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Ch'usay album cover.

You Need to Hear Afro-Peruvian Group Novalima's New Single 'Agua'

We premiere the new single from the Peruvian group's upcoming album, Ch'usay.

For 15 years, Novalima have been spearheading the fusion of music from the often-overlooked and discriminated Afro-Peruvian community with modern electronic sounds.

The Grammy-nominated band is now readying the release of their upcoming full-length album, Ch'usay (which translates to 'voyage' in the Incan language of Quechua), which will see them collaborate with newer artists from the Peruvian and Latin American scene.

"Agua," which we're premiering here today, is a hypnotizing track built on a blend of Kenyan-inspired rhythms and Afro-Peruvian percussion instruments. The song also features help from Cuban rapper Kumar, as well as Peruvian legend Lucho Reyes.

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Ghetto Kumbé's "Dagbani Dance" video.

10 Afro-Latino Bands You Need to Check Out

Featuring La Tribu de Abrante, Liniker e os Caramelows, Los Rakas, Novalima, and more.

From the marimba to guaguancó, cumbia to call-and-response, the African heritage of Latin America extends to almost all of its musical genres. In some cases, this heritage is part of a fusion of different cultures; while in others, it's rooted in African-derived musical traditions that have been preserved for generations.

The following list, which is neither comprehensive nor definitive, is an introduction to ten bands that fall somewhere along this spectrum, from the formal experimentation of Puerto Rico's La Tribu de Abrante to Río Mira's mission to celebrate the traditional music, culture, and history of the El Pacífico region in Ecuador and Colombia. Overall, the bands on this list—emphasis on bands, there are no solo artists here—range from established acts to relative newcomers, with deep ties to Africa, and an abiding respect for musical traditions that, in turn, provide a platform for afrodescendientes throughout the region.

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9 of the Best Songs About Africa By Artists From the Diaspora

From Bob Marley to Lauryn Hill to Kanye West and many more, here are nine of our favorite songs about Africa by artists from the diaspora.

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