AFRICA IN YOUR EARBUDS #68: YOUNG PARIS

Cover artwork by DJ Underdog.

Young Paris breaks down his African-influenced electronic sound to its core—a shifting progression from tracks made on handcrafted Congolese instruments to modern West African beats & rhymes—in this new Africa In Your Earbuds mixtape.

The NYC-based artist straddles the modern & classic worlds of rap, electronic music and traditional African drumming. A visit to his live show feels like an entrance into a part-dance performance, part-club night, all presented through a stunning body-painted aesthetic influenced by Young Paris’ Congolese background.

On his hour and a half-long Africa In Your Earbuds mixtape, Young Paris runs through the full spectrum of his music’s background—kicking off with the acoustic Congolese sounds of Kasai Allstars and building up the pace to include Angolan house spinners Renato Xtrova & DJ Malvado, as well as recent huge hits like “Ojuelegba” and “Tchelete (Goodlife).”

“This African mix was inspired by the traditional, the current, and the future of Central & West African Music,” Young Paris explains. “It preludes with the ancient sounds of the Congo forest which was embodied by original handmade instruments known as ‘the ancestors of all music’--displayed by Kasai Allstars.”

“I then moved the ambience into the graduated sound of today by mixing these elements with afrobeat, featuring Renato Xtrova and DJ Malvado, leaving you with the future of afrobeats and African dance music in the realms of Wizkid and Davido. Enjoy.”

Hear Africa In Your Earbuds #68: Young Paris above and read the mixtape’s full tracklist below. View our previous Africa In Your Earbuds releases listed underneath.

TRACKLIST

1. Kasai Allstars - Quick As White

2. Kasai Allstars - "The Chief's Enthronement"

3. Kasai Allstars - "Thus Spoke The Ancestors" ("Bakulumpa Bambila")

4. Staff Benda Bilili - Moziki

5. Konono N°1 - Mama Na Bana

6. V Underground - Gelo Wandi feat Mishka

7. Afro Duro - Drums Of Steel

8. Gaia Beat ft Punidor - Uê

9. Mafikizolo ft Uhuru - Khona

10. Puto Prata ft Dj Djeff Afrozila - Broka

11. Dj Malvado ft Edy Tussa - Zenze

12. Dj Malvado Feat Eddy Tussa - Dama Que Nao

13. Dj Nays - African Force

14. Demor-Under Pressure

15. J CAPRI & Charly Black - Whine & Kotch (Rancido Remx)

16. Young Paris - WATAH

17. Young Paris - KAKÉ

18. Davido ft Mafikizolo- Tchelete

19. Wizkid- Ojuelegba

Get more African mixtapes from Africa In Your Earbuds:

JIDENNA & NANA KWABENA — OWINY SIGOMA BAND — DJ UMB — TEJU COLE — NICKODEMUS — MARAMZA — DOOKOOM — MIKAEL SEIFU — GARTH TRINIDAD — DJ SPOKO — CAPTAIN PLANET — THE HAPPY SHOW — CLAP! CLAP! — DJ GIOUMANNE —ALEXIS TAYLOR OF HOT CHIP— CARLOS MENA — ZACH COWIE — ELIJAH WOOD — KOOL A.D. — SOL POWER ALL-STARS — DJ NUNAS — NIC OFFER OF !!! — LARRY ACHIAMPONG — KYLA-ROSE SMITH OF FRESHLYGROUND— THE GTW — RADIO TANZANIA — JON THEODORE — DESMOND & THE TUTUS — MATHIEU SCHREYER II — YOUNG FATHERS — BBRAVE OF AKWAABA — OLD MONEY — DJ NEPTUNE — SAHEL SOUNDS — BEATENBERG — M1 [DEAD PREZ] — BODDHI SATVA — L’AFRIQUE SOM SYSTEME — NOMADIC WAX — THE BROTHER MOVES ON — LV — BEN ASSITER [JAMES BLAKE’S DRUMMER] — JAKOBSNAKE —CHRISTIAN TIGER SCHOOL — SAUL WILLIAMS — TUNE-YARDS — MATHIEU SCHREYER — BLK JKS — ALEC LOMAMI — DJ MOMA — AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA — PETITE NOIR — OLUGBENGA —RICH MEDINA — VOICES OF BLACK —LAMIN FOFANA —CHICO MANN — DJ UNDERDOG — DJ OBAH — SABINE — BROTHA ONACI — DJ AQBT — JUST A BAND — STIMULUS — QOOL DJ MARV — SINKANE — CHIEF BOIMA