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This past Sunday it was live at Lincoln Center’s Live From the Continent showcase of new African talent, presented by Society HAE and the Caribbean Cultural Center. South Africa’s electro-DJ-producer-hipster-rapper Spoek Mathambo got people jumping, and then Blitz the Ambassador (hailing from Brooklyn by way of Ghana) came on and ruled the stage. Killed it. Chizzeck out these photos by Michael July.
Whoa. This treat from J. Cole dropped a few days ago, in the form of a new joint titled “Can’t Get Enough,” featuring Trey Songz (above). We’ve been fan-girls (+ boys) of J. Cole for a minute, chomping at the bit for new music off his much anticipated forthcoming debut album. However we didn’t expect that he’d be sampling sounds out of West Africa. It turns out on this new track Cole sampled a song entitled “Paulette” by Balla et ses Balladins – a rarity of a find from a nearly forgotten group out of Guinea. We’re lucky TIA unearthed the story behind this group from Guinea’s musical golden era – check out ThisIsAfrica.com for the full scoop on Balla et ses Balladins, and listen to the original “Paulette” below.
Bay Area music collective, producer, and record label, Stronghold Sound, appeals to tradition lovers and dance floor booty-shakers alike with its first release, The Audio Refuge Compilation. This eclectic collection brings us reggae, hip-hop, dub-step, new cumbia, rap, afrobeat, oud, gnawa and African and Arab folk in a single album – staying true to traditional rhythms while mixing sounds in new and innovative ways. The range of sounds is a reflection of the artists that create them – including Alpha Oumar ‘Bongo’ Sidibe, Yassir Chadly, Snakkr, Iggy Mon, Juan Data, Tami, Excentrik, Nes, and Ephniko who hail from Guinea, Morocco, Syria, Trinidad, Argentina, Palestine, Mexico and Columbia, just to name a few. This border-smashing, genre-fusing, culture-melding anthology is just the beginning for Stronghold Sound. We can’t wait to see what else they have up their sleeve.
Intrigued? Download the digital release over at iTunes and get a bonus track from Gift Of Gab (of Blackalicious).
Listen, below, to Wontanara Revolution’s “Sabu Fanye.”
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You may remember him from his haunting Mandingo chants and his hilarious portrayal of Geraldo Pino in FELA! Now that the show is over, dancer and Griot Ismael Kouyaté is back to performing again. Lead choreographer and performer in Guinea’s National Company “Les Ballets Africains,” Kouyaté has traveled all over the world performing and teaching dance. He’ll play tomorrow night at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, with his Waraba Band, which includes musicians from Antibalas and other Afrobeat greats. Check out a video of him at a Fela! rehearsal for a quick preview of what tomorrow night will bring (after the jump). Details for the show above on the flyer. Read More
Video: J. Cole’s Afropop-Sampling “Can’t Get Enough”
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J. Cole does his best (lower budget) rendition of Jay-Z‘s “Big Pimpin” by hopping down to Barbados to hang on yachts and beaches with Trey Songz, Rihanna, and a plethora of girls. But what’s important to us here is the Western African-sampling track, in which producer Brian Kidd loops “Paulette” by vintage Guinean orchestra Balla et ses Balladins (below). Always cool to see rap dudes dig up vintage African sounds — and it serves J. Cole well, he sounds at ease over the Guinean guitar riffs. BUT, and not that we don’t get the appeal of the Caribbean, come on Cole! You should’ve made the trip to the continent for this one!