Music

Independence Day in Uganda
Ugandans may not have much to celebrate under President Yoweri Museveni's now 25 year rule, but the music must go on.
Music Break / Michael Kiwanuka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlXkKCa2yy0 Another Michael Kiwanuka tune.

Beyoncé does it again
Beyonce has been accused of appropriating others' work without attribution. The latest is a Belgium choreographer and her dance company.

The Nobel Peace Prize’s Kanye Moment
To get a taste of how unpopular Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the political class in general in Liberia are, just turn to the country's artists, especially its musicians.
Maïmouna and African Urban France
Friday night at Sutra Lounge in New York, Maimouna Coulibaly will be performing alongside myself and

October is Black History Month
A group of British hip-hop and grime artists are determined to wrench back Black History Month there and in the US from the cynics.
Music Break / Bongeziwe Mabandla
Downtown Johannesburg looks remarkably empty in this video for Bongeziwe Mabandla’s first track of his upcoming

Lesotho’s Independence Day
Even though music in Lesotho is dominated by its South African neighbors, there are local genres and artists which have managed to fare well commercially.
Music Break / Nëggus & Kungobram
Kungobram, an ensemble of French musicians, has teamed up with Togolese slammer Nëggus (here reminiscing about

Hugh Masekela’s Football Skills
There's no record that Hugh Masekela could play football. But he acted like he could kick a ball in a music video.
August 3, Niger
Let’s celebrate Niger’s independence day with a recording of Omara “Bombino” Moctar, whose story of exile

Cape Doctor
Photo Credit: Doreen R [soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/19741147″]
Muthoni The Drummer Queen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywfyv5fdgM4 Your Music Break: from Nairobi. Via Kate Bomz
Simphiwe Dana and Mthwakazi
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjyibxWzWkA&w=600&h=373] Your Music Break: Simphiwe Dana, live, singing in Xhosa, accompanied by another South African singer, Mthwakazi,
August 1, Benin
Maybe not the most popular artist in Benin today, but the country’s independence day is a
Music Break / Ana Tijoux
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1jFThFnGTY&w=600&h=373] Last week in Bolinas, CA, my friend, Kora McNaughton (she lives in Santiago), got me

The Bang Bang Club
Journalists in South Africa are picking up on how the film, "The Bang Bang Club," treats some of the Bang Bang Club's black colleagues. And other Weekend Specials.
July 26, Liberia
The oldest republic in Africa, Liberia–formed in 1847–celebrates its independence today. Chances are Dumyarea, the song we