspired generations of students and scholars.
While his academic discipline was art hisotry, music was central to his conception.
Afropop Wildcards 2021 Edition
Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre close out 2021 with a wide ranging tour through music that touched them in 2021, and a look ahead at 2022. No top ten lists or “best of the year” lists, but rather a taste of things overlooked, and a few surprises. Featured is Georges’s and Banning’s interview with American music icon Herb Alpert, and a sneak preview of Georges’s upcoming salute to a giant of Congolese music, Sam Mangwana. Expect a few laughs, and plenty of fantastic music to savor as 2021 winds
Afropop Jam
On today’s edition, “Afropop Jam,” we’ll groove on cool new releases by artists from Congo, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Martinique, Cuba and more.
APWW #835
WOMEX Rises in 2021
After the pandemic forced it to go virtual for a year, the WOMEX world music expo was back in 2021 for its 27th edition in Porto, Portugal. In this program we hear live performances and interviews from key showcase artists, including Gnawa innovations from Bab l’Bluz, Uganda’s Nakibembe Xylophone Troupe, brassy Ghanaian gospel from Algote Oho & His Sounds of Joy, Afro-funk bass virtuoso Manou Gallo, Egypt’s Mazahar, and Sudan’s Ebo Krdum, plus the world’s hottest fusion of Afro-Cuban music and f
Remembering Oliver Mtukudzi
Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, one of the most beloved singer/composer/bandleaders out of Africa in the last century, died in Harare on Jan. 23 2019 after a long battle with diabetes. Tuku, as his fans knew him, composed countless songs that cut to the heart of life in Zimbabwe, from its struggle for freedom in the 1970s through the rocky road of independence ever since. In this program, we look back at our conversations with Tuku going back to our first visit to Zimbabwe in 1988, and hear his wond
Jamaica - Big A Yard, Big Abroad!
Since the 1960s in Jamaica, iconic figures such as Bob Marley have gathered in backyards to write reggae anthems that conquered world charts. The yard remains a cornerstone in Jamaican culture. Musicians withdraw from the violence of the city to create and play songs in their yards. In Jamaican patois, “mi yard” means “my home,” and many songs, proverbs and colloquialisms hinge on the word “yard.” More even than the music itself, the yard evokes a state of mind and a physical space wherein artis
The Sound of New York Latin Music
THE SOUND OF NEW YORK LATIN MUSIC takes a deep sonic dive into the great New York Latin discography, with host Georges Collinet and guest host Ned Sublette, who produced and megamixed. Special guest Dr. Ben Lapidus, author of New York and the International Sound of Latin Music 1940-1990, tells us stories of the musicians and the conditions that made the city's music unique. With nonstop music by Ray Barretto, Jerry González and the Fort Apache Band, Markolino Diamond, a snippet of Joe Quijano's
The Zimdancehall Story
Inspired by Jamaica’s dancehall music from the 90s and early 2000s, Zimbabwean dancehall music (Zimdancehall) started out as an underground subculture in the ghettos of Zimbabwe and is now the country’s most popular genre.
In this episode we’ll trace the subgenre’s rocky rise to the top and meet some of its founding pioneers: the likes of producer, Jusa Dementor, and recording artist, Sniper Storm. We’ll also explore the hidden layers behind the upbeat party tunes to reveal questions about: soc
The Kwaito Generation
Producer Brandi Howell speaks with DJ Lynneé Denise, an artist and scholar of underground cultural movements and the electronic music of the African diaspora. This podcast explores “DJ Scholarship” and the evolving music and cultural conversation of the Black Atlantic.
The Hidden Blackness Of Flamenco
Flamenco as we know it was “born” in Spain in the mid-19th century. But for centuries before that, Roma (Gitanos, Gypsies) had been living in Spanish cities, often rubbing shoulders with the descendants of Africans (Moors), who had been there as both citizens and slaves going back to Medieval times and earlier. This overlooked pre-history of flamenco is explored in Miguel Angel Rosales’s groundbreaking film Gurumbé. In this program, we meet Rosales and learn to hear flamenco in a new way. We als
New Sounds From Nigeria
Nigeria is today the undisputed powerhouse of African pop music. Call it Naija Pop, Afrobeats, Afropop or what have you. The likes of Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yemi Alade and Tiwa Savage are giants on the scene. In this program we hear the latest from these and others, and sample action on the Afrobeat and Alté scene. We also speak with key artists in Nigeria and the U.S. about the rising social activism among Nigerian artists in the era of the EndSARS movement against police violence. Produced by Bann
Closeup: Echoes of Yaa Amponsah
"Yaa Amponsah" is a song from Africa's earliest guitar tradition, palmwine music. Dating to the late 19th or early 20th century this style developed in port cities across the continent's western coast as Africans traveled to trade goods and music. Yaa Amponsah is also what Ghanaian musicians call a "rhythm"—a blueprint of harmonies, rhythms, and melodies that has informed thousands of songs from its first recording in 1928 through to contemporary music. In this Afropop Closeup, guitarist Natha
The Nyege Nyege Villa - East African Hub of the Electronic Music Underground
In 2018, the renowned music journal Fact boldly claimed that “the world’s best electronic music festival is in Uganda.” In only a few years, Nyege Nyege has indeed become one of the hottest artistic hubs in East Africa, birthing two music labels that propelled local scenes, such as Ugandan acholitronix or Tanzanian singeli, across the globe. At the heart of this explosive universe lies a big house, known as “the Villa,” that almost constantly vibrates with sounds as musicians from the region and
The Enigma Of Baba Sora
Foutanga Babani Sissoko, known also as Baba Sora, was one of the most generous patrons of Malian musicians, particularly griots, in modern times. His gifts of cash, gold, cars and houses are legendary, and the amount of music he inspired was voluminous. But the source of all those riches turned out to be dubious, to say the least. And when he died in March 2021, he had spent his latter years a poor man. In this episode we hear the man, the music and the remembrances of those whose lives were cha
Closeup: Learning Congolese Guitar
Congolese guitar is one of the pearls of African music. Intricate, joyful and seriously challenging, it’s long been a passion of producer/guitarist Banning Eyre. Through an innovative new online learning website—the World Music Method—he met guitarist Niwel Tsumbu, a brilliant guitarist and teacher, who delves here into Congo guitar history.
Produced by Banning Eyre.
The Black History Of The Banjo
We trace the history of this most American of instruments from its ancestors in West Africa through the Caribbean and American South and into the present, as a new generation of Black women artists reclaim the banjo as their own. Rhiannon Giddens, Bassekou Kouyate, Bela Fleck and more talk claw-hammers, trad jazz, Appalachian folk, African ancestors and the on-going story of American music, which would be woefully incomplete without a Black history of the banjo.
Produced by Ben Richmond
Toronto's African Scene
Toronto is Canada’s most cosmopolitan city--“like New York but mellower” in the words of Kofi Akah, son of the Ghanaian highlife legend Jewel Akah. Kofi is one of many superb African artists who have made Toronto their home over the years. That list is long, and it has included highlife star Pat Thomas, South Sudanese rapper Emanuel Jal, rising Congolese star Blandine, Malagasy guitarist Donné Roberts, and a hidden treasure of Ethiopian music, Fantahun Shewankochew. In this program, we take the
Closeup: Franco Speaks (1985)
In 1985, Sean Barlow made his first trip to Africa to check out musical life there. Afropop Worldwide was still a dream at that point, but the experiences he had on that trip put wind in his sails. One highlight was the afternoon he spent interviewing Luambo Makiadi a.k.a. Franco at the bandleader's home in the Limité neighborhood of Kinshasa. Franco had recently played his first concerts in the United States. Although few outside the African diaspora community had any idea who he was, Franco wa
The Gorgon, The Originator, and The Dub Master
During the last 60 years, Jamaican music has constantly reinvented itself, a handful of innovators pioneering distinct musical genres such as ska, rock steady, reggae and dancehall, as well shorter-lived subgenres.
But Jamaica's musical trendsetters did much more than just shake up the island's music scene. At crucial intervals, their inventiveness has dramatically changed or even spawned a range of popular forms overseas—sewing seeds for rap via the deejay style and stimulating remix culture t
Closeup: Kakuma Sounds
Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp is a virtual city of people displaced by three decades of war in East and Central Africa. Kenyan music producer Treynor Tumwa and American musician/scholar Mark LeVine founded Kakuma Sound to provide traditional instruments to the camp’s talented artists. Hosted by Banning Eyre.
Changui!
Changüí is a little understood, loose and lively, community-based music of eastern Cuba. In this program we sample recordings from the 2021 box set Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo, and hear from Gianluca Tramontana, the man who made the recordings. Rooted in Afro-Haitian music, pan-Caribbean styles, Spanish poetic traditions and more, Changüí emerged in the mid 19th century in plantations, not unlike the blues. We also hear from musician and scholar Ben Lapidus, author of the only English langu
The Mighty Orchestra Baobab
Fifty years ago, the president of Senegal’s nephew was putting together a band for his new, upscale Dakar nightclub, and he recruited a handful of musicians who are still together today. Bringing together elements from their homes across West Africa to the Afro-Cuban style of the time, the Orchestra Baobab became one of Dakar’s top bands. From the rough recordings made in Club Baobab, to their 21st century revival, their music ranges from slow folk ballads to wah-pedal heavy psychedelia. We’ll t
Closeup: Yasmin Williams—Guitar Hero To Guitar Hero
With a style all her own, Yasmin Williams has gone from video game virtuoso to one of the freshest and most original solo acoustic guitarists today. She talks to producer Ben Richmond about her influences, her unique instrumentation, and forging her own path as a young Black woman artist in a genre dominated by white dudes.
Afropop Closeup Season 6
Nairobi Roars
The Kenyan capital is roaring into the 2020s. On this program singer/songwriter/producer Eric Wainaina introduces us to a rising cadre of artists rocking the Nairobi scene. From hip-hop and dancehall to r&b and Gengetone, the city’s cultural melting pot is coming to a boil at a time of political change when artists are finding their voices to speak out against government corruption and champion social justice movements. We meet artists on the front line--Juliani, Karun and Blinky Bill—and take
Soul To Soul At 50
On March 6, 1971, a group of some of the top musicians from the United States – Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, The Staples Singers, and more – boarded a plane bound for Ghana to perform in a musical celebration that was dubbed the “Soul to Soul Festival”. Thousands of audience members filled Accra’s Black Star Square for a continuous 15 hours of music. The festival was planned in part for the annual celebration of Ghana’s independence, but also an invitation for a “homecoming” for these no
The Cameroon-Cuba Connection
Special guest Dr. Ivor Miller, back from a 2021 research trip to Cameroon, takes us into the complexities of south Cameroonian spiritual tradition and its connection to the Cuban Abakuá secret society for men. Featuring Abakuá-themed music from Cuba, ceremonial music from Cameroon, and Batanga pop by Chief Eko Roosevelt, Pablo Gabbana, and Emily Sadey.
Produced by Ned Sublette.
Lyres Of East Africa
Known by names like krar, kisara, tambur, simsimiyya and masinkob, the lyres of East Africa represent some of the world’s oldest string instruments. The Otaak Band is dedicated to uplifting and advancing these traditions. Otaak founder Miguel Merino tells the story with audio from his work in Egypt during the pandemic.
Produced by Miguel Merino.
Afropop Closeup Season Six.
GC's DJ Road Show - Beco's Brazil
When it comes to popular music, it's hard to top Brazil for variety, excellence and sheer volume. On this program, Georges Collinet welcomes co-host Béco Dranoff in Brazil. Béco is a producer, broadcaster and lifelong connoisseur of Brazilian music. He recently returned to Sao Paulo after some three decades in New York City. He takes us on a whirlwind tour of music produced during the pandemic, from funk to hip-hop, to mangue beat and cool singer-songwriters, it's a feast of new talent for Brazi
New Moves In African Jazz
It’s a truism that jazz has roots in Africa, but compared with other forms of Black American music, it doesn’t have a large audience there. Just the same, African musicians have long been smitten with jazz, and have always found inventive ways to incorporate jazz elements into their sounds. On this program we meet young artists forging new paths in Afro-Jazz: Etuk Ubong from Nigeria, Awale Jant Band from Senegal by way of London, Afrikan Protokol form Burkina Faso by way of Belgium. It’s a freew
CloseUp: Simphy
Producer Matthew Key—AKA DJ M-Point goes deep with a rising South African artist/producer on the evolution of kwaito and hip-hop in one of Africa’s most exciting contemporary music scenes.
Afropop Closeup Season Six
Reggaetón and Race
The dembow, the beat behind reggaetón, is much more than just a backdrop for a night of partying and dancing. The style of music, widely associated with Puerto Rico and forged from a mixture of Jamaican dancehall, Panamanian reggae en español, and American hip hop, has always existed as a form of social and political resistance, and continues to do so in 2020. And as such, it has endured constant attempts to criminalize, censor, and police both the music and those who consume it, from the early
Rap, Reggae and Cultural Resistance in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Belo Horizonte is Brazil’s sixth largest city and including its surrounding districts, the country’s third largest metropolitan area. The capital of Minas Gerais, a state built on mining, dairy products and coffee production, Belo Horizonte is often seen as a parochial, conservative backwater, yet its thriving alternative arts scene provides robust forms of musical and cultural resistance to the exclusionary policies of reactionary president, Jair Bolsonaro, especially through local variants of
Jazz ReFreshed in London
Prior to the pandemic, London’s jazz scene was blooming and gaining a worldwide reputation for innovation. The folks at Jazz Refreshed had everything to do with that. Jazz singer and producer Tess Hirst tells the story.
Afropop Closeup Season 6
837 Afropop's Women Warriors
The Covid-19 pandemic forced musicians everywhere to step off the stage and stay home, reflecting. Now, as the world gradually opens up, they are reemerging with powerful new music, and lots of it. This program focuses on four female artists whose 2021 music is full of challenging messages for a challenged world. Climate change, womens’ empowerment, police brutality, official corruption… All that and more in new work from Angelique Kidjo, Dobet Gnaore, Fatoumata Diaouara and Shungudzo, plus a di
Live From The Archive
Live from the Archive
When Afropop Worldwide launched back in 1988, a key goal was to capture the live energy of incredible artists emerging from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond. Most of those recordings were preserved on reel-to-reel tapes. The coronavirus lockdown has given us a chance to start revisiting and preserving. And we have been amazed to rediscover the energy of that thrilling era. On this music-rich program, we hear live music from Congo’s Papa Wemba, South African township heroe
Afropop Closeup: Miss Pat Chin
Pat and Vincent Chin founded VP Records, one of the world’s biggest and most consequential reggae record labels. At 80, Miss Pat looks back on a legendary life. This Afropop Closeup Season 6 premiere is hosted by Banning Eyre.
Africa In Melbourne
Known as Australia’s music and cultural capital, Melbourne is a hub of creativity boasting a diverse arts scene. The African community in Melbourne has been growing with Africans from all parts of the continent bringing their fashion, food and music to the city.
In this episode we’ll explore African musicians and music curators who are making their mark in Melbourne. Expect to hear a blend of traditional African instruments by the Melbourne African Traditional Ensemble (MATE); funky jazz fusio
835 AfroJam
We jam to cool new releases by Jupiter & Okwess, Toots (RIP) & the Maytals, Dobet Gnahore, Khaira Arby (RIP), Adekunle Gold, Tiwa Savage, WizKid, Angelique Kidjo & Burna Boy, Delgres and others.
Hip Deep Angola Part 4: The Cuban Intervention In Angola
The 27 year-long Angolan civil war was also an international crossroads of the Cold War as well as a regional resource war, involving Cuba, the Soviet Union, Zaire, South Africa, and the U.S. When it was over, Namibia was independent, apartheid had fallen, Angola was a nation, and the Soviet Union had ceased to exist. Through music, interviews, and historical radio clips, producer Ned Sublette, author of Cuba and Its Music, tells the story of Cuba’s massive commitment in Africa, from the Cuban R
Encounter With The Ancestors
For over 10 years, Eric Nelson Efa and members of his association, the Azania Way Culture, have crisscrossed almost half of Cameroon's 10 regions: the deep North, around Lake Chad, the central region, the Adamawa and the south, to record traditional musicians who are getting very old and are the last repository of traditional music in Cameroon. In this episode of Afropop Worldwide, Georges Collinet takes us to Eric's village in the deep forest of southern Cameroon to listen to his story. We als
The Panama Beat
Central America, a narrow, mountainous, and largely impoverished stretch of land spanning seven countries, is a surprising and underexposed Latin American musical hot zone. The region’s bizarre and tumultuous history has led to a fascinating mix of cultural influences – Spanish conquistadors, British pirates, and American banana companies have at one time or another vied for power. Add to this mix the presence of large indigenous enclaves, Anglo-Caribbean migrants, the Afro-Arawak Garifuna and M
833 Afro Roots Fest 2021
Miami’s Afro Roots Fest is back on stage at the North Miami Beach Bandshell. Mostly. The 2021 edition featured live performances by Afro-Nicaraguan singer/songwriter Philip Montabán and by sacred steel guitar master Roosevelt Collier, with special guests Richard Bona and Weedie Braimah. There were also remote concert sets from Vieux Farka Toure in Mali and Fulu Miziki in Uganda. The Afropop team was there to capture the excitement of socially distanced live music under the stars. The program fea
Hip Deep Angola, Part 3: A Spiritual Journey to Mbanza-Kongo
To make this unprecedented program, producer Ned Sublette traveled to Mbanza-Kongo, the ancient seat of the Kongo empire located in present-day northern Angola, where he spoke to Dr. Bárbaro Martínez Ruiz, professor of art and art history at Stanford. We’ll learn about the simbi, the spirits that Martínez Ruiz describes as “the multiple power of god”; hear Antonio Madiata play the lungoyi-ngoyi, the two-stringed viola of the Kongo court; attend a session of the lumbu, the traditional tribunal of
The Money Show
The Money Show
Every day, money changes hands in Ghanaian cedi, South African rand, and Brazilian real as music is created, traded, performed, purchased and pirated. In this episode we look at the business side of African music, through a series of vignettes from around the continent and diaspora that illuminate the deep connections between musical creation and the economies that sustain it. We start with the story of how cellphones are transforming Africa's music industries. Then, we see how e
Dakar Muse
"Dakar Muse" takes us to one of the most exciting musical cities in Africa. We'll meet young stars on the Mbalax scene, Senegal's national music, including Tarba Mbaye, Sidy Diop, Sidy Samb and Pape Diouf. And we'll hear rappers making their mark in the huge Hip Hop scene including Dip Doundou Guiss and Ngaaka Blinde. Finally, we pay tribute to the brilliant Mbalax pioneer Thione Seck, who recently died of Covid-19.
APWW #832
Produced by Sean Barlow
831 Nairobi Roars
The Kenyan capital is roaring into the 2020s. On this program singer/songwriter/producer Eric Wainaina introduces us to a rising cadre of artists rocking the Nairobi scene. From hip-hop and dancehall to r&b and Gengeton, the city’s cultural melting pot is coming to a boil at a time of political change when artists are finding their voices to speak out against government corruption and champion social justice movements. We meet artists on the front line--Juliani, Karun and Blinky Bill—and take a
Punk In Africa
When you think punk, a few locations tend to come to mind- New York, London, LA. But Durban? Jo’Burg? South Africa? In this program, we are taking a trip to a time and a place where punk had a very different meaning, exploring the music and the legacy of the mixed race bands that challenged apartheid. Little known to the outside world, and often overlooked even within South Africa, groups like National Wake, The Genuines, and The Kalahari Surfers used music to articulate their disgust with the
Toronto's African Scene
Toronto is Canada’s most cosmopolitan city--“like New York but mellower” in the words of Kofi Akah, son of the Ghanaian highlife legend Jewel Akah. Kofi is one of many superb African artists who have made Toronto their home over the years. That list is long, and it has included highlife star Pat Thomas, South Sudanese rapper Emanuel Jal, rising Congolese star Blandine, Malagasy guitarist Donné Roberts, and a hidden treasure of Ethiopian music, Fantahun Shewankochew. In this program, we take the
Two Lions: Bunny Wailer and Hakim
On this program we survey the careers of two giants within their genres. Bunny Wailer is the last surviving member of the original Bob Marley and the Wailers trio. Right up to his 2016 tour, where we met him, this architect of reggae music has continued to carry the banner with new concerts and recordings. And he tells his story with bracing poetic candor. Meanwhile in Egypt, Hakim, the lion of shaabi music, remains a superstar and a player in that country’s turbulent pop scene. On a rare visit
829 Soul To Soul At 50
On March 6, 1971, a group of some of the top musicians from the United States -– Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, the Staple Singers, and more -– boarded a plane bound for Ghana to perform in a musical celebration that was dubbed the “Soul to Soul Festival.” Thousands of audience members filled Accra’s Black Star Square for a continuous 15 hours of music. The festival was planned in part for the annual celebration of Ghana’s independence, but also as an invitation to a “homecoming” for these
The Black History Of The Banjo
We trace the history of this most American of instruments from its ancestors in West Africa through the Caribbean and American South and into the present, as a new generation of Black women artists reclaim the banjo as their own. Rhiannon Giddens, Bassekou Kouyate, Bela Fleck and more talk claw-hammers, trad jazz, Appalachian folk, African ancestors and the on-going story of American music, which would be woefully incomplete without a Black history of the banjo. Produced by Ben Richmond.
[APWW
The Soul Of Black Brazil
We explore the rich period in the 1970s when soul flourished in Brazil. We’ll hear standard bearers of the movement such as Tim Maia, Ed Motta, Toni Tomado, Sandra de Sá and others. Tales by participants from back in the day plus commentary by author Christopher Dunn.
[APWW #436] [Originally aired 2004]
A Tale Of Two Rebellions
Our Hip Deep edition “A Tale of Two Rebellions,” recounts the stories of two remarkable military campaigns in early Islamic history. Both uprisings take place in the late 9th century, both involve Africans as key players, and both set the scene for the crystallization of the Sunni-Shi’ite divide in Islam, which of course continues to this day. By Joseph Browdy and Banning Eyre.
[APWW #535]
New Moves In Afro - Jazz
It’s a truism that jazz has roots in Africa, but compared with other forms of Black American music, it doesn’t have a large audience there. Just the same, African musicians have long been smitten with jazz, and have always found inventive ways to incorporate jazz elements into their sounds. On this program we meet young artists forging new paths in Afro-Jazz: Etuk Ubong from Nigeria, Awale Jant Band from Senegal by way of London, Afrikan Protokol form Burkina Faso by way of Belgium. It’s a freew
Crate Diggers And Remixers
A vast, new world of DJs, record collectors and producers are going to far reaches of the Earth to find forgotten records and new styles of music. Their discoveries are then brought back home, remixed, repackaged and re-released to be heard by an entirely new audience. We speak to some of these globetrotting DJ and producers Chief Boima and Geko Jones to hear about their experiences, the music they’ve discovered and how they go about remixing some of these styles in order to create a new and upd
The Other Afro-Latino: Hidden Sounds from Ecuador, Bolivia and Uruguay
Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian musical giants have long enjoyed the spotlight, yet throughout Latin America there are other black enclaves producing some of the New World's most vibrant music. Their stories have gone untold for far too long. In this episode, Afropop explores these lost sounds, starting in an Ecuadorian desert valley where African and Andean traditions have mixed seamlessly into fiery dance music. Then we're off to mangrove-studded Esmeraldas to search out the last marimba legends
Umm Kulthum - The Voice Of Egypt
Umm Kulthum has been called the greatest singer in the Arabic speaking world in the 20th century. Born in 1904 the humble daughter of an Egyptian village imam, she went on to become a glamorous Cairo celebrity in her 20s, and soon after that, a cultural icon whose monthly live radio broadcasts brought much of Egypt to a standstill. She turned high poetry into popular culture. She extended musical forms with her virtuoso, extended vocal improvisations. Combining historical, religious, literary an
2020 Highlights
2020 has been a year like no other. Tours and concerts have been cancelled, and future plans remain up in the air. Just the same, a great deal of fantastic music has emerged from Africa and the diaspora. In their annual tradition, Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre take stock of the year’s offerings, covering an ever-growing array of styles and artistic movements. Not exactly a “best of the year” show, but you can be sure to hear artists and sounds you won’t find anywhere else! Produced by Bannin
New Sounds From Nigeria 2020
Nigeria is today the undisputed powerhouse of African pop music. Call it Naija Pop, Afrobeats, Afropop or what have you. The likes of Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, Olamide and Fireboy DML are giants on the scene. In this program we sample the latest from these and others, and sample action on the Afrobeat scene. We also speak with key artists in Nigeria and the U.S. about the rising social activism among Nigerian artists in the era of the EndSARS movement against police violence.
Reggaetón and Race
The dembow, the beat behind reggaetón, is much more than just a backdrop for a night of partying and dancing. The style of music, widely associated with Puerto Rico and forged from a mixture of Jamaican dancehall, Panamanian reggae en español, and American hip hop, has always existed as a form of social and political resistance, and continues to do so in 2020. And as such, it has endured constant attempts to criminalize, censor, and police both the music and those who consume it, from the early
Sao Paulo Migrations: Hybrid Musical Resistance in Brazil’s Alpha City
Brazil’s economic and artistic powerhouse, São Paulo is a true megapolis, being the largest city in Latin America and fourth largest city in the world. Built on successive waves of immigration, it’s a melting pot of cultures, viewpoints and musical beats with a flourishing alternate arts scene that includes vibrant poetry slams, renowned street art and an incredible array of music forms that push against established hierarchies of race, class, gender and sexual orientation. In this dramatically
The Mighty Amazon
The Amazon River basin has long been a mystery to Brazil. Located far from the centers of business and power in the nation's southeast, the jungle provinces of the Brazilian north have long been ignored by the nation at large. But recently, Brazilians have discovered that the cities and waterways of the Amazon are home to some of the nation's hottest music. In this Hip Deep episode—a musical history of Pará state, where Afro-Caribbean influences have created a unique local flavor that connects t
822 The Story Of Baobab
Fifty years ago, the president of Senegal’s nephew was putting together a band for his new, upscale Dakar nightclub, and he recruited a handful of musicians who are still together today. Combining elements from their homes across West Africa into lush Afro-Cuban arrangements, the Orchestra Baobab became one of the continent's top bands.
Follow the group from the rough recordings made in Club Baobab, through their breakup and verdant 21st century revival, enjoying their mastery of everything f
GC's DJ Roadshow - From Kwaito To Amapiano
In this episode, Georges Collinet inaugurates a traveling talent search introducing guest deejays and producers with unique perspectives on global African music. First up is Matthew Key—a.k.a. DJ M-Point—host of "The Loxion Music Mix Show" on WESU FM in Middletown, CT. Key has been absorbed in South Africa’s post-apartheid pop music for 22 years, and he takes us on a tour through a succession of genres, starting with kwaito, the country’s joyous, jazzy response to long awaited freedom, and leadi
Quelbe - Hidden Treasure Of The Caribbean
On a visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands in winter 2018, we took the pulse of the national music of St. Croix – quelbe. Rarely recorded, rarely exported, quelbe is an energetic form, led by sax or flute with percussion and banjo, and it fuels the traditional dance style, quadrille. St Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and sits alone 42 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John. That’s part of why traditional music and dance forms have remained strong on St. Croix. Meet bandleaders Stanl
The Afro Roots Virtual Fest 2020 in Miami
Miami is still in lockdown mode for large gatherings but we don't let that stop us as we travel, virtually, to Miami's beautiful open air, art deco North Beach Bandshell right across from the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy highlights from the just completed Afro Roots Virtual Fest featuring the city's leading globally grooving artists. Crank it up! Johnny Dread of Cuban/Rasta heritage opens up with his original mix of classic reggae, rock and international sounds. Cortadito, called the best Latin act by
819 Live from the Archive
When Afropop Worldwide launched back in 1988, a key goal was to capture the live energy of incredible artists emerging from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond. Most of those recordings were preserved on reel-to-reel tapes. The coronavirus lockdown has given us a chance to start revisiting and preserving. And we have been amazed to rediscover the energy of that thrilling era. On this music-rich program of concerts recorded live at S.O.Bs in New York City, we hear from Congo’s Papa Wemba, South Afri
Baaba Maal Acoustic Live In NYC
Baaba Maal has toured the world, backed by his electric group, Daande Lenol. Sometimes he has performed as an acoustic duo with his longtime musical partner, Mansour Seck, on guitars and vocals. And rarely, Baaba has assembled a large acoustic group featuring guitars and traditional instruments. We caught such a moment at one of our all time favorite live recordings, Baaba and his acoustic big band performing at Joe's Pub in New York City. Beautiful!
[APWW #383]
[Originally aired in 2014]
Thomas Mapfumo Live in NYC at SOB's
In 1991, Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited made their second tour of the United States. It was a fascinating transitional moment in the band’s history. Mapfumo had recently added two musicians playing the metal-pronged, Shona mbira, enriching the band’s lineup of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass and percussion. The band had now evolved into a kind of folk orchestra in which everyone sang, allowing for beautifully layered vocal arrangements. This recording, made by Afropop Worldwide at
Afropop Closeup: Pana-Soul Crooner Ralph Weeks’s Enduring Classic “Something Deep Inside”
Soul singer and multi-instrumentalist Ralph Weeks left Panama for Brooklyn, New York, when he was 17. Today he's a hearty 77, and still takes the stage with his finely honed falsetto to offer the enduring classic of a song he wrote more than 50 years ago, "Something Deep Inside." The song has passed through various renditions over the years and, in this podcast, Weeks lifts the hood on the creative process that led to a classic, with enthusiasm and an easy laugh. Produced by Steve Burkholder.
818 Lockdown Serenade
For all those stuck at home or stressed out during these uncertain times, here’s an hour of uplifting music from Mali, Cuba and South Africa. Vusi Mahlasela, Alex Cuba, Afel Bocoum and Oumou Sangare have all known the travails of personal pain and political turmoil. And yet all find the strength and vision to create music that soothes and reassures even as it moves dancing feet. On this program, we hear fresh music and words from all four.
Produced by Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow.
Abidjan: A New Musical El Dorado
In the 70s and 80s Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan was a major musical hub in West Africa. After a series of political crises, Abidjan is back. The Zouglou sound of the 1990s and the coupé decalé rage that followed are being reinvented in the era of Afrobeats and African hip-hop. The group Magic System is now invited to play major events in France—including President Macron’s election victory party! The group’s front man Asalfo has launched an annual music festival in Abidjan, FEMUA. On this progr
Afropop Closeup: Everything Transforms
Two new bands, one from Morocco and one from Tunisia, are mixing jazz, funk, and rock with centuries-old ritual music with roots in the trans-Saharan slave trade. It rocks, but what does it mean for the tradition? Afropop talks with both bands about the divergent ways that they negotiate innovation and conservation. Produced by Sebastian Bouknight and Lauren Shenkman.
Ancient Text Messages - Batá Drums In A Changing World
In Africa, drums don't only play rhythms, they send messages. “Ancient Text Messages: Batá Drums in a Changing World” explores an endangered tradition of drum speech in Nigeria, and how that tradition changed and thrived in Cuba, where large numbers of enslaved Yoruba arrived in the 19th century. Producer Ned Sublette speaks with ethnomusicologist Amanda Villepastour, language technician Tunde Adegbola, and drummer Kenneth Schweitzer about how language and music overlap. Produced by Ned Sublette
Borderless Sounds - The New North Africa
North African music receives very little coverage in the United States. There are no high-profile mixes of recent Tunisian underground dance music from hip DJs, and no young Algerian musicians with major distribution deals in the U.S. So we decided to explore what exactly is going on today in this part of the world. We trace the origins of some of the region’s most interesting current music to the banlieues of Paris, like raï ’n’b--a new autotuned and synth-heavy offshoot of raï. We also explore
Closeup: Art Is Freedom - A Conversation With Criolo
One of the most important performing artists to emerge on the Brazilian music scene in the new millennium, Criolo has crafted a diverse and eclectic body of work. Moving between rap, reggae, Afrobeat, samba, electronic music and other genres, Criolo has constantly used his music to address the dramatic issues of race, social inequality and governmental corruption that have blighted contemporary Brazil. In this podcast, Criolo tells producer David Katz about his early struggles in the peripheral
817 The Story Of Gumbe
The square gumbe frame drum was created centuries ago by enslaved Africans in Jamaica. It traveled to Sierra Leone with freed Maroons from Jamaica’s highlands in 1800. From there, the drum and its evolving, pan-ethnic music spread to 17 African nations. In this program we trace the history and legacy of this joyous and surprising music with field work in Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Mali. Produced by Banning Eyre.
816 Bomba, Plena And Puerto Rican Protest Music
On this program, we look at Puerto Rican protest songs over the past two centuries, including Paracumbé's subversive bomba dances from the time of slavery, Las Barrileras 8M, an all-women drumming group demanding an end to violence against women and a new plena from Hector Tito Matos about the death of George Floyd.
The past three years have been incredibly traumatic for Puerto Rico: two hurricanes followed by slow recovery efforts that led to the death of 3,057 on the island, a text message sc
Johnny And Sipho: A Friendship Made On Earth
Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu formed the South African crossover band Juluka in the mid-1970s. But by then, the two had been palling around apartheid South Africa, playing music, dancing and getting into trouble with the police for years. And even though Juluka disbanded in 1985, the two remained close friends until Clegg died in 2019. In this podcast we hear both artists reflecting on a remarkable friendship. Produced by Banning Eyre.
Hip Deep In The Niger Delta
The massive Niger River Delta is a fantastically rich cultural region and ecosystem. Unfortunately, it has been laid low by the brutal Biafran War (1967-70) and by decades of destructive and mismanaged oil exploration. This program offers a portrait of the region in two stories. First, we chronicle the Biafran War through the timeless highlife music of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, perhaps the most popular musician in Nigeria at the time. Then we spend time with contemporary musical activists in Port
Africa And The Blues
When this episode first aired, the recent death of Malian guitar legend Ali Farka Touré inspired a new round of speculation about the roots of the blues in Africa. Touré famously argued that the beloved American genre was "nothing but African," a bold assertion. Among scholars, Gerhard Kubik's book Africa and the Blues has gained recognition as the most serious and penetrating examination of the subject. This program in our Hip Deep series was produced in collaboration with Kubik, allowing a rar
Closeup: Drumming as A Resistance Movement
Brazil’s Grupo Didá, is an extraordinary ensemble of Afro-Brazilian women who use music to fight against injustice and racial inequality. Producer Dan Rosenberg speaks with the group's founder, percussionist Adriana Portela, about how Didá is working to redefine gender roles in Salvador da Bahia, and anthropology professor Andrea Allen (University of Toronto) on the history of slavery in Brazil, and the horrific violence inflicted upon enslaved women.
Youssou's Egypt
In 2004, Youssou N'Dour joined forces with Egyptian master-musician Fathy Salama for a sonic adventure, Egypt (2004, Nonesuch). Through the differing forms of expression from east and west of the Sahara, Youssou and Fathy explore the shared spiritual bonds that unite Muslims across the continent. The result is a soulful retracing of their common roots.
[APWW #437]
815 Remembering Tony Allen
Tony Allen is among the greatest drummers of the past century. His sudden death at 79 in April, 2020, was a shock felt around the world. In addition to his seminal work with the king of Afrobeat Fela Kuti, Allen had a prolific solo career and performed and recorded with artists from Angelique Kidjo, Ray Lema, Ernest Ranglin and Oumou Sangare to Damon Albarn, Brian Eno and Jeff Mills. In this program we salute a towering career in global music, with insights from Michael Veal, co-author of Allen’
814 My Friend Manu
Cameroonian musician and composer Manu Dibango passed away on March 24 at his home in France, an early victim of Covid 19. “My Friend Manu” is a tribute to the exceptional man who, by chance, as he says, gave us the famous Soul Makossa, a tune that opened the Disco era.
In this episode of Afropop Worldwide, Georges Collinet goes back in time to recollect his friendship with his fellow Cameroonian. He explores the many ways their lives paralleled and intersected after they were sent to France b
The Musical Legacy Of Al - Andalus Part 2
Even before the expulsion of Jews (1492) and converted Muslims, or Moriscos, (1610) from Al Andalus, many Andalusians crossed the Straight of Gibraltar to resettle in North Africa, and as far east as Syria. All these centuries later, Andalusian art forms and communities persist, especially in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Syria. This Hip Deep program examines the intriguing variety of Muslim "Andalusian" music traditions, especially in Morocco, Algeria, and Syria. Once again, our guide i
The Musical Legacy Of Al - Andalus, Part 1 - Europe
The 700-year period of Muslim courts and conquerors in Medieval Spain (711-1492) leaves behind many mysteries. In the first of a three-part look at the musical legacy of Andalusia, this program presents period recreations of medieval Spanish music and considers the lasting influences the era would have on Europe. This program takes a provocative look at instruments--the lute and the violin--at the tradition of troubadours, European poetry and vocal styles, and much more, all informed by the insi
Botswana, Dumelang
Botswana is a large, landlocked country in Southern Africa, a vast stretch of desert and savannah between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia with a population of only 2.2 million. While widely overlooked internationally for their music, over the past 20 years Batswana have steadily built a diverse and fruitful local scene that includes traditional choirs, hip hop and kwaito, R&B and jazz and even heavy metal. While the biggest star in the country, Franco, packs stadiums with his Congolese-derive
Rhythm Nations
Some countries are embedded in our collective memory for their trademark rhythms--samba for Brazil, rumba for Cuba, Afrobeat for Nigeria, mbalax for Senegal. We'll celebrate these beats with some of their seminal practitioners. Produced by Sean Barlow.
APWW #787
Originally broadcast in 2018
Madagascar Medley
On a return trip to Madagascar, we catch up with and hear new music from tsapiky maestro Damily, the “King of Salegy” Jaojoby, an exciting new duo starring Sammy of Tarika Sammy, Toko Telo and more. This music-rich edition is filled with entrancing and hard-to-find roots pop. In the wake of 2018’s hard-fought presidential election, Madagascar faces a new era with former DJ Andry Rajoelina at the helm. Word is his theme song was a major boost. We’ll hear it. We’ll also sample rare field recording
South African Roots In The 21st Century
Century
Yes, it’s the age of South African House, Afrobeats, Afro R&B and the likes, but roots music lives on in South Africa. This show updates the Zulu pop music known as maskanda, with a look back at its history and a survey of the current scene--rich musically, but troubled by fan rivalry that can lead to violence and even deaths. We’ll hear nimble ukapika guitar playing, heavy Zulu beats and bracing vocal harmonies. We’ll meet maskanda legend Phuzukhemisi and veteran South African radio br
Rap, Reggae and Cultural Resistance in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Belo Horizonte is Brazil’s sixth largest city and including its surrounding districts, the country’s third largest metropolitan area. The capital of Minas Gerais, a state built on mining, dairy products and coffee production, Belo Horizonte is often seen as a parochial, conservative backwater, yet its thriving alternative arts scene provides robust forms of musical and cultural resistance to the exclusionary policies of reactionary president, Jair Bolsonaro, especially through local variants of
Accounting for Taste: Dire Straits, Jim Reeves, and Death Metal in Africa
When we talk about the influence of American performers on African music, we usually think about a few obvious examples, legends like Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix or James Brown. In this episode, we go beyond these stars to explore the legacy of some lesser-known inspirations. We’ll learn how the fluid guitar playing of ’70s rock band Dire Straits became massively popular in the Sahel, influencing Tuareg rockers like Tinariwen and Tamikrest. We’ll hear about the American country superstar Jim R
Edo Highlife: Culture, Politics And Progressive Traditionalism
Highlife—West Africa’s pioneer popular music of the late colonial and independence periods—has mostly faded from popularity in 21st century Nigeria. However, highlife is alive and well in Edo State, 300 kilometers east of Lagos, and the center of the former Benin Kingdom. Edo highlife musicians fill the role of traditional musicians by animating community ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, and praising prominent members of the community, in exchange for “financial love.” This traditionali
SxSW Virtual Showcase
The cancellation of South by Southwest was one of the early shocks in the global coronavirus pandemic. Countless artists, fans, vendors, nightclub owners and festival staff were devastated. Afropop Worldwide had been scheduled to host 12 bands at an SXSW showcase. We decided to reach out to some of these artists and make a radio show with their music just the same. This program features Skype interviews and music from RAM (Haiti), Blaya (Portugal) and BLK JKS (South Africa), and music from Ghana
With Feet In Many Worlds
more of the musical artists who are making a difference cannot be pinned down to any one national identity.Migration, intermarriage, and the hurly burly of our globalized planet are creating new and growing generations of change-makers with hyphenated identities. In this program we hear from Ayo (Nigerian/Roma/German), Meklit Hadero (Ethiopian-American), Weedie Braimah (Ghanaian-American), La Dame Blanche (Cuban-French), Pascal Danai of the band Delgres (Guadeloupean-French) and others, as we sa
810 GlobalFEST 2020
New York City's globalFEST is a landmark musical event every January, a sonic feast featuring 12 artists on three stages in a single winter night. In this program, we hear extended live tracks from Senegal's Cheikh Lo, also Meklit, Les Amazones D'Afrique and dynamic new sounds from Turkey and South Korea. Rising star in Algerian rai music Sofiane Saidi makes his U.S. debut. In a season when we are being denied live music experiences, a virtual soiree at 2020's globalFEST edition may just be the
A History Of Puerto Rican Salsa
The first time Puerto Rican bandleader Willie Rosario heard the word salsa applied to the Cuban-style music he played was in Venezuela, where DJ Phidias Danilo first popularized it. Subsequently applied as a marketing tool by Fania Records in New York, the word quickly became a marker of Puerto Rican identity. This 1995 production talks to the founding bandleaders of the genre -- Rafael Ithier (El Gran Combo), Quique Lucca (Sonora Ponceña), and Willie Rosario -- and presents immortal hits of ear
801 Afropop At SxSW 2019
In 2019, Afropop Worldwide hosted a stage at South by Southwest in Austin, TX, for the first time. Our lineup featured innovative new sounds out of Africa, including Jojo Abot from Ghana, Adekunle Gold from Nigeria, groundbreaking DJ AfrotroniX, Sauti Sol from Kenya and more. In this episode, we meet the artists, sample their sets, and take in the growing presence of African music at America’s most essential pop music expo. The start of a fine tradition! Produced by Banning Eyre.
[APWW #801]
[
Voodoo To Go Festival
Producer Morgan Greenstreet follows the trail of West African Vaudou spiritual music to a very unlikely place–Utrecht, Netherlands–for the first edition of the Voodoo To Go Festival. The three-day festival, pioneered by Togolese entrepreneur Leopold Ekué Messan, set out to demystify Vaudou/Vodun/Voodoo spiritual practices by featuring music and dance from Togo, Benin, Haiti, Cuba and Suriname and bringing people together for films, food and a panel discussion about “Good and Evil in Voodoo.” Fro
809 Remembering Johnny Clegg
Johnny Clegg holds a unique place in South Africa’s musical pantheon. From his childhood immersion in Zulu culture, his mastery of Zulu language, dance and guitar playing, some 20 albums with three different bands, his tireless world touring and, finally, his brave public battle with cancer, Clegg was an inspired witness to tumultuous history in South Africa and around the world. Afropop was fortunate to conduct many interviews with the maestro and raconteur over 30 years. In this program, we sa
Diaspora Encounters: The Indo-Caribbean World
Competition between communities of Indian and African descent has been a mainstay of politics and culture in the former British colonies of Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana. This rivalry plays out in institutions from the University of the West Indies to the West Indies cricket team, and of course, popular music. At the time of Trinidad's Independence, the Afro-Caribbean political elite of the day sought to enshrine calypso as the country's national music, but new genres have emerged, from the st
Aurelio Badian Damily And The Kid From Timbuktu
This guitar-focused program presents a series of mostly acoustic sessions with Garifuna star Aurelio Martinez, griot guitar master Aboubacar "Badian" Diabate, Malagasy tsapika phenom Damily, and Abdramane Toure, the 17-year-old guitarist for Khaira Arby of Timbuktu. These four uniquely talented players talk about their careers, their learning process, and their highly personal guitar styles. Along the way we catch up with a rich selection of beautifully guitar-filigreed music, from Honduran soul
Afro - Tech: Stories Of Synths In African Music
Technology is one of the great drivers of musical change, and often one of its least understood. In this episode, we explore the synthesizer, looking closely at the history of this ubiquitous (and often debated) piece of musical technology, and investigating how and why it was first used in a variety of African musics. Enabled by groundbreaking record reissues by synth pioneers like William Onyeabor (Nigeria) and Hailu Mergia (Ethiopia), disco stars like Kris Okotie, and South African superstar
Discover and Record: The Field Recordings of Hugh Tracey
In this Hip Deep edition, Afropop producer Wills Glasspeigel heads to South Africa to reveal the story of the inimitable Hugh Tracey, a field recordist born at the turn of the 20th century in England. A wayward youth, Tracey found himself in Africa in the 1920s where he became fascinated with music from Zimbabwe. Tracey became a pioneer field recordist, making over 250 LPs of traditional African music for the Gallo label in South Africa. Like John and Alan Lomax in the US, Tracey was instrumenta
Cape Verde Sounds - Heard And Unheard
On a 2018 return visit to the archipelago of Cape Verde, we find all sorts of fresh musical activity, global and local. We hear some spectacular young female vocalists in this program, including Fatou Diakite, descended from a Malian family, but raised in Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau, and a master of styles from morna to gumbe. We also meet Lucibela, now based in Lisbon, and one of the most talked about Cape Verdean singers today. And we hear new work from Nancy Vieira, Jenifer Solidade and Elid
Abidjan - A New Music El Dorado
In the ‘70s and ‘80s Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan was a major musical hub in West Africa. After a series of political crises, Abidjan is back. The zouglou sound of the 1990s and the coupé decalé rage that followed are being reinvented in the era of Afrobeats and African hip-hop. The group Magic System is now invited to play major events in France—including President Macron’s election victory party! The group’s front man, Salif “Asalfo” Traore, has launched an annual music festival held in the A
Reissued - African Vinyl In The 21st Century
The golden age of vinyl records is long past in Africa, but the market for rare and reissued African vinyl outside the continent has been growing steadily since the early 2000s. DJs and collectors have turned an obsession with rare records and forgotten gems from Cape Town to Tangiers into an international reissue and compilation industry, led by record labels such as Soundway, Strut and Analog Africa. This program explores some of the complex and shifting dynamics of neocolonialism, cultural ow
The Afro Roots Festival in Miami
We go to Miami to enjoy highlights from the 21st annual Afro Roots Fest at the North Beach Bandshell. Co-headliners are the sublime griot singer Noura Mint Seymali from Mauritania and the Grammy nominated diva Fatoumata Diawara from Mali. Noura graces us with special backstage performance of the ancient harp, ardine. And Fatoumata sings a capella, showing us what she says is her voice as a traditional instrument. We also hear local artists Jose Elias of Cortadito and the Grammy nominated Danay S
Here Comes 2020
While others look back on 2019 and the decade of the 2010s, Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre choose instead to look ahead to the 2020s in their annual year-end conversation. It's an hour of African music that points to the future: new styles, new hybrids, artists to watch, and glimpses of upcoming Afropop Worldwide projects and productions. Georges and Banning take a moment to acknowledge some greats who have left us, but whose music will surely live on. And they put out a challenge to listener
Luiz Gonzaga The King of Baiao
Sweet accordion riffs, the steady twang of the triangle, and the off-beat pounding of the zabumba drum make forro a favorite for all Brazilians. The infectious tunes and syncopated beats have been described as "a mixture of ska with polka in overdrive." This edition of Afropop Worldwide's Hip Deep will profile forro creator Luiz Gonzaga--from the wanderlust that led him from his rural birthplace in northeastern Brazil to a pumping career in the capital, Rio de Janeiro, in the 1940s. Conversation
Carnival in Brooklyn
On this program, we follow Caribbean steel-pan bands and Haitian rara groups through their preparations for Brooklyn's West Indian Day Parade and Carnival, into the special jouvert celebration that kicks off carnival with revelers and performing groups dancing through the pre-dawn streets of Brooklyn; to the intense Panorama steel-pan competition, the daylight parade and beyond. We also hear how members of these Caribbean communities keep their cultural activities alive and thriving despite the
Off the Beaten Track - Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Beyond
This program ventures into corners of Africa we rarely hear from, guided by adventurous field recordists and crate diggers. The Zomba Prison Project is a set of recordings by inmates at a maximum security prison in Malawi, currently the poorest nation on earth. The project’s debut CD was nominated for a Grammy Award. Here, we speak with the producer, Ian Brennan, and hear tracks from a new volume of soulful, even heartbreaking, songs from the prison. We then go back to the 1960s and ‘70s in the
Bolsonaro Is and Isn't
If Americans hear about Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro at all, he's usually described as a "Brazilian Donald Trump." But on this week's CloseUp, we step out of the American bubble, and look at who Bolsonaro is, who his targets are, and how he rose to power. We also hear the first round of songs written to protest his hard, right-wing politics.
Randy Weston, A Jazz Life with the African Ancestors
Jazz legend, Randy Weston left us on September 1, 2018. He, more than any contemporary jazz artist, understood, honored and explored the roots of American music in Africa. He lived there, traveled there often, and spoke of his connections to his African ancestors in every interview during his 92 years. In this program, we revisit our musical conversation with Weston in 1998, and sample some of his late solo piano recordings.
APWW #789
Produced by Banning Eyre
Jamaica, Big A Yard, Big Abroad
Since the 1960s in Jamaica, iconic figures such as Bob Marley have gathered in backyards to write reggae anthems that conquered world charts. The yard remains a cornerstone in Jamaican culture. Musicians withdraw from the violence of the city to create and play songs in their yards. In Jamaican patois, “mi yard” means “my home,” and many songs, proverbs and colloquialisms hinge on the word “yard.” More even than the music itself, the yard evokes a state of mind and a physical space wherein artis
Ring the Alarm: A History of Sound System Culture
In Jamaica, sound systems are more than just a stack of speakers blasting the latest tunes to an eager crowd. Over the last 70 years, they have come to represent the most common way that Jamaicans experience music. Sound systems have touched all levels of society in Jamaica, determining the island’s popular taste and profoundly influencing the daily lives of its citizenry. This program explores the evolution of sound system culture, from the Jamaican genesis of the 1940s to its gradual impact on
French Afro-Colonial Memory and Music
France has a pretty unique relationship to its former colonies, sharing a strong common history and a common language, but also painful episodes not really taught at school—neither in France nor in Africa.
In France and in French-speaking African countries today, there is a new generation of artists and promotors who are ready to tell history with music. They are unearthing unknown periods of French colonial history. In this show, we'll hear about dark times of Franco-African history, specifica
Afropop Worldwide - The Origin Story
As Afropop Worldwide marks the week of its 30th anniversary on the public airwaves, we take a look at the story that led up to the program’s creation. We hear excerpts from the podcast A Show of Hearts profiling the program’s founders Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre. And host Georges Collinet recalls his audition for the job that has shaped three decades of his storied life. And of course, we will hear highlights from the music that has made Afropop Worldwide one of the longest running music progra
Barrio Colón to Brooklyn
The clave cuts the air, the drums triangulate in endless conversation, the singers push their voices over the rhythm, competing with daring improvisations, while a pair of dancers tease and provoke, shifting across the small space between singers and drummers: This is an Afro-Cuban rumba, a communal form of Afro-Cuban folkloric music that continues to be a crucial part of the musical life of New York City. From the inclusive to the exclusive, we also experience an original group interpreting Afr
Doing It For the Art: Manolo Raps in Cape Verde
At the 2019 Atlantic Music Expo in Cape Verde, Afropop's Sebastian Bouknight met Manolo, a longtime rapper who is trying to find a foothold in the country's overcrowded music scene.
The Cumbia Diaspora - From Colombia to the World
Move over salsa and merengue–cumbia is the most popular music in Latin America. Today, cumbia is played from the borderlands of Texas down the spine of the Andes to the tip of Tierra del Fuego. In this Hip Deep edition, we find out how cumbia left Colombia in the ‘60s and ‘70s and traveled to other countries. Everywhere it went, it transformed itself, adapting to its new environment. In Peru, it mixed with psychedelic guitar effects and Andean sounds to become chicha. In Argentina, it became the
Afropop Goes to the Grammys
Reporter Dan Rosenberg takes us to the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles and speaks to the nominees in the World Music category, Fatoumata Diawara, Bombino, The Soweto Gospel Choir, Seun Kuti and Yiddish Glory, about how they are using their voices to combat human rights abuses, political corruption, genocide and violence against women.
More African Guitars
The guitar music of Africa is eternal! Despite the rise of Afrobeats, Afro-house, hip-hop and techno, the continent still turns out inventive and thrilling string pickers. This music-rich program features shredding desert-rock axemen and filigree griot guitarists from Niger and Mali, as well as new sounds from the Congo, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. We’ll also travel to rural Botswana to meet itinerant guitarists who have gained a worldwide following through eye- and ear-popping YouTube videos. Some
Remembering Oliver Mtukudzi EXTENDED VERSION
Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, one of the most beloved singer/composer/bandleaders out of Africa in the last century, died in Harare on Jan. 23 2019 after a long battle with diabetes. Tuku, as his fans knew him, composed countless songs that cut to the heart of life in Zimbabwe, from its struggle for freedom in the 1970s through the rocky road of independence ever since. In this program, we look back at our conversations with Tuku going back to our first visit to Zimbabwe in 1988, and hear his wond
Lazarus - Messenger of Hope
The plight of albinos in Africa is a sad story. Occult beliefs make them the targets of kidnapping, killing and mutilation. But in Malawi, an exceptionally talented street musician named Lazarus is making a stand in defence of fellow albinos, and he's doing it with music. Lazarus's debut album Stomp the Devil will be released in August, 2019. Producer Banning Eyre takes us inside Lazarus's life and music and explores his surprising tale of survival and activism.
This is the season premiere of A
The Hidden Blackness of Flamenco
Flamenco as we know it was “born” in Spain in the mid-19th century. But for centuries before that, Roma (Gitanos, Gypsies) had been living in Spanish cities, often rubbing shoulders with the descendants of Africans (Moors), who had been there as both citizens and slaves going back to Medieval times and earlier. This overlooked pre-history of flamenco is explored in Miguel Angel Rosales’s groundbreaking film Gurumbé: Afro-Andalusian Memories. In this program, we meet Rosales, flamenco dancer and
What's New at WOMEX
The annual WOMEX gathering is a feast for the eyes and ears. At the 2018 edition in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, over 300 artists performed in 60 official showcases. Afropop Worldwide recorded both intimate exclusive sessions and official showcases. We also interviewed globetrotting artists: Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti/France), Dawda Jobarteh(Gambia/Denmark), Tita Nzebi (Gabon/France) and Serge Ananou (Benin/France). And, we collected a load of new releases from artists you know, like Salif Keita, an
From Haiti to the World
From Paris to New Orleans and Boston, Haitian musicians are shaking up the music scene. The island’s powerful Africa-rooted culture—from celebratory rara and sensuous kompa to the deep well of vodun songs—has become a global force. In this program, we spend time with racine music veteran Lolo Beaubrun of Boukman Eksperyans, and his rising star son, Paul Beaubrun, both on a swing through New England. We also meet Paris-based Moonlight Benjamin, and hear recent New Orleans-tinged music from Lakou
Pedras, Melos, and Radiola - Brazilian Reggae in Sao Luis do Maranhao
São Luís do Maranhão is one of the poorest and most ethnically-diverse cities in Brazil. In this old slave port, located in the far northeast of the country, a thriving reggae scene has wielded disproportionate influence since the 1970s, based on an overarching taste for obscure roots reggae from the Jamaican countryside and vintage lover’s rock from the urban spaces of black Britain. The music spread through the local sound systems, known as radiolas, fueling a bolero-like dance style which has
Afro-Roots Fest in Miami
We go to Miami to enjoy highlights from the 21st annual Afro Roots Fest at the the North Beach Bandshell. Co-headliners are the sublime griot singer Noura Mint Seymali from Mauritania and the Grammy-nominated diva Fatoumata Diawara from Mali. Noura graces us with special backstage performance of the ancient harp, ardine. And Fatoumata sings a capella, showing us what she says is "her voice as a traditional instrument." We also hear local artists Jose Elias of Cortadito and the Grammy-nominated D
A Visit to Afro-Sweden
Afro-Sweden? Who knew? Over the past 60 years, a number of musicians from Africa and its diaspora have come to base themselves, or have been born, in Sweden. And recently, they have emerged as a collective voice in Swedish society. From the acoustic Mande folk of Sousou and Maher Cissoko, to the kaleidoscopic hip-hop of Timbuktu, and the smooth soul-pop of Swedish-born, Gambian-descended Seinabo Sey, there’s definitely something happening in Scandinavia. On this program we speak with and hear re
South African Roots in the 21st Century
Yes, it’s the age of South African House, Afrobeats, Afro R&B and the likes, but roots music lives on in South Africa. This show updates the Zulu pop music known as maskanda, with a look back at its history and a survey of the current scene--rich musically, but troubled by fan rivalry that can lead to violence and even deaths. We’ll hear nimble ukapika guitar playing, heavy Zulu beats and bracing vocal harmonies. We’ll meet maskanda legend Phuzukhemisi and veteran South African radio broadcaster
Zimbabwe After Mugabe
A lot has happened since Afropop last visited Zimbabwe. The 37-year regime of Robert Mugabe has ended, and Thomas Mapfumo, the Lion of Zimbabwe, has staged a triumphant return concert after a 14-year absence. Meanwhile, the country’s youth now moves to the groove of Zim-Dancehall from the likes of reigning star Winky D, and gospel-trad roots music from Jah Prayzah. On this program, we catch up with all these new sounds, hear the latest from Oliver Mtukudzi, and meet one of the most creative sing
Congolese Music - The 5th Generation
In the early 2000s, Afropop told the story of “Four Generations” in Congolese music—from rumba and rumba-rock to soukous and ndombolo. Now time has marched on, and once again, thrilling new sounds are emerging from Kinshasa and its global diaspora. We’ll hear hyperkinetic roots-rock from Jupiter and Okwess, Fally Ipupa’s embrace of the current Afrobeats trend, experimental innovations from Pierre Kwenders in Montreal, and more. We’ll also speak with Congolese music connoisseur Lubangi Muniania f
Abidjan: A New Musical El Dorado
In the 70s and 80s Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan was a major musical hub in West Africa. After a series of political crises, Abidjan is back. The Zouglou sound of the 1990s and the coupé decalé rage that followed are being reinvented in the era of Afrobeats and African hip-hop. The group Magic System is now invited to play major events in France—including President Macron’s election victory party! The group’s front man Asalfo has launched an annual music festival in Abidjan, FEMUA. On this progr
WOMEX Radio Live!
The 2018 edition of the world music exposition WOMEX went down in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands with 300 artists and 2700 delegates from 92 countries. There was a lot to chew on. But one of the hidden wonders of WOMEX is the intimate European Broadcast Union radio studio. That’s where Afropop Worldwide and KEXP, Seattle, hosted four of the showcase acts up close and personal. On this program we hear radio sessions with Bakolo Music International, the oldest Congolese Rumba band
Afropop at South by Southwest 2019
In 2019, for the first time, Afropop Worldwide hosted a stage at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. Our lineup features innovative new sounds out of Africa, including Jojo Abot from Ghana, Adekunle Gold and Aramide from Nigeria, groundbreaking deejay AfrotroniX, Nsimbi from Uganda. We’ll meet the artists, sample their sets, and take in the growing presence of African music at America’s most essential pop music expo.
Produced by Banning Eyre.
APWW #801
The Gqom Generation of Durban, South Africa
The latest music craze to hit South African dance floors is a dark, pulsating and energetic sound called gqom. For the past seven years, a young and technologically skilled generation in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, has created and finessed a sound that has the world hooked and wanting more. It is an entire cultural movement complete with distinctive dance moves and styles. We talk to some of the deejays and young producers of this genre, like DJ Lag, Citizen Boy and Distruction Boyz, as well as Gqom
Madagascar Medley
On a return trip to Madagascar, we catch up with and hear new music from tsapiky maestro Damily, the “king of salegy” Jaojoby, an exciting new duo starring Sammy of Tarika Sammy, Toko Telo and more. This music-rich edition is filled with entrancing and hard-to-find roots pop. In the wake of 2018’s hard-fought presidential election, Madagascar faces a new era with former DJ Andry Rajoelina at the helm. Word is his theme song was a major boost. We’ll hear it. We’ll also sample rare field recording
Plenty Bacchanal - Carnival in Flux
Trinidadians call their annual Carnival "the greatest show on earth," and with good reason. The Carnival season brims over with art and music: steelpan, calypso, soca and extravagant masquerade costumes. In this program, we take a look at how these Carnival arts are kept alive in today's Trinidad. At this moment in time, Carnival is in flux. Commercialism is in tension with creativity; global outlooks conflict with local identity. But, through it all, life goes on and excellent music flows. Open
globalFEST 2019 at the Copacabana
With Mardi Gras Indians straight out of New Orleans, Afro-Futurism coming from Mozambique via Dusseldorf, dub-inflected Colombian cumbia , gritty psychedelic South African punk and a grand Cuban mambo band, New York’s annual celebration of cultural music was back with a vengeance at the Copacabana. Sit down with Gato Preto, Orquesta Akokan and BCUC and stand up to dance with the rest. Produced by Ben Richmond.
799 globalFEST 2019
The Invisible Line - Haiti and the Dominican Republic
The island of Hispaniola, located in the western Caribbean, is divided in two by an invisible line that snakes down its central mountain range. On one side is Haiti, the other the Dominican Republic: one colonized by the French, the other by Spain. The island was the first place in the Americas colonized by Europeans, and was the place where trans-Atlantic slavery was first implemented. It was also home to the first--and only--successful slave revolt when Haiti rebelled against France in 1791. Y
Mande Meets Mbalax in Dakar
Afropop returns to Dakar, Senegal to catch up with the latest in that country's dominant music style, the bracing, dynamic genre known as mbalax. We'll hear the latest from Youssou N'Dour, Wally Seck, Pape Diouf and others, and meet lesser known artists working the Dakar scene. We'll also meet a remarkable artist from Senegal's southern Cassamance region, where Mande culture akin to that in Gambia, Mali and Guinea prevails. Noumoucounda Cissoko is a brilliant kora player and singer who now makes
Cuts From the Crypt 4 - Zona Libre
The DJ crew Zona Libre take a break from throwing genre-defying parties and producing their own live events and podcasts to team up with Afropop for another edition of Cuts from the Crypt. Frequent Afropop producer Morgan Greenstreet (modrums) and Brooklyn-based Puerto Rican DJ Ricardo Luiggi (tres dos) dig through Afropop's extensive vinyl archives, selecting Afro-diasporic music that defies borders and boundaries and sharing their digging experiences along the way.
Zona Libre is a #NoBorders
Time Travel Through Afro-Paris
Since at least the 1980s, when this program first aired, Paris has been one of the most important incubators of African music on the planet. That’s why we’ve visited there to take the pulse so often. On this program, we look back on 30 years of adventures with African music in Paris. We’ll hear studio sessions with Congolese guitar ace Diblo Dibala and zouk stars Kassav, interviews, live concerts, and that special ambiance that only Paris can provide.
APWW #770
Crate Diggers and Remixers
APWW #636
A vast, new world of DJs, record collectors and producers are going to far reaches of the Earth to find forgotten records and new styles of music. Their discoveries are then brought back home, remixed, repackaged and re-released to be heard by an entirely new audience. We speak to some globetrotting DJ and producers Chief Boima and Geko Jones to hear about their experiences, the music they've discovered and how they go about remixing some of these styles in order to create a new and up
What's New at WOMEX?
The annual WOMEX gathering is a feast for the eyes and ears. At the 2018 edition in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, over 300 artists performed in 60 official showcases. Afropop Worldwide recorded both intimate exclusive sessions and official showcases. We also interviewed globetrotting artists: Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti/France), Dawda Jobarteh (Gambia/Denmark), Tita Nzebi (Gabon/France) and Serge Ananou (Benin/France). And, we collected a load of new releases from artists you know, like Salif Keita, a
Hip Deep in Lebanon, Part 2 -
As the Ottoman Empire waned in the late 19th century, there was scarcity, economic stress, and political oppression in Lebanon. The once lucrative silk industry died. Factories closed. Families in search of better lives emigrated, or sent children abroad. Today, diaspora communities of Lebanese and Lebanese descendants far outnumber the 4-million people who actually live in the country. This program surveys the legacy of Lebanese diaspora in two surprising location: Brazil and Ghana. Brazil, hom
WOMEX Radio 2018
The 2018 edition of the world music exposition WOMEX went down in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands with 300 artists and 2700 delegates from 92 countries. There was a lot to chew on. But one of the hidden wonders of WOMEX is the intimate European Broadcast Union radio studio. That’s where Afropop Worldwide and KEXP, Seattle, hosted four of the showcase acts up close and personal. On this program we hear radio sessions with Bakolo Music International, the oldest Congolese Rumba band
Stocking Stuffers 2018
APWW #794
We’re hopeless at making Top-10 lists--or even top-40s—so you’ll have to settle for this: a whole hour of some of our favorite tunes of 2018. Casting the net deep and wide, Banning and Georges spin new records by our old favorites, the freshest cuts from new artists and reissues that have gone unheard for years. If you’re looking for gifts for the African-music lover in your life—even if that’s you!—you’ll find something to love here. From Parisian Afro-trap to Angelique Kidjo’s reima
The Best of Afropop Closeup Season 3
We just wrapped up our third season of our podcast series Afropop Closeups, and it may have been the best season yet.
Afropop producers traveled from watching reggae artists in chilly Berlin to Thomas Mapfumo’s triumphant return concert in Harare, Zimbabwe. They witnessed how digital technology is changing carnival in Haiti and how--for centuries--the cutting edge in long-distance communication was Asante drumming in what is now Ghana.
For this week’s program, we picked three shows from seaso
The Hidden Blackness of Flamenco
Flamenco as we know it was “born” in Spain in the mid-19th century. But for centuries before that, Roma (Gitanos, Gypsies) had been living in Spanish cities, often rubbing shoulders with the descendants of Africans (Moors), who had been there as both citizens and slaves going back to Medieval times and earlier. This overlooked pre-history of flamenco is explored in Miguel Angel Rosales’s groundbreaking film Gurumbé. In this program, we meet Rosales and learn to hear flamenco in a new way. We als
Sounds Like Brooklyn
712 Sounds Like Brooklyn
At Afropop, we have gone far and wide, from Brazil to England to Madagascar to Egypt, tracking down incredible music to bring back home to our headquarters in Brooklyn. For this program, "Sounds Like Brooklyn," we stay closer to home, tracing a hidden music economy of CD vendors in bodegas, copy shops and food markets around the five New York boroughs. Accompanying us on our travels is poet and "Bodega Pop" WFMU radio host Gary Sullivan. Along the way, we check out a Ca
Shake It Fo Ya Hood New Orleans Bounce
New Orleans, Louisiana is home to some of America's greatest musical traditions, and plays an outsized influence on the evolution of everything from jazz through to r&b, rock and funk. Today, the city is still legendary for its second line brass bands and brightly costumed Mardi Gras Indians. But if you've rolled through New Orleans on pretty much any night in the last 30 years, you've probably heard another sound—the clattering, booming, hip-shaking, chant-heavy roll of bounce, a form of hip-ho
Afropop Worldwide - The Origin Story
As Afropop Worldwide marks the week of its 30th anniversary on the public airwaves, we take a look at the story that led up to the program’s creation. We hear excerpts from the podcast A Show of Hearts profiling the program’s founders Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre. And host Georges Collinet recalls his audition for the job that has shaped three decades of his storied life. And of course, we will hear highlights from the music that has made Afropop Worldwide one of the longest running music progra
Remembering Fela
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti would be 79 years old this month, had he not died from complications of AIDS in 1997. By the time of his death, Fela was the inventor of the enduring and influential Afrobeat music style, the composer of an enormous body of music, and one of the bravest political voices in 20th century African music. It is fair to say that no African musician before or since has sacrificed more for the principles he believed in. Nigerian history and music have barreled forth during the two de
Gael Faye & the New Generation of Afropean Artists
Gael Faye is a musician and best-selling author, born in Burundi and living in France. In this podcast, Elodie Maillot introduces Faye’s music and breakthrough book Petit Pays (Small Country). Faye speaks about his precarious life as an exile, and about the growing community of Afropean artists in France. Faye now spends a lot of time in Rwanda, and reports on the growing impact of diaspora artists like himself, Congolese rapper Baloji and the Belgian-Rwandan singer Stromae and others are having
Africa in Matanzas El Almacén is Walking
Matanzas, Cuba has long been regarded as the source (la fuente) of many rich Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions. These ceremonial and secular Afro-Cuban musics are, for the most part, alive and well, and being documented for the first time by Matanceros themselves, rather than exclusively by Havana-based or non-Cuban imprints. The Matanzas record label and artist collective, Sendero Music/El Almacén, faces several challenges: oversight from the state, limited access to resources, curating which gro
Randy Weston: Jazz Life with the African Ancestors
Jazz legend, Randy Weston left us on September 1, 2018. He more than any contemporary jazz artist understood, honored and explored the roots of American music in Africa. He lived there, traveled there often, and spoke of his connections to his African ancestors in every interview during his 92 years. In this program, we revisit our musical conversation with Weston in 1998, and sample some of his late solo piano recordings. [APWW #789]
Music and History in the Two Sudans
In 2008, before Sudan became two separate countries, Afropop explored the country’s troubled history through music. After all, Sudan was once a musical powerhouse in East Africa, producing richly swinging orchestral pop. In recent years, much has changed. Sudan is now two countries, still troubled, but still inheritors of great musical traditions. In this program we revisit and update Sudan’s musical history, including recently released gems from a remarkable musical past, and new sounds from th
Kidnapped! Ambassador Osayomore Joseph
Ambassador Osayomore Joseph is a living legend of Edo highlife music, well known and respected in Benin City for a long career of creative music and activism, so his kidnapping in October 2017 was particularly shocking to his fans. Producer Morgan Greenstreet brings us the story of Osayomore's ordeal, in the Ambassador's own words.
Hip Deep in Northern Nigeria
Kano State in northwest Nigeria is a land of paradox. The ancient home of the Hausa people, it has ties back to the oldest civilizations in West Africa. Muslim since around the 12th century, the region remained largely self-administered during the era of British colonialism, and never significantly adapted Christianity or Western culture and values as in other parts of Nigeria. In 2000, Kano instituted Shariah law. But by that time, the city of Kano was also the center of a large and active film
Hip Deep in the Niger Delta
The massive Niger River Delta is a fantastically rich cultural region and ecosystem. Unfortunately, it has been laid low by the brutal Biafran War (1967-70) and by decades of destructive and mismanaged oil exploration. This program offers a portrait of the region in two stories. First, we chronicle the Biafran War through the timeless highlife music of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, perhaps the most popular musician in Nigeria at the time. Then we spend time with contemporary musical activists in Port
Rhythm Nations
Some countries are embedded in our collective memory for their trademark rhythms--samba for Brazil, rumba for Cuba, Afrobeat for Nigeria, mbalax for Senegal. We'll celebrate these beats with some of their seminal practitioners.
More African Guitars
The guitar music of Africa is eternal! Despite the rise of Afrobeats, Afro-house, hip-hop and techno, the continent still turns out inventive and thrilling string pickers. This music-rich program features shredding desert-rock axemen and filigree griot guitarists from Niger and Mali, as well as new sounds from the Congo, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. We’ll also travel to rural Botswana to meet itinerant guitarists who have gained a worldwide following through eye- and ear-popping YouTube videos. Some
The Festival in Fes, Revisited
This spring, Afropop returned to Fes, Morocco, for the 23rd annual World Sacred Music Festival, a sumptuous spread of music from across the globe that blurs the boundaries of what is sacred. Interwoven with Morocco’s ornate history and fertile fabric of daily life is a mosaic of many musics: Gnawa, Arabic pop, Amazigh ahwach, classical Andalusian, Issaoua, raï, rap, chaabi, jazz, metal and so much more. At the World Sacred Music Festival, we heard many of these sounds, as well as those of intern
Skippy White: A Vinyl Life
Vinyl is back! But there’s a difference between the world of glossy reissues and the format’s golden age. Skippy White’s record store in Boston has been selling records since 1961, and he’s seen it all—er, heard it all, maybe. Brian Coleman and Noah Schaffer produced this check in with a music lifer.
Brazil at the Crossroads
Brazil has seen its ups and downs since it became an independent empire in 1822: strongman leaders, military rule, populist democracy and more. In 2018, a politically weary nation faces a stark electoral choice between radically different futures. But whatever was happening in the halls of power, Brazil has always produced powerful, beautiful and ecstatic music, and always known how to party. On Afropop’s 2018 return trip to Brazil, We take a deep dive into the music and evolution of Carnaval in
Cuban Counterpoint of Tobacco and Sugar
Borrowing the title from Cuban polymath Fernando Ortiz, producer Ned Sublette takes a group of travelers, including you, to multiple sites in western Cuba to analyze the musical impact of what Ortiz called the "Cuban counterpoint" of tobacco and sugar. We'll hear endangered species of drums in mountain farms and sugar towns, drilling down into the deep culture of the Afro-Cuban world. We'll hear sacred drumming as handed down from Kongo sources, from Yorubaland, from Dahomey, and more, in sites
Nha Mundo - The Sound of Cova da Moura
On a hill in the northern suburbs of Lisbon, Portugal sits the neighborhood of Cova da Moura. Only a highway and a forest park separates it from the city center, but it could be an ocean away. Built in the 1970s by immigrants from former Portuguese colonies in Africa (namely Cape Verde and Angola) Kova M, as locals call it, is a community brimming with life. Cape Verdean Kriolu, not Portuguese, is the lingua franca, and funana, Kriolu rap and afro-house dominate the streets. We take a walk throu
Women of the West
In West Africa, women are on the cutting edge of musical and cultural progress. This program looks at four singer/composers with roots in tradition and unique ideas about how to keep them current in the fast-changing milieu of today’s African music. Mali’s Fatoumata Diawara keeps her focus on messages, mixing traditional sounds and rock idioms to reach young audiences. Senegal’s Aida Samb is finding new avenues for that country’s trademark mbalax sound, including collaborations with Afrobeats st
The Gqom Generation of Durban, South Africa
The latest music craze to hit South African dance floors is a dark, pulsating and energetic sound called gqom. For the past seven years, a young and technologically skilled generation in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, has created and finessed a sound that has the world hooked and wanting more. It is an entire cultural movement complete with distinctive dance moves and styles. We talk to some of the deejays and young producers of this genre, like DJ Lag, Citizen Boy and Distruction Boyz, as well as Gqom
Cuts From The Crypt II - Banning's Picks
As work continues on the vast Afropop archive, producer Banning Eyre takes a deep dive and comes up with some gems. On the vinyl front, the focus is on South African and Zimbabwe, where the Afropop team collected a good deal of rare vinyl in the 1980s. Then Banning samples some his favorite field recordings from Zanzibar to Mali. In the age of YouTube, Pandora and Spotify, you might have the impression that all the music ever recorded is there at your finger tips. Here's proof that's not so. You
A Remembrance of Leo Sarkisian
For some 50 years, Leo Sarkisian was a worldwide staple on the overseas radio broadcast of Voice of America. A talented musician, raised in the Armenian community around Boston, Leo began traveling the world with his Nagra tape recorder and microphones for Tempo International, a Hollywood record label. His intrepid work in remote corners of Afghanistan and in newly independent Ghana and Guinea won him the attention of Edward R. Murrow, then at VOA. So began Leo’s epic career as a documenter, arc
Reggae Takes Root in Germany
Reggae’s rock steady beats have long been admired by international audiences. Beyond the established markets of the U.K. and the U.S., reggae’s newest innovators are springing forth from surprising new territories. In Germany, homegrown musicians are developing their own signature styles of the music and the German reggae artist Uwe Banton was one of the musicians who helped to kickstart this movement. Ann-Marie Weaver reports on the evolution of reggae in Germany and explores how German reggae
Quelbe - From The Island Of St Croix
#782
Uplink:6/28/2018
On a visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands in winter 2018, we took the pulse of the national music of St. Croix – quelbe. Rarely recorded, rarely exported, quelbe is an energetic form, led by sax or flute with percussion and banjo, and it fuels the traditional dance style, quadrille. St Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and sits alone 42 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John. That’s part of why traditional music and dance forms have remained strong on St. Croix.
Zimbabwe After Mugabe
A lot has happened since Afropop last visited Zimbabwe. The 37-year regime of Robert Mugabe has ended, and Thomas Mapfumo, the Lion of Zimbabwe, has staged a triumphant return concert after a 14-year absence. Meanwhile, the country’s youth now moves to the groove of Zim-Dancehall from the likes of reigning star Winky D, and roots gospel from Jah Prayzah. On this program, we catch up with all these new sounds, hear the latest from Oliver Mtukudzi, and meet one of the most creative singer/songwrit
Thomas Mapfumo: The Enigma of Return
Singer and bandleader Thomas Mapfumo is an icon in his home country, Zimbabwe. But he last performed there in 2004. He moved his family into exile in Oregon to escape the turmoil, scarcity and harassment they faced in the late years of President Robert Mugabe’s regime. But in April , 2018, with Mugabe out of power since November, Mapfumo returned to Harare to perform an all-night stadium concert for an estimated 20,000 people. Banning Eyre, author of Lion Songs, Thomas Mapfumo and the Music that
The Nature of Trance
In many communities throughout Africa and the diaspora, music and spiritual life are deeply connected through the experience of trance: ritual possession by ancestors, spirits, deities, or simply the trance of communal dancing—usually accompanied by hypnotic melodies and rhythms. In this program, we explore the phenomenon of trance through a survey of musical and spiritual traditions. We'll discover how different cultural and spiritual ideas are expressed musically, how the mathematical complexi
African Music at the Crossroads
Afropop producer Banning Eyre takes us on a surprise-filled tour of his 30-some years of covering African music. Through conversations with Georges Collinet and producer/agent/DJ Rab Bakari, the program reflects on how the world, the music, the culture and the media have changed and keep on changing throughout Africa and the diaspora. Along the way we hear some of the tunes that have most inspired Banning and Georges, sample the latest Afrobeats and Naija pop, and speculate on where African musi
Carnival Goes Digital
Afropop Closeup Season 3 - Episode 2
Produced by Ian Coss
All That Brass
DO YOU LOVE BRASS? WELL, WE HAVE A SHOW FOR YOU… GANGBE BRASS BAND, REBIRTH BRASS BAND, FELA, FRANCO AND T.P.O.K. JAZZ. JOIN GEORGES COLLINET FOR “ALL THAT BRASS” - PART OF AFROPOP’S CELEBRATION OF OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY!
[APWW #780]
Cape Verde Sounds Heard And Unheard
Show#779
Producers: Banning Eyre and Sebastian Bouknight
Airdate: May 24th 2018
In this program we meet Fatou Diakite, descended from a Malian family, but raised in Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau, and a master of styles from morna to Gumbe. We also meet Lucibela, now based in Lisbon, and one of the most talked about Cape Verdean singers today. We also hear new work from Nancy Viera, Jenifer Solidade and Elida Almeida. We’ll also catch up with a few male artists, and visit instrument builder a
Tobago's #MeToo Trailblazer: Calypso Rose
For six decades Calypso Rose has been one of the Caribbean’s leading feminists and human rights advocates. Now, at the age of 78, she's touring the world with songs about sexual assault, workplace discrimination, and some thoughts on Donald Trump. In this report, Afropop correspondent Dan Rosenberg talks with Calypso Rose about using music as a weapon for social change, and how Rose collaborated with fashion designer Anya Ayoung Chee to transform "Leave Me Alone" into a political movement. We w
Afropop Divas - Live
In honor of Afropop's 30th anniversary on public radio, we are proud to present "Afropop Divas - Live." These are artists of extraordinary artistic talent and larger than life personalities - recorded by Afropop Worldwide. Featured artists include Oumou Sangare from Mali, Cesaria Evora from Cabo Verde, Uum Kulthum from Egypt, and Marie Daulne born in Congo. Produced by Sean Barlow.
[APWW #778]
Lagos and the Rise of Nigerian Afrobeats
Lagos and the Rise of Nigerian Afrobeats
Heavy, percussive club beats with irresistible hooks and street-wise raps in Yoruba, Igbo or pidgin English—Nigerian pop music, increasingly known by the much-debated term Afrobeats, is the sound that moves Lagos and the sound of Lagos that moves the world. But it wasn’t always this way! Starting in the early 1990s, a new musical movement was born in Nigeria. Ten years into a series of military dictatorships that almost completely destroyed the Nigerian
Lagos Roots: Fuji, Juju and Apala
Beneath the gloss of Nigeria’s contemporary pop, older roots styles, mostly derived from Yoruba tradition, still thrive. In this program, we meet four top stars of fuji music, the percussion-driven, message-heavy, and occasionally profane trance music that animates weddings and parties on a daily basis in hidden corners of Lagos. Rival “kings” K1 da Ultimate and Saheed Osupa, and a rare woman of fuji, Salawa Abeni, take us inside the rough and tumble of an exciting musical subculture little know
Congolese Music - The Fifth Generation
In the early 2000s, Afropop told the story of “Four Generations” in Congolese music—from rumba and rumba-rock to soukous and ndombolo. Now time has marched on, and once again, thrilling new sounds are emerging from Kinshasa and its global diaspora. We’ll hear hyperkinetic roots-rock from Jupiter and Okwess, Fally Ipupa’s embrace of the current Afrobeats trend, experimental innovations from Pierre Kwenders in Montreal, and more. We’ll also speak with Congolese music connoisseur Lubangi Muniania f
Cooking with Georges Revisited
One of the glories of Afropop’s 30-year run has been joining our host Georges Collinet in the kitchen as he creates delicious concoctions, while grooving to his favorite tunes. This episode looks back on two classic “Cooking with Georges” episodes: Yassa Chicken from Senegal, and Yoruba soul food with guest chef Baba John Mason—all accompanied music to make you move, from wherever George’s insatiable culinary curiosity takes him. Get your apron and your dancing shoes ready!
Produced by Banning
Barbados at 50: From Soca to Spouge
Barbados recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. We look into the rise and mysterious fall of the funky Bajan spouge beat which ruled the island in the ’70s, and discover a few underground musicians who are trying to keep it alive. Calypsonians Mighty Grynner and Red Plastic Bag detail their contributions to the lyrically potent kaiso scene. Soca stars Alison Hinds and Edwin Yearwood talk about the pros and cons of the island's competition circuit, and we learn about the hot ne
Crabs with Brains
Crabs with Brains
In the early 1990s, mangueboys and manguegirls stimulated fertility in the veins of Recife, Brazil. They were interested in hip-hop, the collapse of modernity, chaos and marine predator attacks (mainly sharks). Armed with boundless creativity, they turned one of the world’s most poverty-stricken cities into one of Brazil’s greatest centers of culture. Mangue artists mixed hip-hop, Jamaican raggamuffin and punk rock with traditions from Brazil’s northeast like maracatu and embo
Reissued: African Vinyl in the 21st Century
The golden age of vinyl records is long past in Africa, but the market for rare and reissued African vinyl outside the continent has been growing steadily since the early 2000s. DJs and collectors have turned an obsession with rare records and forgotten gems from Cape Town to Tangiers into an international reissue and compilation industry, led by record labels such as Soundway, Strut and Analog Africa. This program explores some of the complex and shifting dynamics of neocolonialism, cultural ow
Roots and Future: A History of UK Dance
Look around today’s musical mainstream, and you’ll quickly realize that dance styles are everywhere, filling stadiums, topping charts, and gathering tens of thousands in festivals around the country. Yet few know their full history. Building on prior Hip Deep explorations of the origins of house and techno in the American Midwest, “Roots and Future” explores how a community of (primarily) black British musicians, fans, DJs and radio pirates recreated dance music in the United Kingdom during the
Plenty Bacchanal: Carnival in Flux
Trinidadians call their annual Carnival festivities "the greatest show on earth" and with good reason. The Carnival season is overflowing with art and music: steelpan, calypso, soca and extravagant masquerade costumes. On this Afropop program, we take a look at how the Carnival arts are kept alive in today's Trinidad, in an untidy, evolving cultural, economic and political landscape at home and abroad. Open your ears to some life-giving music and conversations about Trinidad and its brilliant b
Jamaica - Big A Yard, Big Abroad
Since the 1960s in Jamaica, iconic figures such as Bob Marley have gathered in backyards to write reggae anthems that conquered world charts. The yard remains a cornerstone in Jamaican culture. Musicians withdraw from the violence of the city to create and play songs in their yards. In Jamaican patois, “mi yard” means “my home,” and many songs, proverbs and colloquialisms hinge on the word “yard.” More even than the music itself, the yard evokes a state of mind and a physical space wherein artis
Highlights From Afropop Closeup: Season Two
Since the launch of the second Afropop Closeup season in the summer of 2017, we’ve taken you through the stories of producers, lovers, activists, poets and musicians from Africa and the diaspora finding their respective ways in the world and connecting through music. Since this series is only available online, we are bringing you highlights of some of the most captivating stories in this season. You will hear the voices of our regular Afropop producers and some newcomers narrating these stories
Africa and the Blues
When this episode first aired, the recent death of Malian guitar legend Ali Farka Touré inspired a new round of speculation about the roots of the blues in Africa. Touré famously argued that the beloved American genre was "nothing but African", a bold assertion. Among scholars, Gerhard Kubik's book Africa and the Blues has gained recognition as the most serious and penetrating examination of the subject. This program in our Hip Deep series will be produced in collaboration with Kubik, allowing a
With Feet in Many Worlds
As the 21st century rolls on, more and more of the musical artists who are making a difference cannot be pinned down to any one national identity. Migration, inter-marriage, and the hurly burly of our globalized planet are creating a new and growing generations change-makers with hyphenated identities. In this program we hear from Ayo (Nigerian-Roma-German), Meklit Hadero (Ethiopian-American), Weedie Braimah (Ghanaian-American), La Dame Blanche (Cuban-French), Pascal Danai of the band Delgres (G
What's in a Nigerian Name?
Musicians everywhere adapt stage names. They can be profound, grandiose or simply humorous, but they always represent a way of distinguishing the artist from the person. In Nigeria, there’s something special going on with stage names. For one thing, they are nearly universal. They can also change over the course of an artist’s career. And they reflect the realities of Nigeria’s complex history, under British colonialism, military rule and the recent democratic period. Stage names riff on the dom
Reimagining Jazz in Africa: Cape Town Cosmopolitans and Beyond
In recognition of the recent death of South African maestro Hugh Masekela, we revisit a program that touches on one of his earliest musical landmarks, The Jazz Epistles.
It’s no secret that the distant roots of American jazz lay in Africa. But how did Afro-America’s revolutionary sound reshape African music? On this Hip Deep edition, we examine how African artists found a modern, global voice using jazz as inspiration. Author Carol Muller tells the story of Abdullah Ibrahim, whose prolific car
Afropop at 30: Live in the '90s
As we begin our year of celebrating Afropop Worldwide's 30th anniversary on the air, we take a special look back at some highlights of our long run on public radio. We return to our past visits to South Africa, Congo, Senegal, Mali, Cuba, and check in with the hippest hip-hop artists we caught performing at Nuits d'Afrique and Mawazine.
Produced by Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebook.com/afropop, on Instagram @afropopworldwide and on Twitter @afr
The Voice of Protest: Betsayda Machado Sings Against Hunger in Venezuela
The songs of Betsayda Machado, the leading voice of Afro-Venezuelan music, address many of the most painful topics of daily life of her country: hunger, poverty, shortages of basic medicine, and deadly street riots – stemming from the current economic and political crisis in Venezuela. They talk about its consequences on a gut level: empty store shelves, and the devastation of parents unable to feed their children. Some in Venezuela who have spoken out have faced retribution, but that hasn’t det
Time Travel Through Afro-Paris
Since at least the 1980s, when this program first aired, Paris has been one of the most important incubators of African music on the planet. That’s why we’ve visited there to take the pulse so often. On this program, we look back on 30 years of adventures with African music in Paris. We’ll hear studio sessions with Congolese guitar ace Diblo Dibala and zouk stars Kassav, interviews, live concerts, and that special ambiance that only Paris can provide.
Produced by Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow.
“For My Ayeeyo:” Learning Somali Poetry From a Distance
Amal Hussein and Hamdi Mohamed have a lot in common. Both were born in Kenya, where their parents fled as refugees during the Somali Civil War, and both came to Boston when they were just a few years old. They’re both poets — and equally important for this story — both their grandmothers are poets. But there’s one crucial difference in the two women's stories. Hamdi grew up with her grandmother ("ayeeyo" in Somali") in the house, whispering poems in her ears. Amal has only known her grandmother
Hip Deep in Mali: Growing Into Music in 21st Century Bamako
This program presents a musical portrait of Bamako in the wake of crisis. In 2012-13, Islamists occupied the north and a coup d’etat threatened a recent history of functioning democracy. With borders restored and a new elected government in place, we find musical life returning with festivals, nightclub shows and street weddings. But that picture hides darker realities. Ethnomusicologist Lucy Durán has been studying the oral transmission of music in various countries, notably among griot familie
Santo Domingo Blues: The Story of Bachata
Bachata is a music of the people. Recalling the American blues, bachata was infamous as the anthem of the hard-drinking, womanizing, down-on-his-luck man, vilified as the entertainment of the brothels and the cabarets, and worshipped by the down-trodden poor as the deepest expression of their feelings. Today it is an international sensation. Alex Wolfe, director of the film "Santo Domingo Blues: The Story of Bachata" brings us live ambience and stories of bachata stars Luis Vargas, Antony Santos
Ghana: Celebration Sounds
In hard times and boom times, people in Ghana know how to party. In this program, we hear the regional pop and neotraditional music that animates festivals, funerals and community celebrations across the county. We travel to the lush Volta region in the east to hear Ewe borborbor, agbadza and brass band music. In the northern city of Tamale, we hear Dagbani traditional music, hip-hop and pop, and visit the vibrant Damba chieftaincy festival in nearby Yendi. Back in the bustling metropolis, Accra
Underground
Underneath the streets of New York City, in the tunnels and stations of the busiest subway system in the country, there is a thriving music scene. Amidst the noise of passing trains, we meet Papa Fara, a Cameroonian xylophonist and singer, who plays for tips and captures the love of strangers and makes friends with his quick, warm smile. But, behind the smile and beautiful melodies, something is troubling Papa Fara. There’s a reason he’d rather be underground.
Produced by Morgan Greenstreet.
The (New) Sound Of Afro Paris
Paris has been a thriving capital for African music for decades. Since the 1980s, many major musicians such as Mory Kanté, Khaled and Amadou and Mariam launched their international careers there. Today, as migration patterns evolve, borders tighten and the world becomes increasingly connected via the Internet, Paris remains more than ever a city of encounters and innovations for artists of African origin. With new generations experimenting and new audiences emerging, the term “world music” has l
Thomas Mapfumo 2: The Mugabe Years
In recognition of the end of Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule in Zimbabwe, we are rebroadcasting our program on the career of Thomas Mapfumo during the Mugabe years.
Part two of the story of Zimbabwe’s most consequential singer and bandleader picks up at the dawn of the country’s independence in 1980. The program focuses on key songs from Thomas Mapfumo’s vast post-independence catalogue, beginning with his celebration of victory, and his warnings about “dissidents” out to destabilize a young natio
Biafra at 50: A Wound That Does Not Heal
During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, some foreign observers were puzzled by groups of Nigerians who showed support for Donald Trump’s campaign. The most prominent supporters were the IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra), a controversial, fervently Christian, mostly Igbo, nationalist organization that is still fighting for independence from Nigeria. On Jan. 20, 2017 a rally in Port Harcourt celebrating the inauguration of Donald Trump turned violent, and a number of people were shot dead by
Stocking Stuffers 2017
It's time once again for Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre to spin through our favorite African and African diaspora releases of the year. 2017 has been a knockout, with spectacular new albums, including a collaboration between Mali's Trio da Kali and Kronos Quartet (Ladilikan), the debut of Madagascar's super trio Toko Telo (Toy Raha Toy), Oumou Sangare's comeback (Mogoya), a killer live set of Garifuna pop from Aurelio (Darandi) and the long-awaited second album from Zimbabwe's hottest young b
Cuts from the Crypt III
Back in the day, host Georges Collinet and producer Sean Barlow (A.K.A. Prince Segue Segue) dragged stacks of vinyl all over the country to deejay for station-produced Afropop Dance Parties. We'll dig into the past to retrieve some of our favorite gems from the Congo, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Brazil and Cote d'Ivoire.
Produced by Sean Barlow.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebook.com/afropop, on Instagram @afropopworldwide and on Twitter @afropopww.
Subscribe to the Afropop Worldwi
Kizito Mihigo and the Politics of Music in Post-Genocide Rwanda
Kizito Mihigo is one of Rwanda’s most beloved singers, yet he is currently imprisoned, serving a 10-year sentence for treason. In 2014, Mihigo released a song which criticized the wartime actions of Rwanda’s governing political party. The song went viral, sparking a nationwide dialogue around the genocide, and weeks later, Mihigo was arrested on charges of conspiracy to assassinate the president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. Is Mihigo truly guilty of conspiracy, or only of speaking (and singing) truth
A Brief History of Funk
Funk is a perennial favorite. In this panoramic history of the grooviest of genres, we hear track after track of absolute boogie-down classics. Everything from Sly and the Family Stone to James Brown, with a few stops to hear legends like the Meters, Kool and the Gang, and Parliament. We’ll also hear the great Bobby Byrd explain the rhythmic motor behind the JB’s, and Georges Clinton talk about the roots of his funk.
Produced by Ned Sublette.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebo
Afropop Live! 2017
Here’s Afropop’s annual roundup of great live recordings we’ve captured over the past year but haven't found time to air. We'll hear live tracks from our recent fieldwork in Nigeria, highlights from the Nuits d’Afrique festival in Montreal, the Sacred Music Festival in Fes, Morocco, and the Africa Now! festival at New York’s Apollo Theater, as well as intimate recordings of the kora/cello duo Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal. From a Hausa traditional jam in northern Nigeria to rowdy Congolese r
Night at the Clash
Sound clashes have been a mainstay of reggae culture for decades. Mobile sound system teams face off to see who can best move the crowd with their selections of records and exclusive "dub plate" jingles. On a recent late night in Queens, seven sounds competed for the U.S. champion title, and many were surprised by the winner. We meet the sound-system operators and talk to fans about why they love the clash scene.
About the producer:
Noah Schaffer is an award-winning music journalist based in
Hip Deep Angola Part 2: Kuduro and Beyond
Join producer Ned Sublette on the streets of Angola’s big, smoggy, oil-booming capital city of Luanda. Peace came to Angola in 2002 after 42 years of war, and now everything is different, with construction under way everywhere. The post-war generation of the last 10 years communicates via text messaging and electronic music: The biggest of which is the techno-meets-rap-meets-African-dance style known as kuduro (literally, “hard-ass”). But there’s also the zouk-like couple dance of kizomba, a phe
Hip Deep Angola part 1: Music and Nation in Luanda
We explore the role music played in the creation of a uniquely Angolan consciousness as the country struggled toward independence in the 1960s and ‘70s after centuries of colonialism. Our guides will be producer Ned Sublette, on the ground in Angola, and Dr. Marissa Moorman, historian of southern Africa, and author of Intonations: A Social History of Music in Luanda, Angola from 1945 to Recent Times. We’ll hear the pathbreaking group Ngola Ritmos, who dared sing songs in Kimbundu publicly when i
Shackled Love: LGBT Asylum Seekers in the U.K.
Sibo Dube and Maureen Nabisere met inside the U.K.’s most notorious immigrant detention centre, Yarl’s Wood. In the midst of captivity and uncertainty, the two women bonded in the detention center choir group; they had come to the U.K. seeking liberation from the emotional imprisonment they had faced in Zimbabwe and Uganda respectively, where their sexuality is illegal. Their relationship would be their emotional salvation, and potentially, their ticket to freedom in the U.K., which places a hea
Lagos and the Rise of Nigerian Afrobeats
Heavy, percussive club beats with irresistible hooks and street-wise raps in Yoruba, Igbo or pidgin English—Nigerian pop music, increasingly known by the much-debated term Afrobeats, is the sound that moves Lagos and the sound of Lagos that moves the world. But it wasn’t always this way! Starting in the early 1990s, a new musical movement was born in Nigeria. Ten years into a series of military dictatorships that almost completely destroyed the Nigerian music industry, artists including Junior &
Riqueza del Barrio: Puerto Rican Music in the United States
For almost a month, the fate of Puerto Rico and its inhabitants has remained unknown due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria during the unusually active hurricane season of 2017. There are still many people on the island living without electricity or potable water and in desperate need of assistance. This week we are airing a special Hip Deep encore presentation of “Riqueza del Barrio: Puerto Rican Music in the United States” produced by Ned Sublette to help raise awareness and celebra
Black, Greek and Proud: Negros Tou Moria
As Europe closes Greece’s borders in an attempt to stem the seemingly never-ending flow of refugees, immigrant artists are finding it tough to survive in an increasingly xenophobic environment. Ghanaian-Greek rapper Negros Tou Moria is carving out new territory and challenging stereotypes with rap music that is deeply rooted in Greek language and culture. Produced by Heidi Fuller-love.
About the producer:
Heidi Fuller-love is an award-winning freelance travel writer and radio producer based i
Remembering Fela
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti would be 79 years old this month, had he not died from complications of AIDS in 1997. By the time of his death, Fela was the inventor of the enduring and influential Afrobeat music style, the composer of an enormous body of music, and one of the bravest political voices in 20th century African music. It is fair to say that no African musician before or since has sacrificed more for the principles he believed in. Nigerian history and music have barreled forth during the two de
Accounting for Taste: Dire Straits, Jim Reeves and Death Metal in Africa
When we talk about the influence of American performers on African music, we usually think about a few obvious examples, legends like Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix or James Brown. In this episode, we go beyond these stars to explore the legacy of some lesser-known inspirations. We’ll learn how the fluid guitar playing of ’70s rock band Dire Straits became massively popular in the Sahel, influencing Tuareg rockers like Tinariwen and Tamikrest. We’ll hear about the American country superstar Jim R
Afro-Symphonic Folk: From the Coasts of Africa to the San Francisco Bay
The San Francisco Bay Area is a unique cultural space that has given birth to some of the most iconic countercultural American music. It is a place where identities can be fluid and hyphenated, where new voices emerge to speak to their times. Two very different Bay Area artists, Meklit Hadero and Zena Carlota, use their music to explore what it means to live on two sides of a hyphen: African-American, black-artist, Ethiopian-American, female-musician, to name a few. Produced by Lisa Bartfai
Abo
Lagos Roots: Fuji, Juju and Apala
Beneath the gloss of Nigeria’s contemporary pop, older roots styles, mostly derived from Yoruba tradition, still thrive. In this program, we meet four top stars of fuji music, the percussion-driven, message-heavy, and occasionally profane trance music that animates weddings and parties on a daily basis in hidden corners of Lagos. Rival “kings” K1 da Ultimate and Saheed Osupa, and a rare woman of fuji, Salawa Abeni, take us inside the rough and tumble of an exciting musical subculture little know
San Francisco: Afropop by the Bay
It turns out that the first American city to host a roster of local African bands was not New York, Miami or Chicago, but the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. Hugh Masekela brought Hedzoleh Soundz from Ghana, and they settled in Santa Cruz. Nigerian maestros O.J. Ekemode and Joni Haastrup lived in Oakland in the 1970s. South African musicians from the touring stage show Ipitombi also settled in the Bay Area and started the band Zulu Spear. By the early ‘80s, the Bay Area “worldbeat
Rushin’ to Bacchanal: When Caribbean Festivals Collide
Junkanoo, an annual communal parade held in the Bahamas, is a labor of love for the Bahamian people that dates back centuries. The parade, which has Akan cultural roots, emerged in the time of slavery, but it has since moved from the margins to the very center of society, becoming the bedrock of national culture. When the government wanted to invest millions into the development of a major cultural festival designed to attract tourists, Junkanoo seemed like the obvious choice. In this podcast, w
Fania Records at 50
New York City is home to the earthshaking Latin dance music known as salsa. From the mid-1960s through the 1980s, Fania Records released many of the landmark albums of the era, creating a salsa boom that reverberated around the world. In 2014, Fania celebrated 50 years in the business; and to celebrate, we dug into the label’s history. We’ll hear from some of the principal players, including Aurora Flores, Nicky Marrero and Larry “El Judio Maravilloso” Harlow, and tell a few Afropop-centric stor
Podcast Special: Closeup #1
To celebrate the launch of the second season of the Afropop Closeup podcast, this special radio program features some of the stories from the inaugural season. We’ll hear about the plight of Haitian radio stations in New York; the story of Mabiisi, a unique transnational collaboration be-tween a Burkinabe rapper and a Ghanaian roots musician; and the surprising popular resurgence of U.K. grime music. Subscribe to our podcast and follow the second season of the Afropop Closeup podcast to hear int
Haiti's Fight for Copyright
Life in the music business has its ups and downs—especially in Haiti—and Serge Turnier (A.K.A. Powersurge) has lived both extremes. As a producer he makes his living from recorded music, not from concerts, and so many of those ups and downs have revolved around the question of copyright: a legal system for controlling who can copy, record and perform a piece of music. The concept can seem abstract, but in Ternier’s story it makes all the difference as he decides whether to give up on the Haitian
Shake It Fo Ya Hood: Bounce, New Orleans Hip-Hop
*Music in this show contains some explicit language*
New Orleans, Louisiana is home to some of America's greatest musical traditions, and plays an outsized influence on the evolution of everything from jazz through to r&b, rock and funk. Today, the city is still legendary for its second line brass bands and brightly costumed Mardi Gras Indians. But if you've rolled through New Orleans on pretty much any night in the last 30 years, you've probably heard another sound—the clattering, booming, hip
An Island, Divided
The island of Hispaniola, located in the western Caribbean, is divided in two by an invisible line that snakes down its central mountain range. On one side is Haiti, the other the Dominican Republic: one colonized by the French, the other by Spain. The island was the first place in the Americas colonized by Europeans, and was the place where trans-Atlantic slavery was first implemented. It was also home to the first--and only--successful slave revolt when Haiti rebelled against France in 1791. Y
Sahel Sounds: Modern Music from Mali
Working closely with Christopher Kirkley, the writer and recordist behind the Sahel Sounds blog and label, we will meet the newest generation of musicians from Mali. With their possibilities transformed by technology and their musical tastes reshaped by an exposure to sounds drawn from across the world, these young musicians are radically rethinking centuries-old traditions. Get ready for the fast-paced guitar bands of the north; the MP3 markets in which digital music passes from cellphone to ce
Afro-Dominicana: The Other Dominican Republic
In the 1930s, infamous Dominican dictator Rafael Truillo ordered the burning of the country’s palos drums, hoping to erase the powerful vestiges of African culture in the Dominican Republic. Luckily for us, the breakneck, trance-inducing sound of palos still reverberates at Afro-syncretic religious parties across the Caribbean nation almost a century later. This week, Afropop revisits the home of styles such as merengue and bachata, but this time we’ll be looking towards the most deeply African
Off the Beaten Track: Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Beyond
This program ventures into corners of Africa we rarely hear from, guided by adventurous field recordists and crate diggers. The Zomba Prison Project is a set of recordings by inmates at a maximum security prison in Malawi, currently the poorest nation on earth. The project’s debut CD was nominated for a Grammy Award. Here, we speak with the producer, Ian Brennan, and hear tracks from a new volume of soulful, even heartbreaking, songs from the prison. We then go back to the 1960s and ‘70s in the
The Festival In Fes: World Sacred Music Festival, Revisited
This spring, Afropop returned to Fes, Morocco, for the 23rd annual World Sacred Music Festival, a sumptuous spread of music from across the globe that blurs the boundaries of what is sacred. Interwoven with Morocco’s ornate history and fertile fabric of daily life is a mosaic of many musics: Gnawa, Arabic pop, Amazigh ahwach, classical Andalusian, Issaoua, raï, rap, chaabi, jazz, metal and so much more. At the World Sacred Music Festival, we heard many of these sounds, as well as those of intern
Proving the Bubu Myth: Janka Nabay, War and Witchcraft in Sierra Leone
Every year on Sierra Leone’s Independence Day in late April, musicians and revelers descend upon Freetown from throughout the country. Parades and celebrations traverse the city, joining diverse neighborhoods with processional music, including one particular local style called bubu, a trance-inducing sound played by groups of young men blowing interlocking hocketed breath patterns into bamboo tubes. Bubu resonates with other African diasporic horn traditions, rara and gaga especially. It has lon
Seize the Dance: The BaAka of Central Africa
Louis Sarno, an American original who lived for 30 years among Bayaka Pygmies in the Central African rainforest and recorded their polyphonic music more completely than any audio adventurer or ethnomusicologist could dream of, died where he was born, in New Jersey, on April 1, 2017. In his memory, we bring you this encore Hip Deep program. Read more of Banning Eyre's tribute to Louis Sarno at http://www.afropop.org/37016/remembering-louis-sarno/
A new season of Hip Deep kicks off with a remarka
Afro-Tech: Stories of Synths in African Music
Technology is one of the great drivers of musical change, and often one of its least understood. In this episode, we explore the synthesizer, looking closely at the history of this ubiquitous (and often debated) piece of musical technology, and investigating how and why it was first used in a variety African musics. Enabled by groundbreaking record reissues by synth pioneers like William Onyeabor (Nigeria) and Hailu Mergia (Ethiopia), disco stars like Kris Okotie, and South African superstar Bre
Ring The Alarm: A History Of Sound System Culture
In Jamaica, sound systems are more than just a stack of speakers blasting the latest tunes to an eager crowd. Over the last 70 years, they have touched all levels of society in Jamaica, determining the island’s popular taste and profoundly influencing the daily lives of its citizenry. This program explores the evolution of sound system culture, from the Jamaican genesis of the 1940s to its gradual impact on diaspora communities, and ultimately, its undeniable influence on the popular culture of
Bugalú
We honor the late Joe Cuba with this encore portrait of "Bugalú," produced for Afropop Worldwide by Ned Sublette. Bugalú is the Spanish spelling of boogaloo, and was also known as “Latin soul.” It hit the scene in 1966 with the original and organic concept of combining black and Puerto Rican music. The dance club crowd went crazy and then the fad quickly faded. But what a ride along the way! Joe Cuba was one of bugalú’s most popular artists, best known for the major hit “Bang Bang” that his band
African Music at the Crossroads
Afropop producer Banning Eyre takes us on a surprise-filled tour of his 30-some years of covering African music. Through conversations with Georges Collinet and producer/agent/DJ Rab Bakari, the program reflects on how the world, the music, the culture and the media have changed and keep on changing throughout Africa and the diaspora. Along the way we hear some of the tunes that have most inspired Banning and Georges, sample the latest Afrobeats and Naija pop, and speculate on where African musi
Cuts From The Crypt, Part II
As work continues on the vast Afropop archive, producer Banning Eyre takes a deep dive and comes up with some gems. On the vinyl front, the focus is on South Africa and Zimbabwe, where the Afropop team collected a good deal of rare vinyl in the 1980s. Then Banning samples some his favorite field recordings from Zanzibar to Mali. In the age of YouTube, Pandora and Spotify, you might have the impression that all the music ever recorded is there at your finger tips. Here's proof that's not so. You'
Hip Deep in Northern Nigeria
[Extended Online Version]
Kano State in northwest Nigeria is a land of paradox. The ancient home of the Hausa people, it has ties back to the oldest civilizations in West Africa. Muslim since at least the 12th century, the region remained largely self-administered during the era of British colonialism, and never significantly adapted Christianity or Western culture and values as in other parts of Nigeria. In 1999, Kano instituted Sharia law. But by that time, the city of Kano was also the cent
Summer 2017 Concert Preview
Summer is always the most active season for African and diaspora touring artists. We’ll clue you in to what we think are the best. So wherever you are, enjoy the fun fun fun free open-air concerts at Central Park SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn, Nuits d’Afrique in Montreal, Concert of Colors in Detroit, Grand Performances in L.A. and more. Artists we’re looking forward to seeing perform in New York City this summer include Youssou N’Dour, Toto La Momposina, Seun Kuti and Mulatu Astake. Check th
"We Are All Creole": The Atlantic Sound of Cape Verde
Cape Verde, land of the the playful coladeira, the entrancing batuque, the high-energy funaná, and of course the sensual morna that Cesaria Évora helped bring to the world. At the intersection of Africa, Europe, and the Americas, Cape Verde's creole identity is reflected in the richness of its musical output, one which continues to uphold traditions while maintaining a youthful energy and demonstrating an open-mindedness fitting for an archipelago whose diaspora outnumbers its inhabitants. In th
La Bamba: The Afro-Mexican Story
Much has been made of Mexico’s rich Spanish and indigenous heritage, but until recently, there’s been little talk of Mexico’s so-called “third root”: Africa. Africans came to Mexico with the Spanish as soldiers and slaves – so many that by 1810, the black population of Mexico was equal to that of the United States. Today, African heritage persists throughout Mexico, yet for a variety of reasons, black history has long been silenced. In this Hip Deep episode, we use music to explore that history
Hip Deep in the Niger Delta
The massive Niger River Delta is a fantastically rich cultural region and ecosystem. Unfortunately, it has been laid low by the brutal Biafran War (1967-70) and by decades of destructive and mismanaged oil exploration. This program offers a portrait of the region in two stories. First, we chronicle the Biafran War through the timeless highlife music of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, perhaps the most popular musician in Nigeria at the time. Then we spend time with contemporary musical activists in Port
Jamaica: Big A Yard, Big Abroad
Since the 1960s in Jamaica, iconic figures such as Bob Marley have gathered in backyards to write reggae anthems that conquered world charts. The yard remains a cornerstone in Jamaican culture. Musicians withdraw from the violence of the city to create and play songs in their yards. In Jamaican patois, “my yard” means “my home,” and many songs, proverbs and colloquialisms hinge on the word “yard.” More even than the music itself, the yard evokes a state of mind and a physical space wherein artis
The Live Pop-Up Radio Experience
Live from Brooklyn, it’s Afropop Worldwide! In collaboration with Brooklyn Internet radio station Stewart Avenue, Afropop invited New York-based artists from Africa and the diaspora to our office for a unique live broadcast on Sat., Feb. 11. In case you missed it, we have highlights from the six-hour broadcast which featured interviews with singer and keyboardist Jean Gnonlonfoun of Beninois band Jomion and the Uklos; urban dancer, teacher and choreographer Kim D. Holmes from New York; bandleade
The Ring and the Shout
This Hip Deep episode presents the stunning radio premiere of “Oh, David,” the traditional song of the annual Easter Rock in Winnsboro, Louisiana. The Easter Rock is in fact a surviving ringshout—the oldest known form of African American music—but it’s about 600 miles west of the ringshout’s heartland in Georgia. It’s located across the Mississippi River from Vicksburg in the Louisiana Delta, where they don’t call it a “ringshout,” but a “rock.” And it totally rocks. Producer Ned Sublette attend
A History of Puerto Rican Salsa
The music being made in Puerto Rico before and during the salsa years had its own sabor, even while the salsa boom was exploding out of New York. We talk to three of Puerto Rico’s all-time most important bandleaders: Rafael Ithier, founder of El Gran Combo; Quique Lucca, founder of Sonora Ponceña; and Willie Rosario, and hear key tracks from the island.
Produced by Ned Sublette with José Mandry.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebook.com/afropop, on Instagram @afropopworldwide a
Edo Highlife: Culture, Politics and Progressive Traditionalism
Highlife—West Africa’s pioneer popular music of the late colonial and independence periods—has mostly faded from popularity in 21st century Nigeria. However, highlife is alive and well in Edo State, 300 kilometers east of Lagos, and the center of the former Benin Empire. Edo highlife musicians fill the role of traditional musicians by animating community ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, and praising prominent members of the community, in exchange for “financial love.” This traditionalis
A Visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
In our visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we go beyond the handful of artists who have achieved international careers and dive into the local scene. We visit azmaribets, down-home music clubs featuring vivacious women artists and their ensembles of traditional players. We catch Mimi and Besat live. Competition between the leading music producers in Addis is fierce: We visit the recording studio of Abegasu Shiote, who breaks down the Ethiopian pop sound track by track, and for the finale, we attend
Hip Deep in Nigeria Preview
In recent months, three Afropop Worldwide producers--Sean Barlow, Banning Eyre and Morgan Greenstreet--have been working in four different regions of Nigeria to gather material for the upcoming five-part Hip Deep in Nigeria series. In this program, the producers sit down to talk about their experiences, share favorite stories and tracks, and preview Afropop Worldwide’s most ambitious field project in our 30-year history. We’ll hear Naija pop, fuji, nanaye film songs and Hausa hip-hop from the no
The Music of Black Peru: Cultural Identity in the Black Pacific
The “Black Pacific” is a term coined by our guide, ethnomusicologist Heidi Carolyn Feldman. She describes the circumstance of African descendants displaced not only from their ancestral homes in Africa, but also from the Atlantic coast nations where their enslaved ancestors were originally brought.
This Hip Deep edition explores the sonically vibrant realm of Afro-Peruvian music, a young genre identification that has flourished since the 1950s and has now produced artists of international renow
Getting Down in the Guyanas
We visit one of the world's last untamed natural and musical wildernesses: The Guyanas. Riding along bumpy jungle roads and in dugout canoes, Afropop producer Marlon Bishop travels from Suriname to French Guiana for the Transamazoniennes Festival, located in the remote border town of Saint-Laurent-Du-Maroni. We enjoy the region's fascinating cultural stew, where French Creole, Maroon, Amerindian, Hindu, Javanese, and Dutch elements all mingle together on the outer fringes of the Amazon and hear
Reissued: African Vinyl in the 21st Century
The golden age of vinyl records is long past in Africa, but the market for rare and reissued African vinyl outside the continent has been growing steadily since the early 2000s. DJs and collectors have turned an obsession with rare records and forgotten gems from Capetown to Tangiers into an international reissue and compilation industry, led by record labels such as Soundway, Strut and Analog Africa. This program explores some of the complex and shifting dynamics of neocolonialism, cultural own
Carnival In Brooklyn
Every September, millions of people celebrate Carnival in Brooklyn. From the pre-dawn J’ouvert bacchanal in the streets, to the intense Panorama steel pan competition, to the massive Labor Day Parade on Eastern Parkway, central Brooklyn is transformed into a Caribbean cultural haven. But before the fun comes months of preparation and centuries of history. We follow Caribbean steel pan groups, masquerade bands and Haitian rara groups through their preparations and celebrations and we hear how mem
New York City's globalFEST 2017
Every January, New York's Webster Hall jams to the music of 12 bands on three stages in one wild night. globalFEST has become an annual kick-off ritual for music-minded New Yorkers. This program samples the 2017 lineup with dynamic live recordings from Cuba (Septeto Santiguero), Congo (L'Orchestre Afrisa International), Ghana (Jojo Abot), Sudan (Alsarah and the Nubatones), Morocco (Hoba Hoba Spirit), and more. We also speak with Modero Mekanisi about the revival of Afrisa International, and with
Two Lions: Bunny Wailer and Hakim
On this program we survey the careers of two giants within their genres. Bunny Wailer is the last surviving member of the original Bob Marley and the Wailers trio. Right up to his 2016 tour, where we met him, this architect of reggae music has continued to carry the banner with new concerts and recordings. And he tells his story with bracing poetic candor. Meanwhile in Egypt, Hakim, the lion of shaabi music, remains a superstar and a player in that country’s turbulent pop scene. On a rare visit
Cuban Counterpoint of Tobacco and Sugar: Sacred Musical Spaces in Western Cuba
Borrowing the title from Cuban polymath Fernando Ortiz, producer Ned Sublette takes a group of travelers, including you, to multiple sites in western Cuba to analyze the musical impact of what Ortiz called the "Cuban counterpoint" of tobacco and sugar. We'll hear endangered species of drums in mountain farms and sugar towns, drilling down into the deep culture of the Afro-Cuban world. We'll hear sacred drumming as handed down from Kongo sources, from Yorubaland, from Dahomey, and more, in sites
Barbados at 50: Spouge to Soca
Barbados recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. We look into the rise and mysterious fall of the funky Bajan spouge beat which ruled the island in the ’70s, and discover a few underground musicians who are trying to keep it alive. Calypsonians Mighty Grynner and Red Plastic Bag detail their contributions to the lyrically potent kaiso scene. Soca stars Alison Hinds and Edwin Yearwood talk about the pros and cons of the island's competition circuit, and we learn about the hot ne
Colombia in NYC
New York City is home to a diverse community of Colombian musicians and groups who create in a wide range of traditional, popular and experimental music styles for diasporic communities and beyond. Our “Colombia in NYC” program takes us from independence day celebrations in a chic Manhattan club with accordion virtuoso Gregorio Uribe, to vallenato parties and outdoor festivals. We’ll hear from experimental groups Combo Chimbita and Delsonido; traditional Afro-Colombian bullerengue group Bulla en
Hip Deep in Mali: The Tuareg Predicament
The confederations and clans collectively known as the Tuareg descend from the oldest inhabitants of North Africa. They lead a mostly nomadic existence across the Sahara Desert, in the lands we now know as Algeria, Libya, Niger and Mali. Tuareg communities have long felt neglected by independent African governments, especially in Mali, which has endured a succession of rebellions. In 2012, a Tuareg uprising led to a year-long crisis in which the Malian north separated from the country and fell u
Ethiopia Part I: Empire and Revolution
Ethiopia was the first Christian nation in Africa, and the only African country never to be colonized. With ethnomusicologist Kay Kaufman Shelemay and Ethiopian music scholar and compiler Francis Falceto as guests, this Hip Deep program explores the role of the Ethiopian church and monarchy in building the country's unique brassy pop music. We sample the hot sounds of "swinging Addis" on the eve of the 1974 revolution.
Produced by Banning Eyre.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.faceb
Ghana: Celebration Sounds
In hard times and boom times, people in Ghana know how to party. In this program, we hear the regional pop and neotraditional music that animates festivals, funerals and community celebrations across the county. We travel to the lush Volta region in the east to hear Ewe borborbor, agbadza and brass band music. In the northern city of Tamale, we hear Dagbani traditional music, hip-hop and pop, and visit the vibrant Damba chieftaincy festival in nearby Yendi. Back in the bustling metropolis, Accra
Political Fiction: Music and Partisan Violence in Jamaica
An Afropop Closeup Encore. Originally distributed on 11/08/2016.
The Caribbean island of Jamaica has long been blighted by unacceptably high levels of politically motivated violence, a nightmarish by-product of its firmly entrenched two-party political system. This podcast reveals the early beginnings of Jamaica’s dramatic partisan divisions, and highlights the role that the island’s music has played in commenting on and challenging such divides.
Produced and hosted by David Katz and Saxon Ba
Africa Now! 2016
Every year, the world-famous Apollo Theater and New York’s World Music Institute pack the house for a stellar lineup of established and emerging artists from the African continent. This year was especially impressive. We bring you concert highlights and interviews with artists from Ghana, Sudan, Niger and Zimbabwe. You’ll hear Alsarah and the Nubatones, inspired by the rich cultures of Nubia, Jojo Abot’s arty, dancehall-meets-Afrobeat grooves, Bombino’s joyous Tuareg rock, and the discovery of t
Stocking Stuffers 2016
Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre survey the best African and African diaspora music of 2016: from desert blues to Afrobeats and neo-cumbia, vintage reissues, and groundbreaking experiments. This fast-moving conversation interweaves juicy clips from over two dozen albums. Lots of musical ideas for your holiday shopping list.
Produced by Banning Eyre.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebook.com/afropop, on Instagram @afropopworldwide and on Twitter @afropopww.
Subscribe to the Af
Soundin' Like Weself - The Trinidadian Raspo Tradition
Producer Jake Hochberger brings us to the southernmost island in the Caribbean, Trinidad. Trinidad is the birthplace of the steel drum, calypso and soca music, and is home to the largest Carnival celebration in the world. Here we encounter the musical and philosophical movement called rapso--an infectiously danceable rhythmic oration style that comes with a philosophy championing a Trinidadian identity in the face of a colonial history and a globalized present. We meet three generations of artis
The Money Show
Every day, money changes hands in Ghanaian cedi, South African rand, and Brazilian reals as music is created, traded, performed, purchased, and pirated. In this episode we look at the business side of African music, through a series of vignettes from around the continent and diaspora that illuminate the deep connections between musical creation and the economies that sustain it. We start with the story of how cell phones are transforming Africa's music industries. Then, we see how economic compe
Afrobeats Comes To America
Afrobeats is the new urban music of Africa. Not to be confused with the funky sound of the ‘70s in Nigeria (Afrobeat), Afrobeats (with an "s") is 21st century dance pop, with a wide variety of programmed beats, rapping and singing, stylistic use of autotuned vocals, and catchy pop hooks. The music is part of a brave new media world where Nigeria is listening to South Africa, Kenya is listening to Angola, Ghana is listening to Tanzania, and Africans in the diaspora are listening to all of it. In
Salaam, Amani, Peace: Festivals in Goma, DR Congo
In a context of ongoing violence and N.G.O. intervention in Eastern Congo, a festival culture is emerging based on the concept of “peace-building” through the arts. With the guidance of professor Chérie Ndaliko and local artists, we explore the ways in which these festivals can negatively or positively affect the local arts community. (Note: Salaam Kivu International Film Festival is now Congo International Film Festival.)
Produced and hosted by Morgan Greenstreet.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on
Afropop Live! 2016
The crowd grows restless until finally the lights go down and the artist takes the stage, and that's when things come alive. It's “Afropop Live! 2016”--an anthology of some of the best performances we had the honor to see and record this year. From our home base in New York to the Festival on the Niger in Mali, this show goes global, bringing you music from across Africa and the diaspora: Kenyan pop, traditional Colombian bullerengue, Haitian compas and more. We'll get intimate performances by N
The Cumbia Diaspora: From Colombia to the World
Move over salsa and merengue–cumbia is the most popular music in Latin America. Today, cumbia is played from the borderlands of Texas down the spine of the Andes to the tip of Tierra del Fuego. In this Hip Deep edition, we find out how cumbia left Colombia in the ‘60s and ‘70s and traveled to other countries. Everywhere it went, it transformed itself, adapting to its new environment. In Peru, it mixed with psychedelic guitar effects and Andean sounds to become chicha. In Argentina, it became the
Political Fiction: Music and Partisan Violence in Jamaica
The Caribbean island of Jamaica has long been blighted by unacceptably high levels of politically motivated violence, a nightmarish by-product of its firmly entrenched two-party political system. This podcast reveals the early beginnings of Jamaica’s dramatic partisan divisions, and highlights the role that the island’s music has played in commenting on and challenging such divides.
Produced and hosted by David Katz and Saxon Baird.
Follow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebook.com/afr
Growing Into Music in 21st Century Bamako
This program presents a musical portrait of Bamako in the wake of crisis. In 2012-13, Islamists occupied the north and a coup d’etat threatened a recent history of functioning democracy. With borders restored and a new elected government in place, we find musical life returning with festivals, nightclub shows and street weddings. But that picture hides darker realities. Ethnomusicologist Lucy Duràn has been studying the oral transmission of music in various countries, notably among griot familie
Moroccan Music Today: Re-Examined Past, Innovative Future
In Morocco today, artists draw from a huge variety of styles and traditions, creating music that takes from previously neglected history in order to create new and innovative sounds. In Agadir and Casablanca, two of Morocco's most vibrantly musical cities, musicians have embraced Morocco's Amazigh and sub-Saharan roots. On this program, we explore how artists are preserving styles like Gnawa, brought to Morocco by slaves from West Africa, and rwayes, Amazigh troubadour music of southern Morocco.
A Beginner’s Guide to Lusophone Atlantic Music
While the musical networks that connect English, French and Spanish-speaking nations together are well known, far less attention is paid to the links between the Afro-Lusophone world—from Cape Verde to Angola to Brazil. This podcast offers a lightning tour of some of the most important groups that helped pull together this often-overlooked sonic universe. Produced and hosted by Sam Backer. [Distributed 10/25/2016]
African Music at the Crossroads
African Music at the Crossroads: Afropop producer Banning Eyre takes us on a surprise filled tour of his 30-some years of covering African music. Through conversations with Georges Collinet and producer/agent/DJ Rab Bakari, the program reflects on how the world, the music, the culture and the media have changed and keep on changing throughout Africa and the diaspora. Along the way we hear some of the tunes that have most inspired Banning and Georges, sample the latest Afrobeats and Naija pop, an
Africa in Matanzas, Cuba: El Almacen is Walking
Africa in Matanzas, Cuba: El Almacén is Walking
Matanzas, Cuba has long been regarded as the source (la fuente) of many rich Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions. These ceremonial and secular Afro-Cuban musics are, for the most part, alive and well, and being documented for the first time by Matanceros themselves, rather than exclusively by Havana-based or non-Cuban imprints. The Matanzas record label and artist collective, Sendero Music/El Almacén, faces several challenges: oversight from the state,
Mali: Politics Behind The Music
The music of Mali is a powerful force in the international music market. It has been critically shaped by the changing role of the griot class in Malian society and Mali's politics in general. Columbia University historian Gregory Mann shares insights into Malian politics—from the French colonial era to the present— providing fascinating context for musical developments from traditional griot songs to the latest hip-hop. Produced and hosted by Banning Eyre. [Distributed 10/11/2016]
State of Emergency: Reggae Reflections of Jamaica’s Partisan Politics
Show # 723
Airdate: 10/06/2016
Produced by Saxon Baird and David Katz
Music is a powerful means of expression in Jamaica--a platform for fierce commentary, and a bellwether for the social and political climate on the island. In Jamaica, when local newspapers, broadcast media and elected representatives don’t tell the whole story, you've got to listen to the music! With the help of scholars and artists like Max Romeo and King Jammy, this program delves into the way that Jamaican popular music ha
Carnival In Brooklyn
Every September, millions of people celebrate Carnival in Brooklyn. From the pre-dawn J'ouvert bacchanal in the streets, to the intense Panorama steel pan competition, to the massive Labor Day Parade on Eastern Parkway, Central Brooklyn is transformed into a Caribbean cultural haven. But before the fun comes months of preparation and centuries of history. We follow Caribbean steel pan groups, masquerade bands and Haitian rara groups through their preparations and celebrations and we hear how mem
Congolese Rumba: Surviving the Pop Apocalypse
All over the world, the music business as we know it is crumbling. But in the Democratic Republic of Congo, musicians have found a new (and very old) method of survival. Through a system of shout-outs called libanga, Congolese pop musicians call on rich people to sponsor their music. Singers use the metaphoric language of love to discuss power, politics and money in one of the world's poorest countries. Produced and hosted by Morgan Greenstreet in conversation with John Nimis, linguist and schol
Off the Beaten Track in Malawi and Burkina Faso
[APWW #738] [Airs Sept. 22 2016]
This program ventures into corners of Africa we hear from rarely, guided by adventurous field recordists and crate diggers. The Zomba Prison Project is a set of recordings by inmates at a maximum security prison in Malawi, currently the poorest nation on earth. The project’s debut CD was nominated for a 2016 Grammy Award. Here, we speak with the producer, Ian Brennan, and hear tracks from a brand new volume of soulful, even heartbreaking, songs from the prison.
Hip Deep: The French Caribbean–Cosmopolitan, Colonial, Complicated
[APWW #570] [Originally aired 2009]
In the music of the French Antilles—the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe—you can hear influences that range from the traditional béle and gwo ka drumming of the islands’ rural communities, to European additions like polka and French chanson. But when these islands produced a pop genre that took much of the Caribbean and African world by storm—the smooth and sexy dance music known as zouk, which exploded in the 1980s—it was an entirely new blend that unique
A Conversation with Pedrito Martínez: Part Two
Cuban master musician Pedrito Martínez talks about his career playing jazz, pop, original music and sacred Regla De Ocha ceremonies in New York City. Produced and hosted by Ned Sublette with Kenneth Schweitzer [Distributed 9/13/2016]
Listen to Part One here: http://bit.ly/2bQXRFT
Hip Deep: Afro-Lisbon and the Lusophone Atlantic: Dancing Toward The Future
Show #722
Producer: Sam Backer
Distributed Sept. 8 2016:
Hip Deep: Afro-Lisbon and the Lusophone Atlantic: Dancing Toward The Future
In the last few years, a small network of DJs in the suburbs of Lisbon, Portugal has been consistently producing some of the world’s best dance music. The children of African immigrants, these young musicians have combined a hemisphere of musical influences and distilled them down into a single astonishing style. But how did Lisbon start to make such great African
A Conversation with Pedrito Martínez: Part One
Martínez, the superstar New York-based percussionist and vocalist, talks with Ned Sublette and drum scholar Kenneth Schweitzer about how he got started in sacred and popular music in Havana, Cuba. Produced and hosted by Ned Sublette [Distributed 9/06/2016]
Listen to Part Two here: http://bit.ly/2cTjtma
(photo by Petra Richterova)
Sounds Like Brooklyn
[APWW #712] [Originally aired in 2015]
At Afropop, we have gone far and wide, from Brazil to England to Madagascar to Egypt, tracking down incredible music to bring back home to our headquarters in Brooklyn. For this program, “Sounds Like Brooklyn,” we stay closer to home, tracing a hidden music economy of CD vendors in bodegas, copy shops and food markets around the five New York boroughs. Accompanying us on our travels is poet and “Bodega Pop” WFMU radio host Gary Sullivan. Along the way, we c
Two Lions: Bunny Wailer and Hakim
[APWW # 737] Two Lions: Bunny Wailer and Hakim
On this program we survey the careers of two legends and giants within their genres. Bunny Wailer is the last surviving member of the original Bob Marley and the Wailers. Right up to his 2016 tour, where we met him, this architect of reggae music has continued to carry the banner with new concerts and recordings. And he tells his story with bracing poetic candor. Meanwhile in Egypt, the lion of shaabi music, Hakim, remains a superstar and a player i
Grimewave
Grime, the hard-edged, M.C.-led U.K. dance style that flourished in the early 2000s, seemed long gone. Its best rappers had moved on, and its fans increasingly abandoned hope. But then… something astounding happened: 2016 became grime’s biggest year ever. Produced and hosted by Sam Backer. [Distributed 8/23/2016]
Colombia in NYC
New York City is home to a diverse community of Colombian musicians and groups who create in a wide range of traditional, popular and experimental music styles for diasporic communities and beyond. Colombia in NYC takes us from independence day celebrations in a chic Manhattan club with accordion virtuoso Gregorio Uribe, to vallenato parties and outdoor festivals. We'll hear from experimental groups Combo Chimbita and Delsonido; traditional Afro-Colombian bullerengue group Bulla En El Barrio; sa
Tropical Soul Of Jorge Ben Jor
Jorge Ben Jor first began to experiment with fusions of samba, bossa nova, rhythm ‘n’ blues and soul in the early 1960s. Together with Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, he participated in the watershed cultural movement, Tropicália, in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he further explored Afro-Brazilian history and culture in a series of popular albums that have since become key points of reference for a contemporary neo-soul movement. Jorge Benjor continues to be an active presence in Brazilian popu
Haitian Radio On American Airwaves
On one stretch of Nostrand Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, there’s a Haitian radio station on every block—Radio Soleil, Radyo Panou, Radio Triomphe—each broadcasting the sounds of Kreyol conversations and konpa music. Haitian immigrants have brought a deep love of radio from their native land, where a strong oral culture, high illiteracy rates, and poor infrastructure have made radio the media of the masses—even in diaspora. Produced and hosted by Ian Coss. [Distributed 8/9/2016]
Hip Deep Rio #1: Samba at the Dawn of Modern Brazil
In part one of our 2012 Hip Deep Brazil series, we travel back in time to Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century to explore the birth of Brazil’s most iconic sound: samba. Beginning with the arrival of poor nordestinos in the city after the end of slavery in 1888, we follow the exploits of the early sambistas as they forged the genre that would come to represent the nation. Brazilian scholar Carlos Sandroni shows us how Afro-Brazilian religious music and popular styles like modinha transformed
Fees Must Fall: A Voice of Change in South Africa
We meet 21-year-old Gigi Lamayne of South Africa, a singer/rapper who finds herself at the center of her country’s most important debate and social movement in decades: the #FeesMustFall movement. The day she graduated from university, Gigi dropped a protest song about rising education costs that effectively bar the majority of black South Africans from access to higher education: A new cause for a new time. Produced by Simon Rentner and hosted by Sarah Geledi.
Festivals Around The World
show number #438
Airdate: July 18th 2016
We travel to Zanzibar to enjoy highlights from the Sauti za Busara Festival, focused on Swahili sounds from coastal East Africa, then north to the Fes Festival of Sacred World Music in Morocco, where we hear the ecstatic sounds of Sufi artists performing late into the night. We go to Dakar, Senegal for the Coca-Cola Ebony Festival to enjoy Afropop headliners, and wind up in Mali for rousing performances at the Festival Sur le Niger this past winter.
Fees Must Fall: A Voice of Change in South Africa
We meet 21-year-old Gigi Lamayne of South Africa, a singer/rapper who finds herself at the center of her country’s most important debate and social movement in decades: the #FeesMustFall movement. The day she graduated from university, Gigi dropped a protest song about rising education costs that effectively bar the majority of black South Africans from access to higher education: A new cause for a new time. Produced by Simon Rentner and hosted by Sarah Geledi.
Bamako Sounds
Airdate: 7/21/2016
Producer: Banning Eyre
Show # 735
Our recent Hip Deep in Mali series explored fascinating stories of art and life in post-crisis Mali. On this program, it's just the music. We hear new sounds from veteran maestros Djelimady Tounkara and Cheikh Tidiane Seck, Wassoulou music star Nahawa Doumbia, mesmerizing Songhai songs from Baba Salah and Samba Toure, and balafon pyrotechnics from Bassidi Kone. We also meet some new ensembles: the Afrojazz of Mamadou Barry, and the bracing ro
Escaping The Delta
[APWW PGM #452] [Originally broadcast in 2005] "Escaping the Delta" is the title of a provocative book by award-winning author Elijah Wald that explores how a mythology of the blues grew around the figure of Robert Johnson. On this Hip Deep episode, Wald talks with producer Ned Sublette, and plays lesser-known recordings by Peetie Wheatstraw, Lonnie Johnson, Leroy Carr and others, who provided source material for some of Johnson’s classic tunes.
Mabiisi: Accra Sessions
The story of a boundary-breaking collaboration between rapper Art Melody from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and kologo player Stevo Atambire from the north of Ghana. United by common languages and cultural traditions, but divided by national borders and colonial heritage, the two artists meet in Accra to find the space between traditional roots music and cutting-edge urban music. Produced by Morgan Greenstreet [Distributed 7/12/2016]
Hip Deep: Congo-Goma: Music, Conflict and NGOs
[APWW PGM #720] [Originally broadcast in 2015] In the city of Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, far from the rumba-soaked nightlife of the capital, Kinshasa, an artistic renaissance is going on. After two decades of devastating factional wars, ongoing mineral profiteering, a volcanic eruption, and other extreme circumstances, internationally minded youth are expressing themselves through diverse, socio-politically engaged music, film and dance. Artists must also navigate the influen
The Ring and the Shout
#734
airdate 6/30/2016
Producer: Ned Sublette
The Ring and the Shout. At one time thought to have died out, the ring shout is the oldest known form of African American music. Producer Ned Sublette travels to Winnsboro, Louisiana, to record the Easter Rock, an annual ritual with a direct connection to antebellum slavery days, in an endangered plantation church with a wooden floor that serves as a drum when the Rockers are in charge. And we visit Athens, Georgia, to speak with Art Rosenbaum, co-pr
Roots and Future: A History of U.K. Dance
Look around today’s musical mainstream, and you’ll quickly realized that dance styles are everywhere, filling stadiums, topping charts, and gathering tens of thousands in festivals around the country. Yet few know their full history. “Roots and Future” explores how a community of (primarily) black British musicians, fans, D.J.s, and radio pirates recreated dance music in the United Kingdom during the 1990s and 2000s.
Connected to the musical mainstream during 1989’s drug and rave fueled “second
Talking Peace In Mali
In the wake of the 2012-13 political crisis in Mali, the nation is working to repair its celebrated tradition of multiethnic harmony. The promise and pitfalls of this process play out dramatically in a public discussion during the Festival on the Niger in Segou. Artists, music professionals, and public figures weigh in with passion! Produced and hosted by Banning Eyre.
The Panama Beat
Central America, a narrow, mountainous, and largely impoverished stretch of land spanning seven countries, is a surprising and under-exposed Latin American musical hot zone. The region’s bizarre and tumultuous history has led to a fascinating mix of cultural influences – Spanish conquistadors, British pirates, and American banana companies have at one time or another vied for power. Add to this mix presence of large indigenous enclaves, Anglo-Caribbean migrants, the Afro-Arawak Garifuna and Mosq
Voodoo To Go Festival
APWW #717 Voodoo To Go Festival
Producer Morgan Greenstreet follows the trail of West African Vaudou spiritual music to a very unlikely place–Utrecht, Netherlands–for the first edition of the Voodoo To Go Festival. The three-day festival, pioneered by Togolese entrepreneur Leopold Ekué Messan, set out to demystify Vaudou/Vodun/Voodoo spiritual practices by featuring music and dance from Togo, Benin, Haiti, Cuba and Suriname and bringing people together for films, food and a panel discussion abo
Three Survivors: Paulo Flores, Emmanuel Jal, Lágbájá
[APWW #716] We profile three African musicians who have created significant careers in the face of daunting challenges in their countries. Paulo Flores, champion of semba and kizomba in Angola, came of age in the midst of that country's long post-independence civil war. He's probably done more for Angola's spiritual health during these difficult decades than anyone alive. Emmanuel Jal faced still worse as a child soldier who escaped Sudan under horrific circumstances to become an internationally
Born-Free South Africa: A Kaleidoscope of Colors
Born-Free South Africa: A Kaleidoscope of Colors
Produced by Sarah Geledi and Simon Rentner
Airdate May 26th 2016
Join us on a modern-day musical adventure into Africa's Rainbow Nation. Now, 20-plus years removed from apartheid, South Africa is a nation deep in transition. And, it's reflected in its music—brimming with enthusiasm and creativity, yet also suffering from the growing pains of a new democracy. On the ground at the 2016 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, we celebrate the country
Hip Deep in Mali: Growing Into Music in 21st Century Bamako
Hip Deep in Mali: Growing Into Music in 21st Century Bamako
Airdate: 5/19/2016
#731 Produced by Banning Eyre
This program presents a musical portrait of Bamako in the wake of crisis. In 2012-13, Islamists occupied the north and a coup d’etat threatened a recent history of functioning democracy. With borders restored and a new elected government in place, we find musical life returning with festivals, nightclub shows and street weddings. But that picture hides darker realities. Ethnomusicologist
The Cuban Connection, Part 2
We follow a carnival comparsa through the streets of Santiago de Cuba and hear the Haitian-descended Tumba Francesa.
Son 14: Fue el Rey de la Rumba.
NG La Banda: La Expresiva.
Orq. Original de Manzanillo: Comenzó la Fiesta.
Revé y su Charangón, live at the amphitheater of Guanabacoa: “Te confundieron con león . . . ¡gallina!”
Dan Den: No Me Carezcas.
We talk to Carlos Alfonso of Síntesis.
Síntesis: Oyá. Mezcla: Ikiri Addá.
Los Van Van live: Que Domingo.
1990
Photo via Telemundo
The Cuban Connection, Part 1
Features Ned Sublette’s exclusive live recording of Los Van Van in February 1990 in Havana, with “Titimanía” and an extended version of “Aquí Él Que Baila Gana.”
We talk to Van Van founder Juan Formell and to Elio Revé of Revé y su Charangón, and visit a rehearsal by Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.
We talk to Juan Formell.
Revé y Su Charangón: Changüí Clave.
Revé y Su Charangón: Más Viejo Que Ayer, Más Joven Que Mañana.
Son 14: Tal Vez Vuelvas a Llamarme.
Grupo Sierra Maestra: El Dulcerito.
Los
Afropop Live Highlights
#730 Afropop Live Highlights
Airdate May 12th 2016
Afropop is proud to present live recordings of some of the most glorious moments in musical history–the New York debut of South Africa's Mahotella Queens in 1987; Thomas Mapfumo with his mbira-heavy Blacks Unlimited in New York in 1991; Youssou N'Dour performing his international hit "Set"; the king of rai, Khaled, in a blistering set at Central Park SummerStage; the gorgeous classic Khartoum sound of Abdel Gadir Salim in London; the stadium-fi
AFROPOP VISITS ABIDJAN, COTE D’IVOIRE FOR MASA 2016
#729 AFROPOP VISITS ABIDJAN, COTE D’IVOIRE FOR MASA 2016
AIRDATE: 5/5/2016
PRODUCER: SEAN BARLOW
Georges and Sean head to Abidjan, the commercial and artistic center of Cote d'Ivoire, to cover the 2016 edition of MASA, perhaps the biggest arts festival of its kind on the continent. Over the course of a week, six acts performed on each of three stages every night. And we knew hardly any of them: That's exactly the point! Many of these emerging artists have not toured outside the continent yet. Y
Crabs With Brains
#704 Crabs With Brains
Produced by: Jesse Brent
Airdate: 4/28/16
In the early 1990s, mangueboys and manguegirls stimulated fertility in the veins of Recife, Brazil. They were interested in hip-hop, the collapse of modernity, chaos and marine predator attacks (mainly sharks). Armed with boundless creativity, they turned one of the world’s most poverty-stricken cities into one of Brazil’s greatest centers of culture. Mangue artists mixed hip-hop, Jamaican raggamuffin and punk rock with traditions
Africa Now!
#728
Distributed April 21
Africa Now! 2016 Rocks the Apollo Theater in Harlem
Every year, the world-famous Apollo Theater and New York's World Music Institute pack the house for a stellar lineup of established and emerging artists from the African continent. This year was especially impressive. We bring you concert highlights and interviews with the artists--from Ghana, Sudan, Niger and Zimbabwe. You'll hear Alsarah and the Nubatones, inspired by the rich cultures of Nubia, Jojo Abot's arty, dan
Inside The Nile Project
Inside the Nile Project
4/14/2016
[APWW #719]
The Nile Project is an ambitious and imaginative attempt to bring about better stewardship of one of the world’s longest rivers by fostering collaboration among artists from the 11 countries the river traverses. It’s an endeavor that spans the Muslim north and the Christian south, as well as the diverse languages, cultures, and music styles in between. This program takes listeners inside the Nile Project’s creative process, letting us hear how artis
Afropop By The Bay
April 7th 2016
#713 Afropop By The Bay
Produced by Banning Eyre
Original Airdate 7/30/2015
San Francisco: Afropop by the Bay
It turns out that the first American city to host a roster of local African bands was not New York, Miami or Chicago, but the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. Hugh Masekela brought Hedzoleh Soundz from Ghana, and they settled in Santa Cruz. Nigerian maestros O.J. Ekemode and Joni Haastrup lived in Oakland in the 1970s. South African musicians from the to
The Story Of Congotronics
Urban traditional bands from the ethnic neighborhoods of sprawling Kinshasa have emerged as a surprise world music hit around the world. Overlooked and marginalized in the complex world of Congolese pop music, groups like Konono No 1 and Kisanzi Congo are reaching the world thanks to the concerted efforts of Belgian musician and producer Vincent Kenis, the man behind the Congotronics phenomenon. This urban roots music goes back to the heady days of President Mobutu’s “authenticity” campaign in t
Hip Deep In Mali: The Tuareg Predicament
Hip Deep In Mali: The Tuareg Predicament
#727
Airdate 3/31/2016
Producer: Banning Eyre
The confederations and clans collectively known as the Tuareg descend from the oldest inhabitants of North Africa. They lead a mostly nomadic existence across the Sahara Desert, in the lands we now know as Algeria, Libya, Niger and Mali. Tuareg communities have long felt neglected by independent African governments, especially in Mali, which has endured a succession of rebellions. In 2012, a Tuareg uprising l
Africa in Matanzas, Cuba: El Almacén is Walking
Africa in Matanzas, Cuba: El Almacén is Walking
#726
Airdate: 3/24/2016
Producer: Harris
Matanzas, Cuba has long been regarded as the source (la fuente) of many rich Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions. These ceremonial and secular Afro-Cuban musics are, for the most part, alive and well, and being documented for the first time by Matanceros themselves, rather than exclusively by Havana-based or non-Cuban imprints. The Matanzas record label and artist collective, Sendero Music/El Almacén, faces seve
Music In A Changing Cuba 2016
[APWW #707 - updated for 2016]
News bulletins from Havana are appearing daily as Obama’s initiative to defang the U.S. embargo moves forward. Ned Sublette, who frequently travels to Cuba, talks with Sean Barlow about the present moment and recent developments. The program features timba from Havana d’Primera and Pupy y Los Que Son, Son; a master mix of reguetón by Chacal y Yakarta; El Micha, and the timeless music of the late Papo Angarica and Haydée Milanés.
Dance Floor Dynamite: Future Grooves Today
[APWW #709] [Originally broadcast in 2015]
Sometimes it’s hard to sit still in the Afropop office. The funkiest, most leg-shakingly infectious music blasts from our speakers on a regular basis. Impromptu dance demonstrations have been known to take place. It’s our mission to share this wealth of musical excitement with our audience. Today, we bring you everything from the latest Chilean electro-pop, to the reggae revival that’s heating up Jamaica, to the psychedelic frontiers of South Africa.
Treasures Of Benin
[APWW #594] [Originally broadcast in 2010]
Nestled between Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria, Benin is a culturally rich sliver of West Africa too often overlooked. This program focuses Afropop’s spotlight on Benin, starting with the country’s favorite daughter:international star Angelique Kidjo. She looks back on her musical education in the Benin capital, Cotonou, as she walks us through the songs on her album Oyo, which spans covers of songs by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Miriam Makeba
globalFEST 2016
[APWW PGM #725] globalFEST is New York's annual January multi-genre musical kickoff--12 bands on three stages in one wild night at Webster Hall. We hear highlights from the 2016 edition including new roots sounds from Haiti (Lakou Mizik), Colombian champeta (Tribu Baharu), suave Afro-jazz from Somi, Lebanese music maverick Simon Shaheen with his new ensemble Zafir, and lots more. The artists speak, but mostly, we give you a front-row seat for one of New York's most exciting musical happenings.
Music Of The Harlem Renaissance
[APWW #226] [Originally broadcast in 1996]
The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s was an astounding explosion of African-American cultural innovation, producing art, literature, poetry, and of course, fantastic music. In honor of Black History month, we are encoring our tribute to this magnificent period. We’ll hear from stars like Mamie Smith, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, as we use their music to explore the often-fraught history of Manhattan’s heights.
Ancient Text Messages: Batá Drums in a Changing World
#724
Produced by Ned Sublette
air date 2/11/2016
In Africa, drums don't only play rhythms, they send messages. “Ancient Text Messages: Batá Drums in a Changing World” explores an endangered tradition of drum speech in Nigeria, and how that tradition changed and thrived in Cuba, where large numbers of enslaved Yoruba arrived in the 19th century. Producer Ned Sublette speaks with ethnomusicologist Amanda Villepastour, language technician Tunde Adegbola, and drummer Kenneth Schweitzer about how la
Carnival Jump Around
[APWW #632] [Originally aired in 2012]
It’s Carnival week again! Which means party time in Trinidad, Haiti, Brazil, Louisiana and much of South America. Below, find links to sites about Carnival, stream it live and/or check it for the road-march contenders. Also be sure to check out past programming on Carnival.
Africa in America: Ladies Edition
#705 Africa in America: Ladies Edition
uplink: 1/28/2016
APWW focuses on 3 remarkable women: Marie Daulne, founder of the genre-bending vocal group Zap Mama, collaborating with Antibalas, and we hear them live in concert. Madagascar-born Razia introduces her new tri-continental CD, Akory. And Somi tells her story from her days as a Midwestern girl with African ancestry, to her musical career in New York, to her adventurous 18-month stay in Lagos, Nigeria, and her new album, The Lagos Music Sal
State Of Emergency: Reggae Reflections on Jamaica's Partisan Politics
Music is a powerful means of expression in Jamaica--a platform for fierce commentary, and a bellwether for the social and political climate on the island. In Jamaica, when local newspapers, broadcast media and elected representatives don’t tell the whole story, you've got to listen to the music! With the help of scholars and artists like Max Romeo and King Jammy, this program delves into the way that Jamaican popular music has always sharply commented on partisan politics in Jamaica while also r
Africa Now!
[APWW #715] [Originally aired in 2015]
Join us for a whirlwind tour to hear the hottest artists in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Kinshasa, Jo’burg and Cairo. We’ll check out the hits shaking the dance floors for today’s youth. And we’ll get the inside stories and scandals. Produced by Sean Barlow with assistance from Jesse Brent, Morgan Greenstreet, Ferida Jawad, Atane Ofiaja, Ben Richmond and Biranne Sahr.
Beneath The Music: An African History of Bass
[APWW #586] [Originally aired in 2010]
This week, Afropop celebrates one of the true unsung heroes of African music: the bass. Join us as we slap, pop and thump our way across the African diaspora with our ears tuned to those fat sounds beneath the music and the funky men who make them. Our tour of the global low end will begin with an exploration of virtuosic bass wizardry in Cameroon. Then, we’ll go to Cuba to find out how bassist Israel “Cachao” Lopez invented mambo with the well-placed plu
An Atlantic Journey: From Cape Town to Cape Verde
[APWW #710] [Originally aired 6/11/2015]
Join us on a freewheeling musical excursion. We start in Cape Town, South Africa listening to jazz, rock, and even classical music inspired by the city’s signature sound: goema. Veteran rocker and now-composer Mac McKenzie is our charismatic guide. Then on to Namibia where we meet one of the country’s most innovative and soulful singer/songwriter/bandleaders, Elemotho Galelekwe. We end in Cape Verde to hear old and new sounds from the first Portuguese se
World Sacred Music Festival In Fes
World Sacred Music Festival In Fes
#447
12/24/2015
The World Sacred Music festival in Fes, Morocco fully delivers on its promise of bringing together profound, spiritual music from around the globe. In one edition of the festival, Youssou N’Dour debuted his Egypt project, backed by an orchestra from Cairo; whirling dervishes from Turkey and qawwali singers Meher Ali and Sheher Ali from Pakistan revealed contrasting faces of Sufi music and dance; the Orchestra of Fes showcased Andalusian and Jew
Afro-Lisbon And The Lusophone Atlantic: Dancing Toward The Future
Afro-Lisbon And The Lusophone Atlantic: Dancing Toward The Future - On this special Hip Deep edition, we take you on a journey to Lisbon, a city facing both the sea and 600 years of its own history. We’ll go to African club nights, hang out with obsessive record collectors, learn how to dance kizomba, and visit the projects that have produced a musical revolution. And through it all, we will try to answer a seemingly simple question: Just where did this music come from?
Episode #722 Airdate: 12
Riqueza Del Barrio: Puerto Rican Music in the United States
[APWW #509] [Originally aired in 2006]
Once Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens in 1917, El Barrio sprang up in New York. By the 1930s, they were the dominant Latin group in the city. Tito Puente, born on 110th St. in 1923, was the first important Latin star who was a native speaker of English. Puerto Ricans’ distinctive way of playing popular Cuban styles became, almost paradoxically, an expression of Puerto Rican national identity, even as traditional Puerto Rican bomba and plena became a fami
Stocking Stuffers 2015
[APWW PGM #721] Tuareg blues, Angelique Kidjo with a symphony orchestra, the return of Les Ambassadeurs and Kandia Kouyate of Mali. New sounds from Zambia and Nigeria, and classic ones from Senegal, Colombia, Zimbabwe, and the Dominican Republic. These are just a few of the musical highlights we'll hear on Afropop's annual roundup of the year's best music. Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre sit down for a lively whirlwind tour of another great year in music. Get out your notebook. There's sure to
Hip Deep: Congo-Goma: Music, Conflict and NGOs
Hip Deep: Congo-Goma: Music, Conflict and NGOs
Original Air-date: 11.26.2015
Show# 720
Produced by Morgan Greenstreet
Inside The Nile Project
#719 Inside The Nile Project
Produced by Banning Eyre and Ian Coss
Airdate: Nov 19th 2015
The Nile Project is an ambitious and imaginative attempt to bring about better stewardship of one of the world’s longest rivers by fostering collaboration among artists from the 11 countries the river traverses. It’s an endeavor that spans the Muslim north and the Christian south, as well as the diverse languages, cultures, and music styles in between. This program takes listeners inside the Nile Project's
African Sounds Of The Indian Subcontinent
[APWW PGM #663] [Originally aired in 2013]
"African Sounds of the Indian Subcontinent"
In this Hip Deep program, Afropop explores musical connections between Africa and India. First up is the story of the Afro-Indian Sidi community. In the 13th century, Africans arrived in India as soldiers in the armies of Muslim conquerors. Some were able to rise through the ranks to become military leaders and even rulers. Their descendants continue to live in India today, performing African-influenced Sufi t
Afro-tech: Stories of Synths in African Music
[APWW PGM #676] [Originally aired in 2013]
Technology is one of the great drivers of musical change, and often one of its least understood. In this episode, we will explore the synthesizer, looking closely at the history of this ubiquitous (and often debated) piece of musical technology, and investigating how and why it was first used in a variety African musics. Enabled by groundbreaking reissues of synth pioneers like William Onyeabor (Nigeria) and Hailu Mergia (Ethiopia), disco stars like Kr
Soundin' Like Weself - The Trinidadian Rapso Tradition
Producer Jake Hochberger brings us to the southernmost island in the Caribbean, Trinidad. Trinidad is the birthplace of the steel drum, calypso and soca music, and is home to the largest Carnival celebration in the world. Here we encounter the musical and philosophical movement called rapso--an infectiously danceable rhythmic oration style that comes with a philosophy championing a Trinidadian identity in the face of a colonial history and a globalized present. We meet three generations of artis
Afropop Live 2015
[APWW #718] It's our annual roundup of live recordings Afropop Worldwide has made in the past year. This program includes highlights from the 29th Nuits d'Afrique festival in Montreal including a performance by Cuba's Los Van Van. We'll also hear a selection from Angolan music pioneer Paulo Flores's U.S. debut at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City--rare sound, as this was Paulo's only appearance here so far (though certainly not his last). We'll also hear live sounds from Tal National of Niger re
Borderless Sounds: The New North Africa
Show number: 692
encore: Oct 22nd 2015
original airdate : 8/14/2014
North African music receives very little coverage in the United States. There are no high-profile mixes of recent Tunisian underground dance music from hip DJs, and no young Algerian musicians with major distribution deals in the U.S. So we decided to explore what exactly is going on today in this part of the world. We trace the origins of some of the region’s most interesting current music to the banlieues of Paris, like raï ’
The Story Of Rai
[APWW PGM #482] [Originally aired in 2005]
Afropop Worldwide listeners have heard the brilliant singer Khaled often on our program. In this Hip Deep portrait, Khaled shares stories and insights from his remarkable career--from his early days growing up in cosmopolitan Oran on the Mediterranean coast of Algeria, to his groundbreaking creation of modern pop rai music, incorporating Arab songs and rhythms with Western rock, funk, reggae and more. Khaled's music swept a generation of North Afric
Voodoo To Go Festival
Producer Morgan Greenstreet follows the trail of West African Vaudou spiritual music to a very unlikely place--Utrecht, Netherlands--for the first edition of the Voodoo To Go Festival. The three-day festival, pioneered by Togolese entrepreneur Leopold Ekué Messan, set out to demystify Vaudou/Vodun/Voodoo spiritual practices by featuring music and dance from Togo, Benin, Haiti, Cuba and Suriname and bringing people together for films, food and a panel discussion about "Good and Evil in Voodoo." F
Benin Roots Alive
[APWW PGM #706] [Originally aired April 2015]
In this program, we follow producer Morgan Greenstreet on a musical tour of Benin’s roots-pop music and Afro-jazz, while exploring the deep cultural and spiritual traditions that inspire contemporary musicians. We will visit a midnight album launch party for a star of roots-pop music in Abomey, meet Norberka, an acclaimed singer, drummer and dancer, at the home of her patron, his majesty Hounon Behumbeza, a vodun priest. We’ll visit the rehearsals,
Three Survivors: Paulo Flores, Emmanuel Jal, Lagbaja
We profile three African musicians who have created significant careers in the face of daunting challenges in their countries. Paulo Flores, champion of semba and kizomba in Angola, came of age in the midst of that country's long post-independence civil war. He's probably done more for Angola's spiritual health during these difficult decades than anyone alive. Emmanuel Jal faced still worse as a child soldier who escaped Sudan under horrific circumstances to become an internationally acclaimed s
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Afro-Venezuela
We're back with another installment in our Afropop exclusive mixtape series! This one comes courtesy of Ricardo Vergara, who put together a mix of some terrific Venezuelan music in styles ranging from the African influenced tambor to the folk styles gaita and llanera.
Track List:
0:00 Tambor Urbano - El Hacha
5:17 Los Amigos Invisibles - Loco Por Tu Amor
8:59 VHG - La Voy a Tocar a Pie
12:30 María Rivas - El Manduco
15:36 Oscar D'León - Llorarás
19:21 Las Chicas del Can - El Negro No Puede (Wak
Africa Now!
Africa Now!
Join us for a whirlwind tour to hear the hottest artists in Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Kinshasa, Jo'burg and Cairo. We'll check out the hits shaking the dance floors for today's youth. And we'll get the inside stories and scandals.
Juju Jubilee
[APWW PGM #317] [Originally aired in 1998]
Juju maestro Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey recently made a rare U.S. tour in the summer of 2013 which made us want to hear more! In this program, Chief Obey breaks down his band’s sound instrument by instrument—traditional percussion, horns, guitars–which makes his version of juju all the more enjoyable. And he tells us stories behind some of his hit songs. Also telling stories is the other maestro of Nigerian juju, the legendary King Sunny Ade. Contin
Dread Inna Inglan
[APWW PGM #681] [Originally aired in 2014]
We unravel the complex history of how Jamaican music in the United Kingdom became a major component in navigating the cultural and racial landscape for many blacks in a post-imperial Britain while pushing the genre into new musical soundscapes.
Cuts From The Crypt 2: Bannings Picks
As work continues on the vast Afropop archive, producer Banning Eyre takes a deep dive and comes up with some gems. On the vinyl front, the focus is on South African and Zimbabwe, where the Afropop team collected a good deal of rare vinyl in the 1980s. Then Banning samples some his favorite field recordings from Zanzibar to Mali. In the age of YouTube, Pandora and Spotify, you might have the impression that all the music ever recorded is there at your finger tips. Here's proof that's not so.
Hip Deep Ghana: 21st Century Accra From Gospel To Hiplife
[APWW PGM #669] [Originally aired in 2014]
Hiplife, a fusion of hip-hop and highlife, has come of age, spawning subgenres tilting to roots culture, international rap, and boldly humorous satire, not to mention azonto, a dance craze that has rocketed to global renown in just over a year. But for all that, the biggest-selling music in the country, by far, is gospel. On this whirlwind Hip Deep tour of Accra, we meet stars like Reggie Rockstone, M.anifiest, Efya, Soul Winners, and the genre-bending
Living In New Orleans Part 1
[APWW PGM #458] [Originally aired in 2005]
Aug. 29, 2015 is the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and the catastrophic failure of the Mississippi River levees that put the city of New Orleans under water. In tribute to the city’s struggles of the last 10 years, we are rebroadcasting our Hip Deep program made in spring 2005, a few short months before life in New Orleans was turned upside down.
“Living in New Orleans, Part 1″ takes you to the rambunctious street music scene in the Crescent
The Podcast Special
[APWW PGM #693] [Originally aired in 2014]
Afropop launched a new and improved podcast, making your favorite world-spanning radio show available in a whole new way. To celebrate, we’ve put together a show featuring some of our favorite moments from the podcast. Previously available only online, these segments are airing for the very first time. We’ll share the story of soul man Geraldo Pino, the “African James Brown.” You’ll hear the musical visions of the eccentric Jamaican guitarist Brushy On
Kadongo Kamu Special ft. DJ Paddy
Kadongo Kamu, which literally means "one guitar," is a lyrical genre of Ugandan pop music dating back to the 1950s. For this podcast, producer Ian Coss sits down with the Boston-based DJ Paddy to talk about the music's history and learn the significance of some of its classic tracks.
San Francisco: Afropop By The Bay
[APWW #713] [Originally aired 2015]
It turns out that the first American city to host a roster of local African bands was not New York, Miami, or Chicago, but the San Francisco Bay Area. Hugh Masekela brought Hedzoleh Soundz from Ghana, and the settled in Santa Cruz. Nigerian maestros O.J. Ekemode and Joni Haastrup lived in Oakland in the 1970s. South African musicians from the touring theatre show Ipitombi also settled in the Bay Area and started the band Zulu Spear. By the early ‘80s, the Bay
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Brazilian Underground, Vol. Two
The first Brazilian Underground mix was one of our favorites in the Afropop Exclusive Mix Series, so we asked Rio-based journalist Marcelo Monteiro of Amplificador if he could make us one more. We are very excited to be once again featuring some incredible new songs from the new generation of Brazil. Enjoy!
Track List:
01. Ava Rocha - Hermética
02. Metá Metá - Atotô
03. Ive Seixas - Praia no Inverno
04. Mohandas - Your Eyes
05. Abayomy - Obatala
06. Bixiga 70 - Mil Vidas
07. Fukai - Soma
08. Th
Hip Deep In Madagascar The Tsapiky Story
[APWW PGM #695] [Originally aired in 2014]
The southwest of Madagascar is a land of fishermen, mining prospectors and cattle ranchers—not exactly a homogenous region in terms of lifestyle or ethnicity. But one thing that unites all the people of this region is the giddy, electric guitar-driven boogie music known as tsapiky (pronounced tsa-PEEK). First created in the late 1970s, tsapiky has become the required music at large family ceremonies (circumcisions, weddings, and especially, funerals),
Sounds Like Brooklyn
At Afropop, we have gone far and wide, from Brazil to England to Madagascar to Egypt, tracking down incredible music to bring back home to our headquarters in Brooklyn. For our newest program, "Sounds Like Brooklyn," we stay closer to home, tracing a hidden music economy of CD vendors in bodegas, copy shops and food markets around the five boroughs. Accompanying us on our travels is poet and "Bodega Pop" WFMU radio host Gary Sullivan. Along the way, we check out a Caribbean gospel rap performanc
Fania At 50
[APWW PGM #696] [Originally aired in 2014]
New York City is home to the earthshaking Latin dance music known as salsa. From the mid-1960s through the 1980s, Fania Records released many of the landmark albums in the history of the music, creating a salsa boom that reverberated around the world. In 2014, Fania celebrated 50 years in the business; and to celebrate, we dug into the label’s history. We’ll hear from some of the principal players, including Aurora Flores, Nicky Marrero and Larry “El J
Afropop Exclusive Mix: DJ Mundi's CHAMPETA MIXX
Here's another great edition to the Afropop exclusive mix series! This one comes courtesy of DJ Mundi, who put together a fantastic collection of champeta, soundsystem-based music from the Caribbean coast of Colombia, strongly influenced by African styles like makossa and soukous. The cover art for the mix displays picos, hand-crafted and painted soundsystems of champeta.
For more info and music check the links -->
http://www.afropop.org/23645/afropop-exclusive-mix-dj-mundis-champeta-mixx/
h
Hip Deep Portrait Of King Sunny Ade
[APWW PGM #468] [Originally aired in 2005]
King Sunny Adé was, in many ways, the inspiration for what would become Afropop Worldwide. And he was by no means only an inspiration to us! Many fans in America first got hooked on Afropop (and African music in general) through the landmark 1982-83 tour by King Sunny Ade and his African Beats: the propulsive polyrhythms of traditional drums mixed with sophisticated guitar arrangements and pedal steel were like nothing they had ever heard. Topped by gr
Grand Master Franco
[APWW PGM #316] [Originally aired in 1999]
Celebrating Grand Master Franco
Mama Africa - Miriam Makeba
[APWW PGM #331] [Originally aired in 2000]
Mama Africa, Miriam Makeba
Franco And Tabu Ley
[APWW PGM #14] [Originally aired in 1989]
Franco and Tabu Ley: A celebration of the lives and work of the late giants of Congolese music--Franco and Tabu Ley Rochereau.
Afropop visits with two giants of Congolese music, Franco Luambo Makiadi and Tabu Ley Rochereau at their palatial homes in Kinshasa
On The Red Carpet At The Peabodys
Afropop Worldwide recently won a highly prestigious Peabody Institutional Award honoring the entire 27-year body of our work. And the Peabody Awards threw a big party at Cipriani Wall Street hosted by Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen. Hear highlights of the evening from the Red Carpet and from the stage. And we'll enjoy excerpts from some of our favorite programs over the years: Our meeting with Ali Farka Toure, in his hometown Niafounke; visits with two giants of Congolese music, Franco Lu
Hip Deep Madagascar in 21st Century Antananarivo
[APWW PGM #697] [Originally aired in 2014]
Antananarivo, known as Tana to the locals is the highland capital of Madagascar. Afropop's Senior Producer Banning Eyre took a research trip to the beautiful Indian Ocean nation.
Join us as we delve deep into the modern musical landscape of Antananarivo. We start off with the upbeat and fast stylings of Tence Mena to the dance craze sweeping the nation called Kilalaky to Malagasy diva Black Nadia and to the protest rap of Agrad & Skaiz and much more.
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Cultures Of Soul's Worldwide Disco Fever
Cultures of Soul has been the source of some of our favorite international disco compilations recently, providing much-needed focus on incredible music of the '70s and '80s from places as far ranging as São Paulo, Guadeloupe and Mumbai. We reached out to the label founder and director Jeff Swallow, who made us a mix, featuring some of the hottest tracks from his recent releases.
Tracklist:
Joanne Wilson - Got to Have You
Camille Hidevert - Caribbean People
Tim Maia - Verão Carioca
2001 & Beto
An Atlantic Journey: From Cape Town to Cape Verde
Join us on a freewheeling musical excursion. We start in Cape Town listening to jazz, rock, and even classical music inspired by the city’s signature sound: goema. Veteran rocker and now composer Mac McKenzie is our charismatic guide. Then on to Namibia where we meet one of the country’s most innovative and soulful singer/songwriter/bandleaders, Elemotho Galelekwe. We end in Cape Verde to hear old and new sounds from the first Portuguese settlement in Africa—from the vintage crooning of Ze Luis,
Two Tenors of Arabic Music Play Las Vegas
[APWW PGM #332] [Originally aired in 2000]
In Las Vegas in the year 2000, two legends of Arabic art music performed an historic concert. Wadi’ Al-Safi was called “the pure voice of Lebanon" because for decades he had brought the folkloric songs of the Lebanese countryside to the Lebanese airwaves and the grandest stages of the world. Sabah Fakhri, then one of the most celebrated and beloved singers of Syria, powerfully channeled the ecstatic Sufi art music of Aleppo in performances that riveted
Thomas Mapfumo Live At SOBs
[APWW PGM #55] [Originally aired in 1992]
In 1991, Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited made their second tour of the United States. It was a fascinating transitional moment in the band’s history. Mapfumo had recently added two musicians playing the metal-pronged, Shona mbira, enriching the band’s lineup of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass and percussion. The band had now evolved into a kind of folk orchestra in which everyone sang, allowing for beautifully layered vocal arrangements. T
Dancefloor Dynamite: Future Grooves Today
Sometimes it's hard to sit still in the Afropop office. The funkiest, most leg-shakingly infectious music blasts from our speakers on a regular basis. Impromptu dance demonstrations have been known to take place. It's our mission to share this wealth of musical excitement with you, our audience. Today, we bring you everything from the latest Chilean electro-pop to the reggae revival that's heating up Jamaica to the psychedelic frontiers of South Africa. Get down with what the future's dancefloor
The Music Of Black Peru: Cultural Identity in the Pacific
[APWW PGM #558] [Originally aired in 2008]
The “Black Pacific” is a term coined by our guide, ethnomusicologist Heidi Carolyn Feldman. She describes the circumstance of African descendants displaced not only from their ancestral homes in Africa, but also from the Atlantic coast nations where their enslaved ancestors were originally brought.
This Hip Deep edition explores the sonically vibrant realm of Afro-Peruvian music, a young genre identification that has flourished since the 1950s and has
Thomas Mapfumo: The War Years
[APWW PGM #477] [Originally aired in 2013]
This Hip Deep edition explores the legendary early career of Thomas Mapfumo, a singer, composer and bandleader whose 1970s music set the stage for the birth of a new nation, Zimbabwe. Using rare, unreleased recordings, and recollections by Mapfumo, key band members, and prominent Zimbabweans who lived through the liberation struggle, this program traces the development of chimurenga music. Central to the program, are research materials gathered by Mapf
Cuts From The Crypt
In early 2015, Afropop relocated its archives from a variety of storage units and apartments, and brought it all together in one place. The goal? Sorting, organizing, and preservation. But along the way, we also found more than a few musical gems. Today, join us as we dig through stacks of vinyl, and quite literal mountains of CDs, for the long forgotten, the
often overlooked, the totally classic, and the absolutely amazing, as we play some of the albums that we’ve been spinning in our office fo
Music In A Changing Cuba
What's up in Havana besides tourism? Ned Sublette, who recently traveled to Cuba for Billboard magazine, talks with Sean Barlow about the present moment in the fast-changing music capital. Timba from Havana D'Primera, jazz/son by Pancho and Daniel Amat, and a mastermix of reguetón by Chacal y Yakarta, El Micha, and others.
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Roots-Pop in Benin
In Benin, a small francophone country in West Africa, traditional style roots music is extremely popular: artists sell thousands of CDs and DVDs of music videos, pack stadiums for concerts and frequently appear on national television. There are many, many styles of roots-pop, but the baseline of dense percussion and intricate vocals is a constant.
Producer Morgan Greenstreet focused on these styles for our program Benin Roots Alive. He also made an exclusive Benin Roots Pop Mix from recordings
Benin Roots Alive!
In this program, we follow producer Morgan Greenstreet on a musical tour of Benin’s roots-pop music and Afro-jazz, while exploring the deep cultural and spiritual traditions that inspire contemporary musicians. We will visit a midnight album launch party for a star of roots-pop music in Abomey, meet Norberka, an acclaimed singer, drummer and dancer, at the home of her patron, his majesty Hounon Behumbeza, a vodun priest. We’ll visit the rehearsals, studios and homes of some of Cotonou’s most cre
Sahel Sounds: New Music From Mali
[APWW PGM #666] [Originally aired in 2013]
Working closely with Chris Kirkley, the writer and recordist behind the Sahel Sounds Blog and label, we will meet the newest generation of musicians from Mali. With their possibilities transformed by technology and their musical tastes reshaped by an exposure to sounds drawn from across the world, these young musicians are radically rethinking centuries old traditions. Get ready for the fast paced guitar bands of the north, the mp3 markets in which dig
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Sahel Sounds
Encore Mix! In conjunction with our current episode on Christopher Kirkley and his website and label, Sahel Sounds, Afropop offers this exclusive mix from Mr. Kirkley himself. It features some of the most interesting sounds currently coming out of Mali. Enjoy!
Tracklist:
Alkibar Junior - Homage
Le Marchand du Soleil - Laila Je T'aime
Mdou Moctar - Nikali Talit
Amanar - Alghafiat
Lakal Kanaye - Soul Tamashek
Yeli Fuzzo - Abande
Pheno S. - Souroulouklouk
Meleke and MC Waraba - Ado Do
Abubakar S
Bachata Takeover: From The Bronx To The World
[APWW PGM #694] [Originally aired in 2014]
While bachata may have originated in the Dominican Republic, its growth in popularity over the past 10 years is not rooted within the shores of the small Caribbean nation but in the outer boroughs of New York City. It was here that the now-legendary bachata group Aventura formed. Aventura would go on to change the sound and style of bachata by mixing the style with the rap and r&b they were hearing on the streets of the Bronx. Christened “urban bachata
After The Money: Salsa for Love in NYC
Salsa, the dance, is more popular than ever in New York City, its birthplace. Yet salsa musicians are having a harder time than ever making a living from playing the music. In "After The Money" we explore why this might be: we hear from some of the masters who lived through the golden years and experienced the decline of live salsa, and meet the young bandleaders and DJs who continue to make salsa the center of their lives, even if it means struggling to make a living.
Africa in America: Ladies Edition
Afropop's occasional series on African music made in America continues with a focus on three remarkable women. Marie Daulne, founder of the genre bending vocal group Zap Mama, collaborates with New York Afrobeat band Antibalas, and we hear them live in concert. Madagascar-born Razia introduces her new tri-continental CD, Akory. And Somi tells her story from her days as a Midwestern girl with African ancestry, to her musical career in New York, to her adventurous 18-month stay in Lagos, Nigeria,
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Dj Chibuikem- Muster Point Mix 2015
Take note: Soca's not just for Carnival anymore. Though this mix from New York-based DJ Chibuikem weaves together the highlights of this year's Carnival in Trinidad, it's fit for any kind of festive occasion. Soca's a genre that's firmly rooted in a time (Carnival) and a place (Trinidad) but this year, it seems poised to make an international breakout.
Dread Inna Inglan: How the UK took to reggae
[APWW PGM #681] [Originally aired in 2014]
Jamaican music journeyed to England in the ‘60s when immigrants from the island flocked to the UK in search of jobs and a better life. But as racism, unemployment and poor living conditions developed in the 70s, a new generation of UK-based reggae and dancehall artists transformed the music into a major platform for voicing the concerns, struggles and hard, daily reality of life in the UK for black immigrants. Through interviews with David Hinds of S
Afropop Exclusive Mixtape- Palenque Records
Lucas Silva, the man behind the always amazing Palenque Records, dropped this dynamite mix of Colombian favorites new, old, and in-between. Dig in! And be sure to check out our interview with Lucas here ==> http://bit.ly/Lucas-Silva-Mix
Bonus Podcast: Zaki Nassif and Sabah
This special feature is a supplement to the Afropop Worldwide program, “Lebanon 1: Fairuz, A Woman for All Seasons.” The feature introduces two important contemporaries of Fairuz and the Rahbani brothers, namely composer Zaki Nassif and legendary singer Sabah. Want a deeper delve into Lebanese music? This one's for you.
Crabs With Brains: The Mangue Revolution & New Sounds of Recife
In the early 1990s, mangueboys and manguegirls stimulated fertility in the veins of Recife, Brazil. They were interested in hip-hop, the collapse of modernity, chaos and marine predator attacks (mainly sharks). Armed with boundless creativity, they turned one of the world's most poverty-stricken cities into one of Brazil's greatest centers of culture. Mangue artists mixed hip-hop, Jamaican ragamuffin and punk rock with styles from Brazil's northeast like maracatu and embolada. In this program, w
Hip Deep Lebanon 1: Fairuz, A Woman for All Seasons
[APWW PGM #671] [Originally aired in 2013]
Fairuz is the most popular living singer throughout the Arabic-speaking world and an artist with no real counterpart in Europe or the Americas. Since the ‘50s, she has appealed across boundaries of age, gender, class, religion, nationality, regional dialect, and political persuasion. Creating music as serious and engaged as it is popular, Fairuz—along with her collaborators from the Rahbani family of composer poets—has achieved near-universal appeal du
Accounting for Taste: Dire Straits, Jim Reeves, and Death Metal in Africa
When we talk about the influence of American performers on African music, we usually think about a few obvious examples, legends like Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix or James Brown. In this episode, we go beyond these stars to explore the legacy of some lesser-known inspirations. We’ll learn how the fluid guitar playing of '70s rock band Dire Straits became massively popular in the Sahel, influencing Tuareg rockers like Tinariwen and Tamikrest. We’ll hear about the American country superstar Jim R
Sierra Leone: Celebration, War, And Healing
[APWW PGM #552] [Originally aired in 2008]
While Sierra Leone is currently in the news for the horrific outbreak of Ebola that has devastated the nation in recent months, the country is no stranger to tragedy. This also means that it has deep reserves of resilience, an ability to come together and overcome great obstacles embedded in its culture. To provide the kind of history that is all too often overlooked when reporting on current events on the African continent, we are encoring this episode
Escaping The Delta
[APWW PGM #452] [Originally aired in 2005]
Escaping the Delta is the title of a provocative book by award-winning author Elijah Wald that explores how a mythology of the blues grew around the figure of Robert Johnson. On this episode of Hip Deep, Wald talks with producer Ned Sublette, and plays lesser-known recordings by Peetie Wheatstraw, Lonnie Johnson, Leroy Carr and others, who provided source material for some of Johnson's now more famous tunes. Produced by Ned Sublette.
Afropop Mixtape: New Music from the Brazilian Underground
A playlist of fantastic new tracks from the Brazilian underground, courtesy of Marcelo de Carvalho Monteiro, a Rio-based journalist who writes for Amplificador. Read our interview (and dig into his list of fantastic new bands) here ==> http://bit.ly/Brazilpop
Track List:
1. Logun – Metá Metá
2. Gaiola da Saudade – Jam da Silva
3. Dino Vs. Dino – Far From Alaska
4. Lucifernandis – Boogarins
5. Summertime – Luziluzia
6. Sertão Urbano – Carne Doce
7. Você não vai Passar – Ava Rocha
8. Damião – Juç
Music Of The Harlem Renaissance
[APWW PGM #226] [Originally aired in 1996]
The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s was an astounding explosion of African-American cultural innovation, producing art, literature, poetry, and of course, fantastic music. In honor of Black History month, we are encoring our tribute to this magnificent period. We’ll hear from stars like Mamie Smith, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington, as we use their music to explore the often fraught history of Manhattan’s heights. Produced by Ned Sublet
The Nature Of Trance
[APWW #702] In many communities throughout Africa and the diaspora, music and spiritual life are deeply connected through the experience of trance: ritual possession by ancestors, spirits, deities, or simply the trance of communal dancing—usually accompanied by hypnotic melodies and rhythms. In this program, we explore the phenomenon of trance through a survey of musical and spiritual traditions. We'll discover how different cultural and spiritual ideas are expressed musically, and how innovatio
Sub - Saharan Cassette Shopping
[APWW PGM #135] [Originally aired in 1993]
We take you back in time with this deliciously retro episode. When cassette tapes hit Africa, they hit hard, offering a whole spectrum of musicians access to recording for the first time. And they really took advantage of it! In this show, Georges Collinet shares some of the finest of these sounds, mixing smoking South African pop, astounding mbalax, and much, much more.
Podcast Special II
[APWW PGM #701] Once again, we pull together some of our best Web-only podcasts for your listening pleasure. To start off with, we join veteran reporter Marika Partridge on the Washington Mall for highlights from the astounding Kenyan edition of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Then, producer Sam Backer explores the history of the elusive South African producer DJ Spoko in his first-ever international interview. Finally, Banning Eyre takes us back to Madagascar, where we hear the guitar-heavy
Malagasy Roots In America
Most African-Americans trace their roots to West or Central Africa. But it turns out that since the 17th century, there has been a trickle of migration--involuntary and voluntary--from Madagascar to the United States. Afropop's Banning Eyre delves into that history with Dr. Wendy Wilson-Fall, who has both lived and studied this fascinating history.
Afropop Live 2014
On "Afropop Live 2014," we're playing highlights from some fantastic concerts we saw over the past year. At Montreal's Nuits d'Afrique festival, we caught Chinese reggae band Long Shen Dao, who mix dreadlocks with guzheng (a Chinese zither). Also in Montreal: the Haitian-Canadian band Rara Soley put on a rousing set of songs for celebration and protest. And from Joe's Pub in New York, Wake Up Madagascar raised awareness for deforestation with the sweet sounds of salegy.
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Shamon Cassette- A Mix of Things Nonrelated
Shamon Cassette first landed on our radar with Wave Crusher, the brilliant Afro-futurist electro-rap mixtape he made with Spoek Mathambo. He's back in Brooklyn now, but his experience in South Africa led him to create this exclusive mix for Afropop, which starts with a previously unreleased track from the Wave Crusher sessions.
Here's Shamon on "A Mix of Things Nonrelated":
"This year, a few months back I maxed out my tourist visa in South Africa and really had the blessings to adapt and become
Kenya Mambo Poa: Live from the 2014 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
In this special podcast extra, Marika Partridge takes the APWW microphone to the National Mall to record music and stories representing the 42 tribes of Kenya. Kenya and China were featured at the festival. We'll hear the latest from Ayub Ogada, Eric Wainaina, John Nzenze, Winyo and other Kenyan music stars.
The Story Of East African Taarab
[APWW PGM #471] [Originally aired in 2005]
The “taarab” music of East Africa’s Swahili coast offers an amazing history lesson. Bantu and coastal Africans, Arabs, Portuguese, Germans, Brits, and Indians all figure in. With guest, anthropologist and author, Kelly Askew, this Hip Deep program explores the taarab music of Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mombasa, Kenya. The show features rare recordings by the likes of taarab pioneer Siti Bint Saad, groups Babloom Modern Taarab and Tanzania One T
Stocking Stuffers 2014
Afropop’s annual round up of the hot new releases of 2014. Georges Collinet and Banning Eyre sit down for a music filled survey of African and African diaspora sounds that hit the street this year. Garifuna soul, acoustic and electric roots from Mali and Guinea, Angelique Kidjo, Caetano Veloso, a Mauritanian griot with a voice for the ages, plus new Latin sounds, dancehall, and as many great tunes as these two musical omnivores can cram into an hour of radio. Count on great gift ideas for the h
Soundings: Recordings of African-Americans
[APWW PGM #301] [Originally aired in 2000]
The rural south has changed profoundly since it served as the birthplace of blues, and in the intervening years, many of the traditional forms so vital to American musical history have disappeared. It’s lucky then, that the record industry (not to mention some intrepid folklorists) got there before everything changed. This program celebrates the deep and essential sounds they captured on tape, vinyl, acetate, Edison cylinder, and piano roll. You’ll hear
Hip Deep Madagascar: Songs From The North
Salegy is a churning, harmonious groove with spine-stiffening vocal harmonies that emerged from towns and cities of northern Madagascar in the mid-20th century. On a trip to Diego Suarez, we learn that salegy’s older origins are both fascinating and mysterious. We meet young salegy stars Ali Mourad and Jacs, and speak with the genre’s reigning legend, Jaojoby, on the roof of his nightclub in Antananarivo. Along the way we visit a music school in Diego and hear blazing guitar riffs and get a fing
Podcast- Live From 21st Century Tana
Less talking, more music! This podcast surveys live recordings Afropop Worldwide made in Antananarivo, Madagascar, in spring 2014. From the frenetic dance grooves of Aly Mourad and Thominot, to the acoustic guitar mastery of D'Gary, Sammy, Johnny, and the jazz-fused Silo, to soulful folkloric performances... It's a full-course musical meal from a spectacular and under-recognized destination.
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Abdala's Experimental Brazil
Abdala tells stories with sounds he captures with a tape recorder from his home and the streets of Goîania, a city in Brazil's center. He also runs Propósito Records, home to some of Brazil's most experimentally-minded artists. Abdala just put out his sixth release of 2014, For Those Who Came From Nothing. To celebrate that prolific accomplishment, he's also put together a mix for Afropop, featuring his own music and songs by other artists from Brazil's new avant-garde.
Read our interview with
Hip Deep In Madagascar: 21st Century Tana
On this Hip Deep edition, we visit nightclubs, cultural centers, radio stations, and the homes of prominent musicians to take the pulse of Madagascar’s lively highland capital, Antananarivo (Tana). Long the seat of power on the island, Tana is now home to spectacular artists from all the country’s ethnic regions. We’ll hear from rappers, traditional musicians, guitar innovators, veterans like Sammy, Hanitra, and Rossy, and lots of newcomers--also a dance band playing the latest club craze—a foot
Beko And Blues In Southwest Madagascar
[Podcast] - Beko (pronounced BEH-koo) is a ceremonial vocal style performed by various ethnic groups in southwest Madagascar. It has also been an inspiration to successful popular musicians, both for it's blues-like emotional qualities, and its social message. In this "Hip Deep in Madagascar" podcast, we hear from Monika and Lala Njava, singer/songwriter Mikea, and the great Antandroy musician Remanindry.
Fania At 50
New York City is home to the earth-shaking Latin dance music known as ‘salsa.’ From the mid 1960s through the 1980s, Fania Records released many of the most important albums in the history of the music, creating a salsa ‘boom’ that provided an outlet for many important musicians to share their contributions with the world. In 2014, Fania celebrated 50 years in the business; and to celebrate, we dug into the label’s history. We’ll hear from some of the principal players, including Aurora Flores,
Ghost Man: DJ Spoko's Bacardi House
DJ Spoko, the South African producer behind some of the country's (and maybe the continent's) wildest electronic sounds, has long been something of a mystery. Aside from a few scattered production credits, a handful of Youtube videos, and one solitary EP, it was pretty much impossible to HEAR the guy. That's why we jumped at the chance to interview Spoko about his new album, "War God," which features a full 20 tracks of "pure disease- and pure love." Spoko told us his story, everything from taxi
Afropop Exclusive Mix: Peru Bravo! with Tiger's Milk Records
Afropop Exclusive Mix! Tiger's Milk Records is one of our favorite labels, dishing out a helping of Peruvian tunes as delicious as the ceviche they cook in their award winning restaurants. This mix is compiled to celebrate the release of "Peru Bravo," the label's latest compilation. Connecting the dots between the funk, psych, and rock'n'roll featured on the album with more modern strains of Peruvian music (and a few equally tasty geographic outliers.)It's a terrific journey from start to finish
Hip Deep in Madagascar: The Tsapiky Story
The southwest of Madagascar is a land of fishermen, mining prospectors, and cattle ranchers—not exactly a homogenous region in terms of lifestyle or ethnicity. But one thing that unites all the people of this region is the giddy, electric guitar-driven boogie music known as tsapiky (pronounced tsa-PEEK). Born only in the late 1970s, tsapiky has become the required music at large family ceremonies (circumcisions, weddings and, especially, burials), where music and partying goes nonstop for three
Guest Mix: For The Love Of Djazaïr!
And it's guest mix time! For this installment of audio pleasure, we have a selection of Algerian music from the cities of Oran and Algiers compiled for us by Chris Silver, who writes the Jewish Morocco blog.
Check out Chris's write-up for the mix here- http://www.afropop.org/wp/20467/guest-mix-for-the-love-of-djazair/
You can also read more of Chris's work here- http://jewishmorocco.blogspot.com/
Bachata Takeover
While bachata may have originated in the Dominican Republic, its growth in popularity over the past 10 years is not rooted within the shores of the small Caribbean nation but in the outer boroughs of New York City. It was here that the now-legendary bachata group Aventura formed. Aventura would go on to change the sound and style of bachata by mixing the style with the rap and r&b they were hearing on the streets of the Bronx. Christened “urban bachata,” the new style has catapulted the genre to
Podcast Special
This summer, Afropop launched a new and improved podcast, making your favorite world-spanning radio show available in a whole new way. To celebrate, we’ve put together a show featuring some of our favorite moments from the podcast. Previously available only online, these segments are airing for the very first time. We’ll share the story of soul man Geraldo Pino, the “African James Brown.” You’ll hear the musical visions of the eccentric Jamaican guitarist Brushy One String. And much more!
Borderless Sounds: The New North Africa
[APWW PGM #692] North African music receives very little coverage here in the United States. There are no high-profile mixes of recent Tunisian underground dance music from hip DJs, and no young Algerian musicians with major distribution deals in the US. So, we decided to find out what exactly is going on today in this part of the world. We trace the origins of some of the region’s most interesting current music to the banlieues of Paris, like raï’n’b--a new autotune and synth-heavy offshoot of
The Mighty Amazon
The Mighty Amazon
The Amazon has long been a mystery to Brazil. Located far from the centers of business and power in the nation's South-East, the jungle provinces of the Brazilian North have long been ignored by the nation at large. But recently, Brazilians have been discovering that the cities and waterways of the Amazon are home to some of the nation's hottest music. In this Hip Deep episode—a musical history of Pará state, where Afro-Caribbean influences have created a unique local flavor th
Proving the Bubu Myth: Janka Nabay, War and Witchcraft in Sierra Leone
On Sierra Leone's independence day in late April, musicians descend upon Freetown from rural villages to participate in parades and celebrations throughout the city, traversing and joining diverse neighborhoods together with the sound of processional music including one particular local style called bubu. Bubu is a trance inducing sound played by groups of young men blowing interlocking, hocketed breath patterns into bamboo shoots. Bubu resonates with other African diasporic horn traditions (rar
Rio 1- Samba at the Dawn of Modern Brazil Podcast
In part one of our Hip Deep Brazil series, we travel back in time to Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century to explore the birth of Brazil’s most iconic sound: samba. Beginning with the arrival of poor nordestinos in the city after the end of slavery in 1888, we follow the exploits of the early sambistas as they forged the genre that would come to represent the nation. Brazilian scholar Carlos Sandroni shows us how Afro-Brazilian religious music and popular styles like modinha transformed into
Party and Dissent: World Cup Brazil 2014
[APWW PGM #689} World Cup mania continues in Brazil. The games are a source of great national pride, as well as bitter dissent due to the fact that billions were spent on stadiums, rather than schools, hospitals and public transport. What does the music community think? We check in with the latest baile funk from Rio’s favelas. Label owner Renato M2 introduces us to a new style–the slowed down Afro-Brazilian tinged rasterhina. In São Paulo, the cosmopolitan city of 20 million where musical inno
Rumba Para Bebo
[APWW PGM #678] [Originally Aired in 2013]
The legendary Cuban pianist / bandleader / composer Ramón "Bebo" Valdés used to say, el día que me muera, no quiero lloradera. Que toquen una rumba, que tomen ron y coman chocolate, y que toquen mi música más bailable. The day I die, I don’t want weeping. Have a rumba, drink rum and eat chocolate, and play my most danceable music.
Bebo passed on March 22, 2013 at the age of 94, and to honor his memory in high spirits, Afropop Worldwide producer Ned Subl
Hip Deep Ghana 2 Podcast: Gospel in Modern Accra
While other forms of music have switched to digital production, gospel remains as the arena for live music, and as the most popular form of live performance in the city of Accra. In this web exclusive podcast, we explore Ghanaian gospel's popularity in a city with thousands upon thousands of churches.
Afropop Worldwide Summer 2014 Concert Previews PODCAST
Summer is always the most active season for African and Diaspora touring artists. We'll clue you into what we think are the best. So wherever you are, enjoy the fun fun fun free open air concerts at Central Park SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn, Nuits D'Afrique in Montreal, Concert of Colors in Detroit, Grand Performances in L.A. and more.
Podcast: Kickin' It In Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde (also known as Cape Verde) is undeniably a music powerhouse. Despite its small size (population 500,000), the West African archipelago is the third-largest country in music sales in the “World” market by some estimations. That’s why the islands have become home to the Atlantic Music Expo: a trans-oceanic music fair featuring conferences and concerts that attract musicians and industry professionals from across the globe. In this episode, Afropop drops in on the Expo to check out the l
Live from Bongoland: The Story of Tanzania's Music Economy
In the 70s and 80s, the east African nation of Tanzania was home to one of the continent's greatest music scenes. But you wouldn't know from the recorded evidence. Join us for this Hip Deep Edition of Afropop Worldwide, as we explore how Tanzania developed a booming music economy without any music industry (and yes- we'll explain what that means), and then how, in the course of a single decade, it developed one of the premier recording industries on the continent. Featuring professor Alex Perull
Afropop Exclusive Mix! Funk Na Caixa, Rasterinha Set
And this week? We are proud to debut a new mix from Funk Na Caixa.
Hi, here is Renato M2 from Funk na Caixa. I recorded this mixtape for friends of Afropop worldwide to show them more about rasterinha, the new trend in baile funk culture. In this mixtape I played: 2 tracks from our vol. 2 of our rasterinha EP - (it's out now, and has 12 tracks) - and another exclusive track from our friend Munchi. He doesn't know when he will release it, but to give you taste of it, I played in exclusive!
I h
The Money Show
APWW PGM #685
Every day, money changes hands in Ghanaian cedi, South African rand, and Brazilian reals as music is created, traded, performed, purchased, and pirated.
In this episode we look at the business side of African music, through a series of vignettes from around the continent and Diaspora that illuminate the deep connections between musical creation and the economies that sustain it. We start with the story of how cell phones are transforming Africa's music industries. Then, we see
Brushy One String: Music and a Single Vibrating Wire
In our program "Afropop Live! NYC Musical Metropolis" we featured an excerpt from our interview with Brushy One String, the soulful Jamaican singer/guitarist and youtube star. In this podcast, we go further, discussing Brushy's past, his goals, and the development of his unique musical style. Along the way, we try to explain how just how one string can make so much great music.
Podcast: More Songs of Love and War from Somalia
Banning Eyre presents songs and stories from Somalia's fertile independence era, and up to the present. This podcast is a supplement to Afropop's Hip Deep program "Reconstructiong Somalia, Love Songs at the Birth of a Nation." Somali scholar and former broadcaster Ahmed Ismail Samatar introduces Somali oud virtuoso Hodeidi. Historian Lidwien Kapteijns continues her brilliant and amiable commentary on the love songs in which gender debates played out in the '60s and '70s, and brings the story rig
Dread Inna Inglan: How the UK Took to Reggae
Jamaican music journeyed to England in the ‘60s when immigrants from the island flocked to the UK in search of jobs and a better life. But as racism, unemployment and poor living conditions developed in the 70s, a new generation of UK-based reggae and dancehall artists transformed the music into a major platform for voicing the concerns, struggles and hard, daily reality of life in the UK for black immigrants. Through interviews with David Hinds of Steel Pulse, Dennis Bovell, Papa Levi and many
Angelique Kidjo: The Roots of "Eve"
In addition to Afropop Worldwide's new show, Benin: Transforming Traditions, we bring you this web exclusive podcast, Angelique Kidjo: The Roots Of Eve, featuring new music and an exclusive interview with the Queen herself.
Afropop Worldwide has followed Angelique since she her career first began, and we're always excited to hear what she's up to. Her latest album, Eve, was released on January 28th 2014 by 429 records. It is dedicated to her mother and celebrates African women. Eve features wom
Benin - Transforming Traditions
[APWW PGM #680] [Originally aired in 2014]
This program tells the story of generations of creative musicians from Benin who translate traditional, largely Vodun occult music into popular and experimental music. We hear traditional music styles including tchinkoumé, agbadja, and kakagbo, and explore how, starting in the 1970s, Sagbohan Danialou (a singer, drummer, guitarist and composer known as "l'homme orchestre," the one-man-band) and Tohon Stanislas transformed these styles into popular musi
Afro-Tech: Stories of Synths in African Music
[APWW #676] [Originally aired in 2013]
Technology is one of the great drivers of musical change, and often one of it's least understood. In this episode, we will explore the synthesizer, looking closely at the history of this ubiquitous (and often debated) piece of musical technology, and investigating how and why it was first used in a variety African musics. Enabled by groundbreaking reissues of synth pioneers like William Onyeabor (Nigeria) and Hailu Mergia (Ethiopia), disco stars like Kris
Podcast- Lebanese Factor In Ghanaian Music Podcast
Descendants of Lebanese immigrants have had a surprising impact on the development of Ghanaian popular music. This report by Afropop's Banning Eyre digs into the history of the late-60s Afro-rock band, The Psychedelic Aliens, and producer, bandleader, and club owner Faisal Helwani. Helwani's band Hedzoleh Soundz eventually attracted the involvement of South African trumpet legend Hugh Masekela. And Helwani's club, The Napoleon, was the home base for Fela Kuti during his crucial proving years i
Jamaica In New York: The History of Reggae and Dancehall in the Big Apple
[APWW #672] [Originally aired 2013]
New York City has long had a thriving and populous Jamaican community from Crown Heights, Brooklyn to the south Bronx. And as long as Jamaicans have come to the Big Apple they've brought their culture and music along with them. In this musical exposé Afropop producer Saxon Baird susses out the often overlooked NYC Jamaican music scene with interviews from some of its biggest players from Bullwackies in the Bronx to Brooklyn-based dancehall artists like Screech
Podcast: Zaki Nassif and Sabah
This special feature is a supplement to the Afropop Worldwide program, “Lebanon 1: Fairuz, A Woman for All Seasons.” The feature introduces two important contemporaries of Fairuz and the Rahbani brothers, namely composer Zaki Nassif and legendary singer Sabah. The images below are of Zaki Nassif’s nephew, Nabil Nassif, and ofthe Zaki Nassif archive at the American University of Beirut. This archive is overseen by Giselle Hebbo, seen here displaying some of the archive contents.
Hip Deep Ghana 2: 21st Century Accra from Gospel to Hiplife
[APWW #669] [Originally aired 2013]
Hiplife--a merger of hip hop and highlife--has come of age, spawning subgenres tilting to roots culture, international rap, and boldly humorous satire, not to mention azonto, a dance craze that has rocketed to global renown in just over a year. But for all that, the biggest-selling music in the country, by far, is gospel. On this whirlwind, Hip Deep tour of Accra, we meet stars like Reggie Rockstone, M.anifiest, Efya, Soul Winners, and the genre-bending FOKN B
Ghana 1 Podcast: Geraldo Pino and Fela Kuti in Ghana
The influence of the James Brown (The Godfather of Soul, Mr. Dynamite, Etc) on the music of Ghana is enormous. In this web-exclusive podcast, producer Banning Eyre, we explore the influence of Brown on an entire generation of Ghanian musicians- a young Fela Kuti included. We also focus on Geraldo Pino, a talented performer who was able to rework Brown's style for a domestic audience. While Kuti and Pino are often depicted as locked in a fierce rivalry, the truth is that the men had a warm friend
A Brief History of Funk
[APWW # 124] [Originally aired 1993]
Funk is a perennial favorite. In this panoramic history of the grooviest of genres, we hear track after track of absolute boogie down classics. Everything from Sly and the Family Stone to James Brown, with a few stops to hear legends like the Meters, Kool and the Gang, and Parliament. We’ll also hear the great Bobby Byrd explain the rhythmic motor behind the JB’s, and Georges Clinton talk about the roots of HIS funk. Produced by Ned Sublette.
African Sounds of the Indian Subcontinent
[APWW PGM #663] [Originally aired 2013]
AFRICAN SOUNDS OF THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
African Sounds of the Indian Subcontinent
In this Hip Deep program, we explore musical connections between Africa and the Indian subcontinent. First, we hear the story of the Afro-Indian Sidi community. Starting in the 13th century, Africans arrived in India as soldiers in the armies of Muslim conquerors. Some were able to rise through the ranks to become military leaders and even rulers in India. Their descenden
The Soul of São Paulo: Rock, Rap and Future Music from the Endless City
[APWW #654] [Originally aired 2012]
In this episode, Afropop Worldwide travels to São Paulo, the 20-million person Brazilian megalopolis, to report on the explosive music scene stirring among the city's cosmopolitan youth. São Paulo is hardly the Brazil you see on the postcards - it's a city of endless high-rises that stretch on into the horizon, covered in colorful graffiti and snarled with traffic. But it's also a place where people, ideas, sounds, and technologies come together and get scram
Rio 2: Samba Strikes Back
[APWW #644] [Originally aired 2012]
Our second Hip Deep samba show picks up where we left off the story in the 1960s, tracing the rhythm as it transforms and re-appears throughout the many popular music forms that developed in Rio in the later 20th century. Scholar Frederick Moehn, author of a new book titled Contemporary Carioca, shows us how samba's shadow re-appears in the youth music of MPB-stars Pedro Luis and Fernanda Abreu, and how a samba revival led by young artists in the Lapa neighbor
Msafiri Zawose: Bringing Wagogo Roots to US
In the late spring of 2012, Hukwe's son Msafire Zawose--in every way a chip off the old block--brought his family's musical legacy from Tanzania to the US. Afropop caught a midnight acoustic set at Barbes in Brooklyn, and quickly arranged an interview. Hear the results from our conversation and clips from the live show.
"What's Next for Egyptian Music?" The Rise of Rap & Electro-Sha'bi
Wrapping up Afropop's Hip Deep series on Egypt, Banning Eyre asks "What Next for Egyptian Music?" To supplement part 5, "Revolution Songs," this podcast focuses on the roots of Egyptian rap, and its surging popularity after the revolution. The future of music in Egypt may be the fusion of rap and another surging, young genre, electro-sha'bi.
Crate-Diggers and Remixers
[APWW #636] [Originally aired 2012]
A vast, new world of DJs, record collectors and producers are going to far reaches of the Earth to find forgotten records and new styles of music. Their discoveries are then brought back home, remixed, repackaged and re-released to be heard by an entirely new audience. We speak to some of these globetrotting DJ and producers Chief Boima and Geko Jones to hear about their experiences, the music they’ve discovered and how they go about remixing some of these s
Exclusive Podcast: The Ecstasy of a Sufi Moulid
Afropop visits a sufi moulid celebration in Upper Egypt and delves into the history of sufi celebration and culture in Egypt.