Let Robeson Sing
Manic Street Preachers pay homage to the greatest American of the first half of the twentieth century, Paul Robeson. The music video by Nigerian Andrew Dosunmu is a tribute too.
Music
The New Black Atlantic
What does it mean when a Tanzanian rapper joins a cypher on BET, the US entertainment TV channel on its biggest night - during prime time - and rhymes in Swahili.
The Radio Kalahari Orkes
The curious appeal of a band of celebrity Afrikaner musicians engaging with a quite easily defined past and present.
Race bingo and dancehall
A busy week means a lot of stuff gets the speed blog treatment. Among others, the African country that gets the worst treatment in US media.
The Darkness in Senegal
The mixing of popular protest and music in protests over electricity cuts in Senegal.
Hip Hop History 101, South African Session
The Cape Town group, Prophets of da City, should get credit for kickstarting South African hip hop. They were also politically righteous.
Carlos Santana is African
In 1971, Carlos Santana went to play in Ghana at a massive independence day concert. It felt like being at home.
Democracy in Burundi
Hip hop artists from Senegal, to Morocco, to Angola, to the United States perform for Burundian political activist, Alexis Sinduhije.
The Cape Doctor
Robbie Jansen is a key figure in what is referred to as South African, especially Cape Town, jazz.