Akwaaba meets Killamu in front of his home and studio in Luanda, Angola. Killamu’s been making kuduro beats for close to a decade, and explains the stories and realities of kuduro in Angola today. We highly recommend you watch the video in HD on Vimeo!
Enjoy the tease, Killamu’s full length album comes out January 12, 2010. If you haven’t already, go download Killamu’s song Flaminguinho right here for free.
You may remember Killamu’s remix of Tiramakossa on our Akwaaba Sem Transporte kuduro compilation. His full album A Minha Face comes out very soon, starting with an iTunes exclusive January 12, 2010. We couldn’t resist to give you a free preview of one of his bangin’ kuduro beats. It was hard to pick one, the album features a handful of instrumental kuduro beats, as well as “regular” songs with some of Luanda’s finest lyricists. And even a couple kizomba tracks!
We look forward to unveiling the entire album, but in the meantime, we hope you dig Flaminguinho, a nice ingredient to blend into your mixes, o DJ friends. Blast it, pass it, slice it, dice it, and if you have a mix send it over, we can feature it here in our podcast. Feedback is always appreciated as well!
From Dutty Artz:
Dutty Artz is proud to present The African By The Bay EP, an exclusive collection of irresistible remixes from San Francisco/Bay Area producer Chief Boima. The EP is available for free download, and features a healthy dose of Afro dance remixes and instrumental reworkings of songs by Birdman (”Money To Blow” feat. Drake and Lil Wayne), Akon (”Right Now”), The Jacka (”Glamorous Lifestyle” feat. Andre Nickatina), Fabo & T-Pain (”Own Step”)
African By The Bay EP is a potent batch of new stateside rap tunes given the remix treatment by Boima, our favorite African-American (in the Obama sense) producer, whose trail-blazing approach weds percussive patterns from sounds like Ivorian Coupe Decale and Senegalese Mbalax. (Not to mention Angolan Kuduro, Nigerian Club, and South African Kwaito, and his Sierra Leonean Highlife and Palm-Wine refix of Cold Flamez “Miss Me, Kiss Me”.)
01 Chief Boima – Shake Them Dreads
02 The Jacka – Glamorous Lifestyle feat. Andre Nickatina (Chief Boima Remix)
03 Sean Garrett – Smooches feat. Young Joc (Chief Boima Remix)
04 Birdman – Money To Blow feat. Drake and Lil Wayne (Chief Boima Remix)
05 Akon – Right Now (Nananana) (Chief Boima Mbalax Decale Remix)
06 YV – Own Step feat. T-Pain & Fabo (Chief Boima Remix)
07 Cold Flamez – Miss Me, Kiss Me (Chief Boima Remix)
From GhettoRadio.nl
Almost exactly a year ago, former child soldier turned musician made a commitment to raise funds to build schools in Sudan and Eastern Africa Prior to his rescue by an international aid worker, Emmanuel had endured the worst atrocities thinkable for a human being, let alone a child Since then he has used his powerful testimony, along with GUA, the charity he established, to bring more awareness to the plight of children in the impoverished parts of those regions. In August 2009 he was invited to tell his story at the immensely popular TED conference:
Emmanuel’s latest song of protest, “We Fall”, is available as a free download on his website, or directly here.
More about Emmanuel, from ted.com:
Hip-hop star Emmanuel Jal first exploded into dance halls with Gua in 2005. His music has energized music lovers of all ethnicities and nations. But Jal’s life story is far darker. Swept up into the Sudanese rebel army at age seven, he finally escaped with 400 fellow soldiers, 16 of whom survived, the rest succumbing to starvation, ambush and animal attacks. Rather than resort to cannibalism, Jal ate snails and vultures until he arrived at a refugee camp, where he was adopted by aid worker Emma McCune and later sent to England.
Jal found an outlet for his turbulent life story in music. His lyrics tell moving and disturbing stories, but wrap them into hope and love. He is active in charity work across Africa, fighting against poverty and child warfare. War Child, his biography, was released in early 2009 along with a documentary film.
“Jal’s narrative flows between darkness and light, the terror that befell his family and kinsmen, the horrors he went on to inflict upon others, and a deep-seated desire to set things right.” Washington Post
(From SMMOA’s website): Come and browse the pop-up exhibition and holiday gift store featuring Robbie Conal’s artwork and new book. Not Your Typical Political Animal includes a combination of paintings and drawings that illustrate Conal’s sharp, satirical takes on past and current events with subtle and often acutely personal portraits of his own pet cats, dogs, exotic frogs, fish, and fowl.
Conal will be on-site and available for signing.
Enjoy a shopping extravaganza with themed refreshments and music by DJ BBRAVE – hosted by GRACIE, SMMoA’s retail shop.
Original limited-edition animal prints will be available, along with luxurious cashmere sweaters, vintage t-shirts, and cotton hoodies – all featuring portraits of Conal’s unusual animals. Back by popular demand, for this special event, GRACIE will also reissue artist Lynn Hanson’s famous ‘crow’ merchandise. Other animal gifts include Fuzzy Nation ™ doggy paraphernalia and Vanishing Creatures chocolates.
The Conal pop-up exhibition and holiday gift store will remain open for last-minute shopping through December 23, 2009. Unique holiday gifts include magic growing Christmas trees, Obama tree ornaments, and peace sign menorahs!
Here’s an interesting article about Le Hogon, one of Bamako, Mali’s prime spots for live music. We heard Toumani Diabaté perform there in April 2008, and… are eager to return asap. Except we were told it closed down, any tips on other good music venues in Bamako?
Awesome, AWESOME mix of early (earlier?) kuduro, by Galliano, the first western dood we knew to push kuduro back in 2005 – 2006. If you read French, this interview is very interesting, it’s nice to see someone speak openly, even if it might piss people off. And it will ;p
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Galliano with Tony Amado, grandfather of kuduro:
And here’s the video that made us fall in love with kuduro:
Finally took the time to upload this live mix of BBRAVE rocking Overtoom 301 in Amsterdam last month. Entertain your guests by blasting out the second half of the mix, which will help them get loooooose!
Listen below, download on this page, or better yet, subscribe to the podcast, in iTunes, or elsewhere.
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We love it, don’t you? Comes out in two weeks… keep your eyes peeled for more!
In 1975, Angola became independent from Portugal, months after the fall of Salazar’s Estado Novo. Rather than repeat the story, read it in wikipedia. To celebrate Angola and its culture, Julia of Africa Kabisa on WMBR is having an Angolan music special on Sunday Nov 22, 4-6pm EST. Julia will interview Akwaaba founder Benjamin Lebrave between 5 and 6pm. Tune in at 88.1FM in the greater Boston area, or stream at wmbr.org, or get the direct stream link… here. Learn more about Africa Kabisa here.
| Beatport
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