While some feared today would bring the end of the world, Appietus decides to drop his long awaited remix of the massive hit Azonto Fiesta. The original song has been one of the biggest hits in Ghana this year, a song where the most successful MC in the country, Sarkodie, teams up with the most prolific beatmaker, Appietus. Added vocals by rising stars Kesse and Raquel. The remix has never been available before!! Cop it today, and grab the original while you’re at it, very necessary for any proper celebration. iTunes
Hard to believe, but it was just over 2 years ago that our first release, Akwaaba wo Africa, came out worldwide. What a journey it’s been since then! 2 dozen releases spanning the gamut from Nigerian highlife to Gambian griot kora, Angolan kuduro to Benin salsa… We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with artists from 12 countries, not counting the numerous remixes pouring in from Mexico, Israel, Argentina, all over Europe and North America.
For us this release is at heart a big thank you, Thank you for helping us carve out a niche on this overcrowded web. Thank you for helping us connect the dots between talented, hardly-known local artists and music lovers worldwide. Thank you for playing our music on your radio shows, for pushing it on your blogs, for playing it at work and letting the world know where the music is coming from. We have been overwhelmed with the response, the emails, big ups and shout outs, and we start the year with a huge smile, filled with all the energy required to keep tons of fresh music coming your way.
So here it is, a collection of 50 songs giving a thorough taste of what Akwaaba is about: an open ear tuned in to sound made in Africa. We priced this mega-compilation at a ridiculous minimum price of $10. I mean, in many ways the price tag seems ridiculous, but if you feel differently, hell, shoot us an email and let’s bargain some more 😉 You can buy this compilation from us directly only, secured credit card payment and all that good stuff. It will not be available on iTunes or anywhere else.
Along with the songs comes a fantastic mix by DJ Zhao. We asked him to do this mix for us because he is one of the very few DJs we know, who can piece together a mix not made exclusively for the dancefloor. So here goes one hour covering so many of the sounds we have been pushing. Really, an epic journey into the heart of contemporary African pop music.
Hard to believe, but it was just over 2 years ago that our first release, Akwaaba wo Africa, came out worldwide. What a journey it’s been since then! 2 dozen releases spanning the gamut from Nigerian highlife to Gambian griot kora, Angolan kuduro to Benin salsa… We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with artists from 12 countries, not counting the numerous remixes pouring in from Mexico, Israel, Argentina, all over Europe and North America.
For us this release is at heart a big thank you, Thank you for helping us carve out a niche on this overcrowded web. Thank you for helping us connect the dots between talented, hardly-known local artists and music lovers worldwide. Thank you for playing our music on your radio shows, for pushing it on your blogs, for playing it at work and letting the world know where the music is coming from. We have been overwhelmed with the response, the emails, big ups and shout outs, and we start the year with a huge smile, filled with all the energy required to keep tons of fresh music coming your way.
So here it is, a collection of 50 songs giving a thorough taste of what Akwaaba is about: an open ear tuned in to sound made in Africa. We priced this mega-compilation at a ridiculous minimum price of $10. I mean, in many ways the price tag seems ridiculous, but if you feel differently, hell, shoot us an email and let’s bargain some more 😉 You can buy this compilation from us directly only, secured credit card payment and all that good stuff. It will not be available on iTunes or anywhere else.
Along with the songs comes a fantastic mix by DJ Zhao. We asked him to do this mix for us because he is one of the very few DJs we know, who can piece together a mix not made exclusively for the dancefloor. So here goes one hour covering so many of the sounds we have been pushing. Really, an epic journey into the heart of contemporary African pop music.
This here is a 2 hour roundup of some of our favorite sounds coming from Africa. With a definite emphasis on sounds to make your hips move, and also definitely not an exhaustive line-up of genres – we are heavily biased towards Ghana, Angola, the Congo Kinshasa and Ivory Coast… what can you do!
BBRAVE put this mix together for This Is Africa and Nairobi-based Ghetto Radio who will air the mix… shortly. In the meantime, cop it here, and make sure to check out the full playlist below. And make sure to play loud and warm up the tip of your half-frozen feet!!
Heyyyo! Remember these cats? Yep, same doods we rocked Mancuso with last September in Tübingen! What a warm welcome… these cats are not only fantastic party DJs, who know how to appreciate a good African groove in their sets, they are also ideal hosts to a wonderful – yet not soooo famous – German city. To all you wannabe Afrocentric DJs: be ncie to these guys, and try to get your arses to Tübingen asap, their party is well worth playing. Or just attending! Check out their Facebook page. Oh and better, yet, check out this fabulous set they pieced together for us:
How did this happen?!?! In their own words:
“So this is our exclusive mix for Akwaaba Music. It‘s not so much all new and exclusive bangers but rather our impression of African music and its big influences on other musical territories (with one or two stylistic exceptions in the mix). We also kinda tried to give an idea of what we do in our club sets, not paying too much attention to tempo or style while keeping it funky and a wee bit humorous… Featuring Akwaaba artists Appietus, Ruff‘n‘Smooth, Kedjevara, Onyenze, Killamu, Dred Man-Gi and Arc Djebe. Hope you enjoy!”
Uhhhhhh… yep, we do. Right?!?! Have you downloaded this mix already?!?! Have you listen to their Mixcloud page? How about their myspace?! Wait, and more importantly, if you’re in or near Tübingen, are you attending their party this Saturday November 13?!?!
GH LOVE by Akwaaba Music A taste of the sounds we heard in Ghana, the sounds you’d hear if you were there now, and quite a few sounds we’re releasing here on Akwaaba. Chale sink in, this is music for everyone!!!! Tracklist:
01 – NANA BOROO – EHA YE DE (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
02 – KPATONSI – ABOCHI ANGO
03 – KOFI NTI & OFORI AMPONSAH – RAKIA (iTunes)
04 – MIKE MENTOR (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
05 – OLD SODJA – CASH’N’CARRY REMIX FEAT AGYA BOMOFOUR (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
06 – MIKE MENTOR (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
07 – KOFI NTI & OFORI AMPONSAH – WAKE UP REMIX (iTunes)
08 – APPIETUS – DOME NA MENDOWO FEAT CASTRO (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
09 – RUFF’N’SMOOTH – SWAGGER FEAT STAY JAY (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
10 – KK FOSU – NUMBER 1 FEAT D FLEX
11 – APPIETUS – SALA FEAT MOHAMED, D-FLEX & SCREW-FACE (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
12 – APPIETUS – GHANA LADY FEAT MFRAMA (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
13 – OFORI AMPONSAH – OTOOLEGE
14 – RUFF’N’SMOOTH – MONALISA (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
15 – MIKE MENTOR – ONE MORE CHANCE (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
16 – OLD SODJA- KAAKYERE FEAT TINNY, CASTRO & REGGIE ZIPPY (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
17 – R2BEES – KISS UR HAND FEAT WANDE COAL (iTunes)
18 – VIP – AWAY (iTunes)
19 – APPIETUS – MISS DOCTOR FEAT 4X4 (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
It’s official!! We are letting you take over 4×4’s vocals to make whatever you see fit out of this massive banger from Ghana… we heard this song playing 20 times a day on the radio, at outdoor bars, at weddings… now is the chance to see where else this track can end up!! Download the acapella track from Soundcloud above, and upload your remix to our dropbox by September 15:
The prize… is getting released on one of the most forward thinking labels of African music, he he. We will put out an EP with our favorite remixes, as we did for Ze Bula and Combination. Download the original song in nearly any format below – we just ask for your email, cool?