Africa Is a Country

Music Break. Friday Bonus Edition, N°2

Music Break. Friday Bonus Edition, N°2

By
Tom Devriendt

An eclectic one. Ethiopian and Ivorian pop, Philly neo soul, Swedish and South African rap and Brazilian jazz.

Philadelphia neo soul keeps it topical. One thing we could not figure out: Bilal–half breaking with the dress code of his hosts Kindred–does a guest verse and throws in a line about ‘USA to Africa’: “And your moving out cause the cost of living is sky high and you know we working on it but its no word from USA to Africa.” What does he want?

In Ethiopia, pop is doing fine. Listen to Nigusu Tamrat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hek1SlQrnQ4

Almost as poppy, from the Ivorian diaspora comes this song by Dobet Gnahoré and Manou Gallo which, they hope, ‘will contribute to bring back together and reconcile all Ivorians’:

Swedish rapper Ken Ring and Norwegian producer Tommy Tee went to record the video for ‘Plocka Han’ in Korogocho (Nairobi, Kenya):

From KwaMashu (Durban, South Africa) comes Zakwe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e9HrQUJgvo

And to end the week: Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay as seen through the eyes of French director Vincent Moon, Brazilian pianist Laércio de Freitas and his daughter, singer Thalma:

Further Reading

Not exactly at arm’s length

Despite South Africa’s ban on arms exports to Israel and its condemnation of Israel’s actions in Palestine, local arms companies continue to send weapons to Israel’s allies and its major arms suppliers.

Ruto’s Kenya

Since June’s anti-finance bill protests, dozens of people remain unaccounted for—a stark reminder of the Kenyan state’s long history of abductions and assassinations.

Between Harlem and home

African postcolonial cinema serves as a mirror, revealing the limits of escape—whether through migration or personal defiance—and exposing the tensions between dreams and reality.

The real Rwanda

The world is slowly opening its eyes to how Paul Kagame’s regime abuses human rights, suppresses dissent, and exploits neighboring countries.

In the shadow of Mondlane

After a historic election and on the eve of celebrating fifty years of independence, Mozambicans need to ask whether the values, symbols, and institutions created to give shape to “national unity” are still legitimate today.

À sombra de Mondlane

Depois de uma eleição histórica e em vésperas de celebrar os 50 anos de independência, os moçambicanos precisam de perguntar se os valores, símbolos e instituições criados para dar forma à “unidade nacional” ainda são legítimos hoje.