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Watch: Ibibio Sound Machine's Video 'Let's Dance (Yak Unek Inek)'

The Ibibio Sound Machine has been forging its way through the vast landscape of musical delights for quite some time now. The London-based 8 piece band that is currently on tour in the UK is led by British-Nigerian vocalist Eno Williams. The Machine creates music that they describe as “evocative Nigerian poetic imagery set against an edgy Afro-Electro soundscape”.  More specifically, their sound is a dizzying combination “of West African […]

 

 
 
 

Watch: Seinabo Sey Perform Clean Bandit's 'Rather Be'

Before the release of her EP For Madeleine last month, Seinabo Sey gave us this acoustic cover of Clean Bandit’s 90s-inspired electro hit Rather Be featuring Jess Glynne. Her version of the song bears almost no resemblance to the buoyant original. Even without the piano and the monochromatic visuals, her smoky, smouldering vocals create a mellower, more sombre song. She truly made the song her own.  

 

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(c) From Nandi's Instagram
 

Watch: Nandi Mngoma's 'In My Skin'

Just in time for the summer, the video for Nandi Mngoma’s new single In My Skin has finally made it on the interwebs. The feel good single, which she wrote, was released earlier this year and produced by Zakes Bantwini. The video’s release coincides with news that she will be fashion ambassador for clothing brand LEGiT. Nandi will be the face of their new spring/summer collection Nandi x LEGiT which […]

 

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Watch: M.anifest Mines Alluvial Gold in 'No Shortcut to Heaven' Video

M.anifest just released the video for his single No Shortcut to Heaven, the fourth single from his EP Apae: The Price of Free. You might have noticed that it was a favourite on his Apae Taxi Diaries. Or not. It was produced by G Mo and features another Ghanaian music titan Obrafour. M.anifest’s team have gone all out for the video. In a narrative that seems to tie in with […]

 

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Watch: Fantasma's Video 'Fafi'

The collective we have come to know as Fantasma have released this abstract video for their song Fafi. Fafi is from their 5 track Eye of the Sun EP , which was originally set to be released on November 3rd but has been pushed back to November 10th.  You can pre-order it here. Just to recap, Fantasma is now a four man collective with Spoek Mathambo, DJ Spoko, Bhekisenzo Cele […]

 

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Watch: Tumi,'s New Video With Reason & Ziyon 'In Defence of my Art'

The last time we heard from Tumi he had released the Hello Hello Kitty Remix with Nova, Pelonomi, Gigi LaMayne and Nadia Nakai for Women’s Day. Well, that’s not entirely true. He recently did this stint at the BBC after which he performed at The Apollo. He had also come off a 3 week tour in Europe before he joined an afriPOP! conversation last month. And for the last week or […]

 

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Five Things We Learnt Hanging Out With AKA

When normal people hang out, it’s usually a handful of friends getting together. When AKA does it, 700 unique internet users show up. Yesterday, the South African rapper held a Google Hangout session at the Sony Music Headquarters in South Africa. With two albums under his belt, several awards on his mantle and a vision to collaborate with other African artists and win over the continent at large, AKA strives […]

 

 
 
 

WATCH: Reason's '2Cups Shakur'

Following his International Greatness Tour, Reason has released the video for his tributary 2 Cups Shakur, in which he pays obvious homage to Tupac Shakur.  2 Cups Shakur is reportedly off his upcoming album Audio HD, which should be out sometime this summer. Reason is in a celebratory mood in the song and marks the celebration with a nod to the iconic hip-hop star. Now that he has successfully driven past […]

 

 
 
 

Watch: Burna Boy's 'Check and Balance'

Check and Balance is Burna Boy’s newest single. For his first solo effort in months, he is reunited with producer Spellz, who produced his last hit, Don Gorgon and like Don Gorgon and Won Da Mon before it, Check and Balance isn’t from his acclaimed album L.I.F.E. Perhaps a new album is on the horizon. The up-tempo track is reminiscent of the dancehall sound of his hits Run My Race […]

 

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Listen+Download: Temi Dollface's New Single 'Just Like That (Story)'

Back like you never heard before, the drama soul queen Temi Dollface part raps and part sings on this Just Like That (Story) - the first single off her forth-coming EP. Listen to and download the track below she composed, arranged and and co-produced with producer Jo Pee.

 

 
 
 

Watch: Sauti Sol 'Sura Yako' Remix

A few weeks ago Ghafla Kenya ‘leaked’ the official video for Sauti Sol’s “Sura Yako.” “Sura Yako” means your face in Swahili and the feel-good track with some hints of chakacha is the fourth release from the band’s upcoming album Live and Die Africa. Needless to say, I was had and the real video, which you can watch below, was only released some time later. The good-humored video was directed […]

 

 
Photo credit (c) Candid Cinni
 
 

Watch: Gambian-Swedish Singer Seinabo Sey’s Cinematic Video for 'Pistols at Dawn'

Quite like a dark crimson rose Seinabo Sey’s timbre and music are solemn, almost heavy, and yet they are equally enchanting and moving. Besides her earlier releases like Younger and Hard Time, she recently recorded a mellower and more sombre interpretation of Clean Bandit’s 90s-inspired electro hit Rather Be featuring Jess Glynne. Her current release, Pistols at Dawn, is the third from her EP For Madeleine and it is just as piercing and poignant. Director Christian […]

 

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Live in Brooklyn: Tumi Molekane, Toni Blackman and Chen Lo Talk Hip Hop Across Borders

afriPOP! Presents… South African emcee/poet Tumi Molekane sits down for a conversation about hip hop across borders with American emcees Toni Blackman and Chen Lo, this Sunday in Brooklyn. The conversation/panel will be followed by a performance by Tumi Molekane, and a cipher. Cocktails by Nucomme’s Witches Brew Learn more about… Tumi Molekane Toni Blackman Chen Lo RSVP here.

 

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9 Artists You've Got To See At Carnegie Hall's Ubuntu Festival in NYC

The South Africans are coming! The South Africans are coming! Much to our delight, Carnegie Hall is celebrating the 20th anniversary of South African democracy with a month-long series of performances, panels, and art shows. The Ubuntu Festival, which runs October 8- November 5, is like Christmas for any African music lover. On the music front, the best part is that the festival merges the young (Toya DeLazy, The Soil) […]

 

 
 
 

Watch: Timaya's 'Sanko'

Timaya’s new and ebullient music video for his latest release Sanko feels like one of the those kinetic old school ragga videos whose sole purpose was to show off the nearly acrobatic but scarcely choreographed dance moves in bouncing displays of fluorescent or metallic colours. Yet, this feels like the only way the groove and feel of the song could be truly captured. Sanko is one of the songs from […]