Inspiring: Baaba Maal for Playing For Change

As we get ready to fly out to Ghana to meet with local music studios, it is very inspiring to listen to Baaba Maal singing in Kirina, Mali. He’s there with the Playing For Change foundation, who have started building music schools in Africa. In their own words:

“The Playing For Change Foundation is building a new music school in the Village of Kirina, Mali. Kirina is a village of musicians, some of whom can trace their musical ancestry back over 75 generations! In this very special episode West African music legend Baaba Maal and friends perform for the village elders in honor of the new “Playing For Life” music school that is just beginning construction.”

Check out more at Playing for Change’s Vimeo channel.

Skeat – Basimanyana Mamela Meropa

Skeat – Basimanyana Mamela Meropa

Like most kids in Botswana, Skeat grew up listening to a lot of kwaito and South African pop, a lot of gospel and Christian music, and as in most places in Africa, he was also exposed to hefty doses of Congolese music. It is only natural for him to combine these influences into what has become one of Botswana’s dominant music styles today, kwaito kwassa. Kwaito as in… kwaito, kwassa as in kwassa kwassa, or ndombolo, or soukous, or Congolese rumba… depending on your age bracket!

Skeat hails from Palapye, a small village three hours outside of Gaborone, Botswana’s capital. Not exactly a major music hub on the African map, yet Palapye is where Skeat met Moemdi Ramogapi, who runs Ruff Riddims studios, and produced Skeat’s debut.

Together they conceived Basimanyana Mamela Meropa, which is a great introduction into the sounds of Botswana today. You can hear the influence of Skeat’s childhood days, singing with a choir all over Botswana, on tracks like Basimanyana and Ke Na Le Modisa. You can also hear the direct influence of South African music on kwaito tracks such as Meropa or Re Ikektlile. But what we think are the best gems here are the combinations of Congolese guitars with kwaito beats. Tracks like the hit Dumelang – hello in Tswana, Botswana’s national language – Relela or Mama Le Papa, are sure to make you get up
and lose some calories… So indulge! Add Botswana to your music map! Practice your Tswana skills!

RELATED

Skeat – Basimanyana Mamela Meropa

 

Like most kids in Botswana, Skeat grew up listening to a lot of kwaito and South African pop, a lot of gospel and Christian music, and as in most places in Africa, he was also exposed to hefty doses of Congolese music. It is only natural for him to combine these influences into what has become one of Botswana’s dominant music styles today, kwaito kwassa. Kwaito as in… kwaito, kwassa as in kwassa kwassa, or ndombolo, or soukous, or Congolese rumba… depending on your age bracket!

Skeat hails from Palapye, a small village three hours outside of Gaborone, Botswana’s capital. Not exactly a major music hub on the African map, yet Palapye is where Skeat met Moemdi Ramogapi, who runs Ruff Riddims studios, and produced Skeat’s debut.

Together they conceived Basimanyana Mamela Meropa, which is a great introduction into the sounds of Botswana today. You can hear the influence of Skeat’s childhood days, singing with a choir all over Botswana, on tracks like Basimanyana and Ke Na Le Modisa. You can also hear the direct influence of South African music on kwaito tracks such as Meropa or Re Ikektlile. But what we think are the best gems here are the combinations of Congolese guitars with kwaito beats. Tracks like the hit Dumelang – hello in Tswana, Botswana’s national language – Relela or Mama Le Papa, are sure to make you get up
and lose some calories… So indulge! Add Botswana to your music map! Practice your Tswana skills!

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RELATED