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jess sah bi and peter one

Promotional image for Jess Sah Bi and Peter One.

Photo courtesy of Awesome Tapes From Africa / Carry On Press.

A new Beyoncé album is always a memorable event. For the first time on a full-length project, the global superstar is delving into country music, sparking a discourse that has followed since its announcement some weeks ago.

Cowboy Carter has raised dust due to the perceived notions of country music's white history. Contrary to those opinions, it is worth knowing that country music since it was created in the 1920s has an equally vibrant Black history, which would expectedly be the sonic direction Beyonce turns towards, especially given her preference towards incorporating African cultural elements into her music.

Cowboy Carter highlights the consistently intentional vision of Beyoncé. As she reflected in a statement on Instagram, “this ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyonce’ album." She further elucidated that “the criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre (referring to her performing the country-tinged “Daddy Issues” at the Country Music Association Awards in 2016) forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."

The appeal of country music across Africa is avowed, and this Beyonce album may be another reason for the continent to burnish its sonic relationship with the Black diaspora. Played regularly on the radio in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi, the artists featured are overwhelmingly white and American. African country singers do not get the respect they deserve or are seen as anomalies.

With the growing number of them making country music, here is a list of the ones you need to listen to right now.

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