Africa Is a Country

Weekend Music Break 44

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

Weekend Music Break 44

By
Tom Devriendt

Here’s your weekly round-up of new videos and tunes to get the weekend started. First up, Gaël Faye giving us another video off his “Pili Pili sur un Croissant au Beurre” record, and reminding us of everything that’s good in Bujumbura. Pick your dish:

‘Burning’ is the lead single off Silver Bullet’s “Afrikans in Denmark” EP, featuring Afrikan Boy:

From earlier this year: Ghanaians Gemini and EL (and Wanlov):

Art Melody and the band he toured with in France recorded this “live” footage:

‘Kioo’ is a new X Plastaz song and video by Tanzanian rapper Ziggy, shot in Stockholm (Sweden):

Zimbabwean rapper Synik–remember Amkelwa’s interview–released a video for an older track of his:

‘The Sun’ is the dreamy lead single off Malawian (London-residing) artist Dziko’s “Afro Electricity” EP:

Dirtmusic (that’s Hugo Race and Chris Eckman) wrote a song for peace together with Malian singer Aminata Wassidje Traore:

South African Simphiwe Dana held off from releasing the ‘Mayine’ video for an older song, blaming “perfectionist me”— we don’t see why she should have:

And to end, a song by Ghanaian Jojo Abot (who lists Simphiwe as her inspiration):

Further Reading

Repoliticizing a generation

Thirty-eight years after Thomas Sankara’s assassination, the struggle for justice and self-determination endures—from stalled archives and unfulfilled verdicts to new calls for pan-African renewal and a 21st-century anti-imperialist front.

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.