Nnamdi Moweta is checking in on Benjamin Lebrave, live from Luanda, Angola, where he’s scouting for kuduro, semba + much more. Tune in to Nnamdi’s show Afrodicia today Saturday from 2 to 4pm PST, 90.7FM or www.kpfk.org, interview is between 2:30 and 3pm.

Afropop Worldwide, The number one African music radio show in the US, but also a multi-speared organization constantly pushing the sounds of Africa, recently did a feature on Akwaaba on their show, and also picked 3 of our artists(Bradez, Alassane Sy and Rose Dede Tetteh) among their Under the Radar 2009 selection!

For their Under the Radar 2009 selection, Afropop picked 3 artists featured on our first compilation Akwaaba wo Africa! Bradez and Rose Dede Tetteh from Ghana, and Alassane Sy from Senegal.

Alassane Sy had an office career until recently, when he decided to go back to his true passion: music. On our first release, Akwaaba wo Africa, we’re featuring one of Alassane’s most bautiful songs, Ngatamaré, which means rain in wolof, Senegal’s dominant language. More generally ngatamaré is synonymous with abundance, and in the song the word refers to Maimouna Sow, a woman who fills her home and friends with her abundance of care and respect.

Today Alassane stopped by Badou’s place in Fann, where I’ve been staying the last few nights. He’s a native of Tivaouane, near Thiès in Senegal. He’s been singing back-up vocals for numerous Senegalese artists, singing in both Wolof and Pular, and is now releasing his own album, an acoustic  blend of Senegalese mbalax where he tackles his country’s social problems.

Some of his songs are absolutely beautiful, one in particular, Ngatamaré, which talks about Senegalese fighters, gives me goosebumps!