Femi Kuti’s ‘Stop the Hate’ Reminds That Optimism Doesn’t Have to Mean Compromise
Unity and positivity in the face of widespread corruption and oppression continue to be key aims of Femi Kuti’s music on Stop the Hate.
afrobeat
4 Mars’ ‘Super Somali Sounds from the Gulf of Tadjoura’ Highlights Djiboutian Popular Music
These are recordings prematurely aged, but their grit belies fresh sounds that speak to Djibouti's history as a port region connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to the Horn of Africa.
The Budos Band Prove They Are Not ‘Long in the Tooth’
The Budos Band are more ferociously funky than ever with their 15th-anniversary album, Long in the Tooth.
The Budos Band Call for Action on “The Wrangler” (premiere)
The Budos Band call on their fans for action with the powerful new track "The Wrangler" that falls somewhere between '60s spy thriller soundtrack and '70s Ethiojazz.
South Africa’s Phelimuncasi Thrill with Their Gqom Beats on ‘2013-2019’
A new Phelimuncasi anthology from Nyege Nyege Tapes introduces listeners to gqom and the dancefloors of Durban, South Africa.
Hip-Hop’s Raashan Ahmad Talks About His Place in ‘The Sun’
On his latest work,The Sun, rapper Raashan Ahmad brings his irrepressible charisma to this set of Afrobeat-influenced hip-hop.
Nkem Njoku and Ozzobia Brothers Bring Summery Highlife to ‘Ozobia Special’
Summery synths bring highlife of the 1980s on a reissue of Nkem Njoku and Ozzobia Brothers' innovative Ozobia Special.
Duende Libre Blend Jazz and African Sounds on ‘The Dance She Spoke’
Seattle-based jazz ensemble Duende Libre draw on warm sounds from Africa and its diaspora on The Dance She Spoke.
The World Comes to Johannesburg on Phenomenal Collaboration ‘Keleketla!’
Consistently exciting, always surprising, and full of soul, Keleketla! is one of the most remarkable releases of the year to date.
Michael Olatuja Cooks Up Some “Lagos Pepper Soup” with Angélique Kidjo (premiere)
Bassist Michael Olatuja and legend Angélique Kidjo celebrate life and culture on "Lagos Pepper Soup".
‘Rejoice’ with Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela
This long-delayed collaboration by two African master musicians is an occasion for jubilation. Rejoice is a posthumous reminder of what Hugh Masekela at his best could deliver and of the now 80-year-old Tony Allen's amazing vitality.