Inexplicably absent in this year’s fashionable blogs’ and magazines’ year-end lists are videos by African artists, or those videos recorded somewhere in Africa. I’ve picked ten which I think stood out. South Africans Pieter Hugo and Michael Cleary directed and shot the video for Spoek Mathambo’s ‘Control’ in Langa, Cape Town. We took issue with aspects of it when it came out in February, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t striking:
Music Break / Nneka
September 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Music Break
August 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Nneka--a AIAC favorite–performing an acoustic version of her song, “Do You Love Me Now?” for the French website, NowPlayingMag.com.
Music Break
February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The new video for Nigerian Afrobeat funkster Bantu‘s tune “I’m Waiting.” It’s part of the soundtrack of the new film,”Relentless” (set in Lagos) directed by Andy Okoroafor. The single/video features Nneka.
Via Emma Arrogundade.
Nneka & Nas Present: Heartbeat
June 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
If you’re a regular reader, then you know we love Nigerian-German songstress Nneka. Her new album, Concrete Jungle, has been out for a few months and she’s now on tour with Nas and Damian Marley, aka Distant Relatives. A product of that collaboration is a remix of Nneka’s “Heartbeat” featuring Nas. I like. A lot.
Download it here.
h/t @olaTUNJI
Viva Africa
June 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Super Eagles are kicking off against Greece shortly, so today’s 2010 World Cup music moment comes from Nneka. She’s got a song, “Viva Africa,” on Listen Up, the official 2010 FIFA World Cup album. Here’s the just-released video. We like Nneka around here, but this song and video get a *Kanye shrug* from me. The kids are cute though.
Africa Makes Some Noise
June 8, 2010 By 4 Comments
Last night, BBC Radio One premiered an hour-long documentary on the story of modern “African” music, hosted by UK-based Kenyan DJ Edu (whose weekly show, Destination Africa on Radio 1Xtra, I’ve been listening to for a few years now).
Nneka on Nigeria’s Oil Politics
March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Singer Nneka (who is a great talent but always nervous in interviews) rambles on a bit about her name and her father before talking about oil politics, the Niger Delta, the Ogoni and Ken Saro Wiwa. Timely of course given the constitutional crisis in the country.
* Incidentally, this is from Youtube’s Causecast Channel, about which I don’t know enough yet, but looks like a place where entertainers and celebrities announce themselves on “causes.”
