American music collector Brian Shimkovitz has a keen ear for music that could be easily lost in the bargain bin of history. Before realising his Awesome Tapes From Africa (ATFA) music blog and DJ project, Shimkovitz had gone to Ghana to study the hip hop scene in the country. He returned to the US with a host of audio cassettes that one could only find at African markets.
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By Alicia Adejobi
Beyonce has been criticised for appearing to snub Kenyan artists on her new The Lion King soundtrack album, despite the Disney movie taking inspiration from the country’s culture. The 37-year-old, who voices Nala in Disney’s epic reboot, released The Lion King: The Gift to coincide with the animation’s theatrical release.
Continue reading “Beyonce accused of snubbing Kenya on The Lion King soundtrack by original Hakuna Matata singer”
With less than one hour to showtime — the rain didn’t let up, and neither did the crowd. In fact the 5,000+ fans who checked in to Coney Island’s outdoor theater venue never left until the marathon 10-hour concert was over. Rain or more rain: they had good reason to stay. This wasn’t an ordinary show, but a special gathering of Africa’s leading Afrobeat stars performing at the annual One Africa Music Fest Concert. The growth of this genre, which seamlessly blends traditional West African music with Western influences, is fueled by a short list of pan-African and Caribbean entertainers, many of whom were front and center at Saturday night’s concert. From dancers to DJs to the artists themselves, we captured them all backstage, where they shared their thoughts on why they love the genre, and why it’s here to stay.