“Snakes,” one of the more electronically-minded tracks from Zakee‘s diverse genre palette, gets a kaleidoscopic video treatment courtesy of TriggerHappy. In terms of the music, we hear TV on the Radio if they were mainstays at London’s Boiler Room. Zakee’s Assimilations — an Okayafrica LP of the year pick — is available now.
For our top 11 LPs of 2011 we opted to stick to works we featured on Okayafrica in the past 12 months. We scraped up some new works, some re-issues, and a fair amount of rare compilations. Browse our top albums (and one EP) of 2011 below and check out our top music videos, songs, and side-eye moments of the year!
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Fela Soul: Fela Kuti x De La Soul
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Bambara Mystic Soul: The Raw Sound Of Burkina Faso 1974-1979
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The FOKN DunaQuest in Budapest
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Danger [Re-Issue]
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Tassili
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From Africa With Fury: Rise
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Assimilations
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Give The Beggar A Chance/Dawn of Awareness [Re-Issues]
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BLNRB: Welcome To The Madhouse
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Native Sun
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Put Some Red On It
It’s tough to sum up a year, let alone a year in music. For our top 11 tracks of 2011 we opted to stick to songs that had been featured on Okayafrica in the past 12 months. Love the choices? Hate ‘em? Let us know in the comments. Browse our top tracks of 2011 below, check out our top music videos and top side-eye moments of the year, and stay tuned for top 11 LPs!
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CHLLNGR ft. Spoek Mathambo, Mpumi of BLK JKS, and Mo Laudi “Ask For (Africa Remix)”
CHLLNGR‘s nighttime dubby jam gets Africa remixed by Spoek Mathambo, Mpumi Mcata of BLK JKS, and Mo Laudi.
Grab it
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Philly-via-Dakar Zakee‘s ode to the ultimate squeeze.
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Nneka ft. Black Thought “God Knows Why”
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Soulstress Nneka featuring The Roots‘ own Black Thought.
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Chopped-up soul samples in M.anfest‘s tougher life anthem “Suffer.”
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Kwaito-tinged South African house from DJ Sbu with vocals from budding singer Zahara.
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Just A Band, Michel Ongaro, and Gebrüder Teichmann & Jahcoozi “Away”
Reverb-layered collaboration from Kenya’s Just A Band, Michel Ongaro and German producers Gebrüder Teichmann & Jahcoozi.
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Jonti ft. Hodgy Beats “Nagoya”
SA producer Jonti cooks up a flawless electronic breeze for Odd Future’s Hodgy Beats.
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Collage of Zulu rhymes spread over house beats from SA’s BIG FKN GUN.
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Kuduro beats and 60s semba guitar samples by Batida with verses from Luandan MCs Sacerdote and Dama Ivone.
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DJ Caise ft. Eldee, Jesse Jagz, & Grip-Boyz “Shake Bodi (Gidi House Mafia Remix)”
Naija-bred afro house banger from an all-star Chocolate City line up.
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Zaki Ibrahim “Something In The Water”
SA/Canada’s Zaki Ibrahim delivers an undulating minimalist bass tune.
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Dope girl snatcher Zakee curated and produced this batch of traditional and religious Heebo Country tunes from Chief Kalu. Dreams of Igboland is the first of several gritty, analog recordings Zakee chased down in West Africa. Hear the reggae-tinged “Mighty GOD” below and download the whole album for FREE.
Chief Kalu “Mighty GOD” [from Zakee Presents: Dreams of Igboland] by okayafrica
Spoek Mathambo colludes with Society HAE for Afrika21 Mixtape Vol. 3. Spoek streamlines through past and current continent cuts from Okayafrica favorites Just A Band, Baloji, Zakee, BIG FKN GUN, Art Melody, BLK JKS, Nneka, and plenty others. Stream and grab it below! (via SHAE)
TRACKLIST
1. Manifesto
2. Tonight – Popskarr (South Africa)
3. Fire Dance – Seun Kuti (Nigeria)
4. Mikono Kwenya Hewa (version fiesta) – Muthoni The Drummer Queen (Kenya)
5. Beauty Shop – Thabile Rasa (South Africa)
6. Vem Rebola – Gregor Salto (Brazil)
7. Windeck – Cabo Snoop (Angola)
8. Ratanang – Das Kapital (South Africa)
9. Dope Girl – Zakee (Senegal)
10. Pop Models – Big Fkn Gun (South Africa)
11. Ubusuku – Jumping Back Slash (South Africa)
12. Afreeka (King Armatelo) – Art Melody (Burkina Faso)
13. The Rise – Zakee (Senegal)
14. Flight of The Robin – Das Kapital (South Africa)
15. Gwababa (DJ Mpula remix) – Spoek Mathambo feat. Avuyile and Yolanda (South Africa)
16. Beog Kamba – Art Melody (Burkina Faso)
17. Jol Vol (wavy x chopped edit) – Isaak Mutant (South Africa)
18. Filaw – Chief Boima (Sierra Leone)
19. City Staccs remix – Lamin Fofana (Sierra Leone)
20. Venison Collection Squad – Nicolaas Van Reenen (South Africa)
21. Whoop That Ass! – Nombolo#1 (South Africa)
22. 808 – Iyadede (Rwanda)
23. Makhathini – Nombolo#1 (South Africa)
24. Burning Bush Everybody – Nneka (Nigeria)
25. Ndekha (remix) – The Very Best & Moroka feat. Thandiswa Mazwai, Spoek Mathambo, Mo Laudi (Malawi/Sweden/South Africa)
26. Tout Ceci Ne Vous Rendre Pas Le Congo – Baloji (Democratic Republic of Congo)
27. Boogly Woogly – The Brother Moves On (South Africa)
28. Tselane – Blk Jks (South Africa)
29. Dog To Bone – Spoek Mathambo (South Africa)
30. Dreamer’s Soundtrack – Just a Band (Kenya)
31. Mara Hio Hio – Sauti Sol feat. General Pype & Sasha (Kenya)
Philly-via-Dakar’s Zakee keeps up the versatility with “Push The Power.” We’ve seen dude do the TVOTR thing, and the rainy-day romantic thing, now catch him and his friends drenching in the vibes and sunshine of Captiva Island, Jamaica, LA and BK. If we had a backing band exclusively made up of cute bids we’d be this happy too (no hate, just sayin’). Zakee’s Assimilations LP is out now.
Our man Eddie “STATS” over at Okayplayer dished us over these two bits from Philly-via-Dakar’s Zakee, in his own words:
“Zakee‘s new album Assimilations drops today through Warner/Green Owl and to mark the occasion he just put out this video for “Dope Girl” just to prove one of two things: 1) he is one of the most versatile artists coming up in the game right now and 2) all you really need for a dope video is a rainy day, some cigarettes, a beach and the titular dope girl.”
Watch the clip for “Dope Girl” above. Zakke’s Assimilations is now coppable on iTunes.
Shot in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Zakee‘s latest video for his newest single “Glory” – off the upcoming Assimilations (Sept 13/Green Owl/WBR) – was directed by Zakee himself, along with Fernando Reginato. According to Zakee, it was his travels to Africa and Brazil that inspired this song. Apparently time in Rio de Janeiro led to a true spiritual journey for Zakee, allowing him time to reflect upon the intimate subject matter of the poor, mistreated youth and underdogs of society – which is what “Glory” is all about. Get into the electro bass driven rhythm right here.
On this track Zakee‘s light, pretty vocal stylings seem to float on top of the heavier percussive beat, with a bit of a spacey, airy feel – which makes sense given that the title of this track is “Freedom.” This joint has a certain TV on the Radio-ish vibe at times, and the video is equal parts pretty, slow, carefree, and joyful (directed by LAZLO). This is just the latest off Zakee’s upcoming debut LP Assimilations, a true blend of alternative, afrobeat, hip-hop, electro-pop and world music, out Sept. 13th on Green Owl/Warner Music Group. Having heard the whole project we can say that you won’t be disappointed with your purchase.
Video: Zakee ‘Take It Easy’
Philly-via-Dakar’s Zakee drops this stop motion clip of fashion spread collages, paper-mache negatives and Rude Goldberg machines for the leisure-vibes tune “Take It Easy.” Zakee’s currently in the studio working on the follow-up release to last year’s — Okayafrica top LP of 2k11 choice — Assimilations. Look out for that and watch the video for “Take It Easy” above, directed by Heather Winchell.