All of the party

A mix of French hip hop and smooth R&B dominates this installment, Number 5, of music from the French capital. Paris is a Continent.

David Beckham playing at his last club, LA Galaxy in the MLS (Anna Enriquez, via Flickr CC).

Not sure what it says about France that the headlines in Paris are dominated by stories that Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who sexually assaulted an African woman working as a cleaner in a New York City hotel, is being portrayed as a victim of a conspiracy. To top it all, David Beckham, a semi-retired 36-year-old English player is entrusted with bringing back glamor to French club football (he signed with Paris Saint Germain).

Meanwhile, a mix of French hip hop and smooth R&B dominates this installment of music from Paris.  This week is a short offering since I am going on vacation today.

First up,  the Tunisian rapper Sniper featuring Sexion d’Assault on “Blood Diamondz.” (You may remember that Sexion d’Assault was, until recently, known more for their homophobic outbursts than their music. They claimed to have left hate behind.)

For now, here are two: first, Marseille-born singer Kenza Farah featured on the song “Tous de la Fête” by Dibi Dobo (his family comes from Benin). Kenza Farah’s family is Kabyle from Algeria. Their collaboration features the pan-African spirit that exist among Africans, whether from North and Sub-Saharan Africa, in France.

Then there’s Evanz, a singer discovered by La Fouine, and her song “Ton Silence,”  The song features rapper Soprano.

 

Further Reading

Drip is temporary

The apparel brand Drip was meant to prove that South Africa’s townships could inspire global style. Instead, it revealed how easily black success stories are consumed and undone by the contradictions of neoliberal aspiration.

Energy for whom?

Behind the fanfare of the Africa Climate Summit, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline shows how neocolonial extraction still drives Africa’s energy future.

The sound of revolt

On his third album, Afro-Portuguese artist Scúru Fitchádu fuses ancestral wisdom with urban revolt, turning memory and militancy into a soundtrack for resistance.

O som da revolta

No seu terceiro álbum, o artista afro-português Scúru Fitchádu funde a sabedoria ancestral com a revolta urbana, transformando memória e militância em uma trilha sonora para a resistência.

Biya forever

As Cameroon nears its presidential elections, a disintegrated opposition paves the way for the world’s oldest leader to claim a fresh mandate.

From Cornell to conscience

Hounded out of the United States for his pro-Palestine activism, Momodou Taal insists that the struggle is global, drawing strength from Malcolm X, faith, and solidarity across borders.

After the uprising

Following two years of mass protest, Kenya stands at a crossroads. A new generation of organizers is confronting an old question: how do you turn revolt into lasting change? Sungu Oyoo joins the AIAC podcast to discuss the vision of Kenya’s radical left.