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Abidjan: A New Musical El Dorado
In the 70s and 80s Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan was a major musical hub in West Africa. After a series of political crises, Abidjan is back. The Zou…
1 year, 2 months ago
Proving the Bubu Myth
Every year on Sierra Leone’s Independence Day in late April, musicians and revelers descend upon Freetown from throughout the country. Parades and ce…
1 year, 3 months ago
Global Griots in France
Traditional Manding (Mande) griots living in France sit at the crossroads between Africa and Europe. Historically, their role has been to weave tradi…
1 year, 3 months ago
Ebo Taylor and the Pioneers of Afro-Funk
This Hip Deep edition, based on field work in Ghana, tells the story of how highlife turned into Afro-funk. Guitarist/composer/bandleader Ebo Taylor,…
1 year, 3 months ago
Planet Afropop: Breaking into Afrobeats: First Klaz and Kemuel
In this episode, our reporter in Lagos, Fay Fay, turns us on to two rising stars in African music’s dominant genre, Afrobeats. First Klaz, also known…
1 year, 4 months ago
The Mighty Orchestra Baobab
Fifty years ago, the president of Senegal’s nephew was putting together a band for his new, upscale Dakar nightclub, and he recruited a handful of mu…
1 year, 4 months ago
Reggaeton and Race
The dembow, the beat behind reggaetón, is much more than just a backdrop for a night of partying and dancing. The style of music, widely associated w…
1 year, 4 months ago
The Hidden Blackness of Flamenco
Flamenco as we know it was “born” in Spain in the mid-19th century. But for centuries before that, Roma (Gitanos, Gypsies) had been living in Spanish…
1 year, 4 months ago
Nairobi Roars
The Kenyan capital is roaring into the 2020s. On this program singer/songwriter/producer Eric Wainaina introduces us to a rising cadre of artists roc…
1 year, 4 months ago
Planet Afropop: Sia Tolno And Afro Dead
Sia Tolno escaped war-torn Sierra Leone to become a popular singer in Guinea. As her career blossomed, she shifted to Afrobeat, with deep grooves and…
1 year, 4 months ago