On Beats of Zion, African reggae star Rocky Dawuni continues to demonstrate he’s one of the most exciting artists coming out of Africa. His style…
Rocky Dawuni’s Reggae for Positive change
Tag: Afropop
Artist Profiles: Buika
Buika (pronounced BWEE-kah) was born Concha Buika on the Spanish island of Mallorca, to parents who arrived to Spain as political exiles from Equatorial Guinea.…
Artist Profiles: Malian Singer-Songwriter Rokia Traore
Rokia Traore was born in 1974 and comes from Bamako. Though-steeped in tradition, Rokia Traore’s music is thoroughly integrated into a contemporary sound, thanks to…
Artist Profiles: Salif Keita
A master of West African rhythms and credited as one of the founders of the Afropop genre, Salif Keita is world renowned for his unforgettable…
Artist Profiles: Amadou & Mariam
During the 1960s, in Bamako, Mali, a young girl of six used to appear at local festivals by popular demand. On the other side of…
Diali Cissokho Brings North Carolina and M’bour Together on Routes
Diali Cissokho and Kaira Ba – Routes (Twelve Eight Records, 2018) Routes is the new album by North Carolina-based Diali Cissokho and Kaira Ba. Diali…
Likembe Meets Afropop
Lulendo – Mwinda (Buda Records, 2017) Mwinda is the fourth studio album by Angolan singer-songwriter and likembe (thumb piano) player Lulendo Mvulu. Most of…
The Hybrid Sounds of Belgium’s Zanzibar
Zanzibar – Fiali in Chicago (Home Records, 2016) Belgian multi-ethnic band Zanzibar plays an unexpected mix of rhythmic Afropop music, harmonica-based American blues, boogie woogie,…
Artist Profiles: Ze Manel
Singer and multi-instrumentalist, Ze Manel is one of the most famous and influential contemporary musician to emerge from the West African country of Guinea Bissau.…
Artists Profiles: Angélique Kidjo
Angélique Kidjo is one of the African singers with more attraction and performance power. The direct rhythms, strong, energetic, taken from the traditions of her…