Nigeria: Tems Wins Best African Musical Perrormance Grammy
[Afropop] Tems was the one African to shine at the Grammy Awards last night. She won Best African Music Performance for her hit track “Love Me JeJe.” To do that, she had to beat Afrobeats heavyweights Davido, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, and Asake–all Niger…
Africa: Afropop Top Videos – January 2025: Salif Keita, Ramy Essam, Sofaz and More
[Afropop] Welcome to 2025, a year when we’re going to need musical diversion and engagement more than ever! Here are eight items to start off Afropop’s video list for the year. You could argue that it’s a tad pretentious for us to call our playlist “to…
South Sudan: Emmanuel Jal and Bun Xaapa Release New Single ‘Chaak’
[Afropop] Today, South Sudanese artist, author, and former child soldier Emmanuel Jal (new book My Life Is Art out now) teams up with South African producer Bun Xapa (named one of DJ Mag’s artists to watch in 2025) to release a new collaborative single…
Cape Verde: Elida Almeida’s Trimphant Return to New York
[Afropop] Elida Almeida is a major player in a new generation of Cabo Verdean female singers who have risen, quite gloriously, in the wake of Cesaria Évora’s storied career. Évora, the “barefoot diva,” grew up in poverty, singing for tips in …
Senegal: Souleymane Diamanka’s ‘One Poet Show’ in Paris
[Afropop] A Resident of Nowhere, Originating from Everywhere When asked why people should come to his show, Souleymane Diamanka’s response was simple yet profound: “You’ll find yourself in it.”
Ghana: Weedie Braimah – Djembefola, Educator, Visionary
[Afropop] Weedie Braimah is a djembefola (a master of the djembe drum), and a force of nature. Born in Ghana and raised in East St. Louis by two world-class drummers, his father Ghanaian and his mother American, Weedie imbibed deep percussive knowledge…
Africa: New York Comes Alive With Globalfest, Afromondo and More!
[Afropop] Followers of this site will know that the second weekend in January brings an explosion of thrilling music in New York. With arts presenters from all over the continent, and beyond, convening in the city, there are back-to-back showcases from…
Somalia: Sahra Halgan – the Message Is the Music
[Afropop] The history of Somalia (officially, the Federal Republic of Somalia) and Somaliland (officially, the Republic of Somaliland) in the 20th century is, sadly, and like too many African countries, a story of colonization, dictatorship, struggle f…
Africa: Amayo’s Inner Lion Awakes
[Afropop] Duke Amayo is a familiar figure to fans of America’s pioneering Afrobeat band, Antibalas. A charismatic and flamboyant frontman, Amayo has provided Antibalas shows and recordings with an authentic shot of Nigeria-ness. And no surprise. Amayo …
Africa: Rikki Stein and the Lost Art of Moving Music, and People, in an Age of Disillusionment
[Afropop] Mark LeVine is a longtime contributor to Afropop Worldwide, also a scholar, musician and author of numerous books. Here, he reviews Rikki Stein’s memoir, Moving Music. Afropop’s Banning Eyre recently interviewed Rikki Stein about the book.