By Urowayino Warami
Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Teni and Mr Eazi have been nominated in different categories for the Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards.
The BET Awards were established in 2001 to celebrate yearly African-Americans and other American minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment.
Continue reading “Nigeria’s Burna Boy, Teni, Mr Eazi Nominated for BET Awards”
By Adewojumi Aderemi
Growing up in Nigeria, there is a clearly prescribed mode in which genders must be performed: women are the caretakers; men are the financial providers. Men must also be the emotionless defenders of everyone, particularly the women, around them.
Coupled with his time spent watching American films of valiant men, such as Rockyand Commando, it was this image of machismo that Oluwatobi Ajibolade ascribed to being a man. It is this image that the Nigerian-Canadian artist hopes to redefine with his debut album, STILL.
Continue reading “TOBi Is The Nigerian-Canadian Musician Taking North America By Storm”
Uganda’s youngest rapper Patrick Ssenyonjo alias Fresh Kid has been nominated in International Award in the Carolina Music Video Awards 2019.
The fast-rising rapper gained a nomination in the category of the best video for the month of April. Continue reading “Fresh Kid nominated in America’s Music Video Awards”
Some of the facilitators present at the signing of the deal at UMG office in California wereJoel Katz, Efe Ogbeni, Vanessa Amadi (Stealth Management), Sipho Dlamini, Managing Director of Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (English-speaking), Adam Granite, Executive Vice President, Market Development at Universal Worldwide and Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group Worldwide.
By Makeda Easter
This has been a particularly global year for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The lineup also includes Nigerian stars Mr. Eazi and Burna Boy, two artists representing afrobeats, a genre that’s steadily gaining traction in the U.S. and beyond.
It’s not the first year that Coachella has hosted Nigerian artists. The 2012 performance of Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, featuring Fela Kuti’s youngest son and band, is just one example of the handful of the country’s artists who have played the Indio festival. And 2018 was expected to be a big moment for afrobeats at Coachella when Wizkid was booked, but he missed the gig due to visa issues.
Continue reading “Mr. Eazi and Burna Boy highlight the rise of afrobeats at Coachella”
African music continues its meteoric rise across the globe, spearheaded by the resurgence of the Afrobeats movement. From chart-topping pop collaborations with mainstream artists such as Drake, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran and Alicia Keys, to the resounding influence of African producers and artists across the international music industry, the sound that has rocked the continent for decades, now touches the hearts of many around the world.
On April 27, 2019, international music insider Eshoon Nashun will launch the “Coming to America Music Festival” in Washington, DC with some of Africa’s top artists at The Anthem. The newly-built 6,000 seat venue in the Nation’s Capital will be the setting for mega acts including headliner, Davido, Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Continue reading “Davido to headline “Coming To America Music Festival” in Washington DC”
By Adewojumi Aderemi
Just last week, Kida Kudz released another infectious single, “Jiggy Bop”, which saw him unveil even more of his rap range than we had heard on his previous hits, “Issa Vibe” and “Again”.
While Kid Kudz’s melodic delivery certainly made the song extra catchy, it’s the fantastic production work, particularly its mystical beat, that pushed the track over the edge, and that’s all thanks to British-Nigerian production duo, Sons of Sonix.
Continue reading “Discover Sons Of Sonix, the British-Nigerian duo looking to spread Afropop to the world”
By Socrates Mbamalu
Alex Boyé has become known for his uplifting music. Now his support of mental health campaigns has seen him being honoured for adding his voice to suicide prevention efforts.
Three years ago, Nigerian-born Alex Boyé appeared on one of America’s best-known talent shows, America’s Got Talent. He was 44 years old at the time and had been singing for 25 years. With his signature white mark under his right eye, a boisterous spirit and great charisma, he took to the stage and blew away the judges with his energy and music. Boyé has gone on to become an important voice in music.
Continue reading “Nigerian-Born musician Alex Boyé releases two singles for Mental Health Awareness Month”
By Christina Cala
Thutmose is the name of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, but it’s also the stage name of Nigerian-born rapper and songwriter Umar Ibrahim. After immigrating with his family to Brooklyn, N.Y. at the age of 8, Thutmose grew up caught between the America he was experiencing and the America he imagined.
Continue reading “Thutmose experiments with genres while honoring his Nigerian roots”
By Chantilly Post
Coming To America 2 is in the works and Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall have already begun their fittings for the anticipated film. While fans are looking forward to the resurgence of McDowell’s, Akon included, the “Right Now” music maker advises the lead actors to make sure they cast real African stars.
When Afrigo band ascended to the stage at the magnificent Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington DC last year, the audience went gaga.
On their feet were thousands of Ugandans living in the diaspora and well-wishers who had gathered for the Uganda Festival and Business Expo 2018.
Continue reading “Afrigo band set for Uganda Festival in New York”
By Lizbeth Brown
Ghanaian hip hop musician Samuel Adu Frimpong popularly known as Medikal pulled a massive crowd when he performed in the United States of America.
The ‘Omo Ada’ hitmaker delivered a stupendous and amazing performance to a fully-packed auditorium.
In his feature film debut The Burial of Kojo, Blitz Bazawule tells a story of two brothers through the gaze of a gifted girl who travels between gorgeous lands that exist in life and death.
It’s not your ordinary narrative film, but a cinematic fable that is surreal, magical and infused with Afrofuturistic elements. Yes, it is complex and yes, it will probably make your brain bleed with its visual prowess, but Bazawule isn’t here to give you normal. He’s here to change the game while rattling your senses with a dose of global and inclusive storytelling. As Bazawule said, “Nobody cares about normal, right?”
By Aanu Adeoye, CNN
Eritrean-American Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s death in a shooting near his clothing store was greeted with shock and disbelief by celebrities and fans alike.
The 33-year-old musician, real name Ermias Davidson Asghedom, was shot dead in an attack on Sunday that also left two others injured.
The city of Los Angeles where he grew up and dedicated his life to helping kids break out of the cycle of gang violence mourned his passing.
Continue reading “How Nipsey Hussle connected to his Eritrean roots “
By Inemesit Udodiong
Afrobeat, a fusion of African pop, dance, and hip hop, is having a great moment right now. All over the world, people are listening, dancing and buying tickets to sold-out shows by Nigerian artists.
It is also topping streaming and airplay charts across the US and Europe. Earlier this year, Davido‘s 2017 hit single, ‘Fall’, became the longest charting Nigerian song on American Billboard chart. It was the most Shazamed song by New York radio listeners in 2018.
Now, New York-based Warner Music Groupjoins the likes of Universal Music Group andSony Music, who have already boarded the Afrobeat train. The world’s third largest record label has a new partnership with Nigerian music label Chocolate City.
Continue reading “Nigerian music label, Chocolate City, signs new deal with Warner Music Group”