Tag: African musicians in America

Music, People

Afropop Queen Victoria Kimani Is Kenya’s Best Kept Secret

The “Wash It” singer tells the Recording Academy about her multinational background, growing up in L.A., Tulsa, Nigeria and Kenya and breaking out of what can sometimes be an isolating music scene

By RACHEL BRODSKY

Everyone has an origin story, and R&B/Afropop singer Victoria Kimani‘s is especially memorable. Born in Los Angeles to Kenyan parents, the 34-year-old moved all over the globe—specifically to Tulsa, Okla., Nigeria and finally Kenya—during her teen years.

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Music

How Afrobeats Is Influencing American Pop Music, According to Producer P2J

BY KEMET HIGH

Afrobeats has been steadily infiltrating the U.S. airwaves for the past few years. In fact, you may have heard Afro B’s “Drogba (Joanna)” thumping out of someone’s car speakers this summer, bringing the uplifting vibe you need when the sun is out.

The term afrobeats has been used to describe a collective campaign of different musical styles stemming from Africa, not to get mixed up with Afrobeat, which is a West African music genre blending fuji and highlife music with American jazz and funk, pioneered by Fela Kuti. Afrobeats is a word that’s used to bring awareness to African-influenced music from collectives like the Flight Club, artists like Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid, and producers like P2J.

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Music

African gospel music producers aim to break into Edmonton’s music scene

‘Sometimes in a world where maybe the favour is not in your lane you create your own favour’

By Thandiwe Konguavi · CBC News

A number of renowned African gospel music producers, who now call Edmonton home, are working non-stop to break African musicians into mainstream Christian radio stations. 

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Entertainment

Watch Burna Boy Perform ‘Anybody’ on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

By Rufaro Samanga

The devil works hard but Burna Boy certainly works harder. Last night, the indomitable Nigerian artist appeared on the late night American talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! alongside Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie, who were promoting their new film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

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Entertainment

A Guide to All the African Artists Who Appear on Beyoncé’s Lion King Album

By Gabrielle Bruney

The “live-action” Lion King remake hews closely to the original film, even recreating some scenes with shot-for-shot precision. But Beyoncé’s album that accompanies the film, The Lion King: The Gift, takes an approach that’s more inspired than a simple retread of familiar songs. Though the 27-track release is liberally woven with at-times distracting spoken word excepts from the film, the songs themselves are only inspired by the story, and you don’t need to be a Lion King fan to get on board. 

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People

How Burna Boy Became Nigeria’s Surprise Success Story

by Nick Duerden

When Burna Boy arrives three hours late to an east London studio on a balmy July evening, he is laid-back to the point of comatose — and monosyllabic. He asks that the photo shoot happen quickly, and when he sits down to be interviewed, the first thing he does is stand up again. “No,” he says, suddenly definitive. “Need a smoke. Come.”

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Music

African stars Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy to feature in Beyoncés ‘Lion King: The Gift’ Album

The superstar’s new album will feature a number of African stars who rarely get exposure in the U.S.

By Elias Leight

Beyoncé has announced The Lion King: The Gift, an album that will accompany the remake of the famous Disney animated film will have a track list that includes stars from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, artists who rarely get exposure in the American mainstream. 

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Entertainment

Ghanaian stars, Amakye Dede, LilWin, Kurl Songx to tour the US

Abrantie Amakye Dede is billed to hold what is expected to be an explosive concert with his Apollo High Kings Band, Kurl Songx and comedian cum musician, Lil Win from July 20th to 1st September 2019 at a concert dubbed ‘Amakye Dede Live In Concert’ in the United Stage of America, (USA). 

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Music

Burna Boy’s Mother Accepts “Best International Act” At BET Awards 2019

By Desire Thompson

Burna’s Boy’s mother delivered a special message while accepting the honor for “Best International Act” at the BET Awards. Bose Ogulu, the manager and mother of the Afro-fusion musician accepted the award on her son’s behalf.

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Music

Burna Boy wins 2019 BET Best International Act Award

By Jayne Augoye

Nigerian afro-fusion artiste, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has won the 2019 BET best international act award. The talented singer floored Teni Makanaki and Mr Eazi to win the coveted category in the award.

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Entertainment, Music

Nigeria’s Burna Boy, Teni, Mr Eazi Nominated for BET Awards

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.

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Music, People

TOBi Is The Nigerian-Canadian Musician Taking North America By Storm

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.

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Entertainment, News

Fresh Kid nominated in America’s Music Video Awards

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” →

Entertainment, Music

Nigerian superstar, Tiwa Savage, signs with Universal Music Group

One of the biggest African female acts, Tiwa Savage, has signed a record deal with Universal Music Group.

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.

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Festivals, Music

Mr. Eazi and Burna Boy highlight the rise of afrobeats at Coachella

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.

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