Arc Djébé – “Mandja”

Arc Djébé – “Mandja”

Late October, Pushking Noize came down to Accra to enjoy some time off in the sunshine, and record a few songs with Arc Djébé. Then in September, while he was editing the music back in Zurich, we headed over to Lomé to film Arc performing some of the songs we recorded. This is the first video pieced together by fellow Swiss homie Tillup. Our goal is to turn this video into live shows for Arc all over the world. Wanna be part of this adventure? Holla!

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Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

Arc Djébé – “Mandja”

Late October, Pushking Noize came down to Accra to enjoy some time off in the sunshine, and record a few songs with Arc Djébé. Then in September, while he was editing the music back in Zurich, we headed over to Lomé to film Arc performing some of the songs we recorded. This is the first video pieced together by fellow Swiss homie Tillup. Our goal is to turn this video into live shows for Arc all over the world. Wanna be part of this adventure? Holla!’

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

WOMEX Prep: Urban World Christiania Mix

WOMEX Prep: Urban World Christiania Mix

Next week we head to Copenhagen to schmooze with thousands at the World Music Expo. Among many, we’ll finally connect with the fine people over at Urban World Records, who’ve invited bbrave to take part at their off-womex tropical party. Here’s a live mix recorded just recently by Urban World’s Mikael Palner, for the 40th anniversary of Christiania, the famed freetown/commune neighborhood of Copenhagen:

Palner – Christianias 40th Birthday LiveDJMix by UrbanWorld Records

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

WOMEX Prep: Urban World Christiania Mix

Next week we head to Copenhagen to schmooze with thousands at the World Music Expo. Among many, we’ll finally connect with the fine people over at Urban World Records, who’ve invited bbrave to take part at their off-womex tropical party. Here’s a live mix recorded just recently by Urban World’s Mikael Palner, for the 40th anniversary of Christiania, the famed freetown/commune neighborhood of Copenhagen:

Palner – Christianias 40th Birthday LiveDJMix by UrbanWorld Records

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

Lone Stars Vol.1: Hipco & Gbema

Lone Stars Vol.1: Hipco & Gbema

One of the reasons why Akwaaba decided to relocate to Ghana was actually to be closer to Liberia. A country we seldom hear about for its music. But last year we were introduced to Liberian music at the Buduburam Refugee Camp just west of Accra, where Shadow and a large crew of artists have been keeping their LIB music fresh and lively.
Fast forward to this year: over the summer our longtime friend and African dance music expert Chief Boima spent some time in Monrovia, where he identified key artists. After meeting briefly in Accra, he invited our own Benjamin Lebrave to fly to Monrovia, for the two to put together a sample of the exciting sounds of Liberia today.

Hipco is hip hop sung in colloquial English, the form of English you hear on the streets of Liberia. Although colloquial English retains a lot of English syntax, it can be a bit daunting at first because it is spoken very fast, many consonants are not pronounced, and a lot of words are borrowed from other local languages. But it has become the language of choice for young rappers. And much like hip hop, hipco has grown into its own culture, with its own lifestyle, dance moves and music. Today hipco often refers to more than just a type of rap, it’s a way of life.

Gbema is the generic term given to electronically-produced traditional music. So it covers a wide range of rhythms, most of them very high paced, reminiscent of Sierra Leonian Bubu or South African Shangaan. It’s also quite common for the rhythms to jump into half or double time..

This music, hipco and gbema, is having a profound impact on Liberia. Much like early day hip hop, hipco is a significant vector of social change, while gbema’s intricate rhythms are relentlessly challenging listeners and dancers. We called the compilation Lone Stars not only because it is the nickname of Liberia, but also because these artists are often left without much of an industry to survive. They are truly alone, with their music, striving to survive in a country still recovering from decades of destructive conflict.

 

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

Lone Stars Vol.1: Hipco & Gbema

 

 

One of the reasons why Akwaaba decided to relocate to Ghana was actually to be closer to Liberia. A country we seldom hear about for its music. But last year we were introduced to Liberian music at the Buduburam Refugee Camp just west of Accra, where Shadow and a large crew of artists have been keeping their LIB music fresh and lively.
Fast forward to this year: over the summer our longtime friend and African dance music expert Chief Boima spent some time in Monrovia, where he identified key artists. After meeting briefly in Accra, he invited our own Benjamin Lebrave to fly to Monrovia, for the two to put together a sample of the exciting sounds of Liberia today.

Hipco is hip hop sung in colloquial English, the form of English you hear on the streets of Liberia. Although colloquial English retains a lot of English syntax, it can be a bit daunting at first because it is spoken very fast, many consonants are not pronounced, and a lot of words are borrowed from other local languages. But it has become the language of choice for young rappers. And much like hip hop, hipco has grown into its own culture, with its own lifestyle, dance moves and music. Today hipco often refers to more than just a type of rap, it’s a way of life.

Gbema is the generic term given to electronically-produced traditional music. So it covers a wide range of rhythms, most of them very high paced, reminiscent of Sierra Leonian Bubu or South African Shangaan. It’s also quite common for the rhythms to jump into half or double time..

This music, hipco and gbema, is having a profound impact on Liberia. Much like early day hip hop, hipco is a significant vector of social change, while gbema’s intricate rhythms are relentlessly challenging listeners and dancers. We called the compilation Lone Stars not only because it is the nickname of Liberia, but also because these artists are often left without much of an industry to survive. They are truly alone, with their music, striving to survive in a country still recovering from decades of destructive conflict.

 

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

Liberia Stand Up: Damyarea (area song)

Liberia Stand Up: Damyarea (area song)

Junior Freeman & African Soldier – “Damyarea” (area song) by Akwaaba Music

Today Liberians vote for their next president. Just four days after the Nobel Foundation decided to let the world – and in particular Liberians – know how much they like Ma Ellen. We prefer sharing with the world a song that has been the soundtrack of an entire summer in Liberia – although summer there is the rainy season, which feels much more like winter. But meteorology aside, the “area song” has been an unavoidable sonic leitmotiv in all corners of Liberia. And we feel today’s a pretty OK day to share it: it’s also a sneak peak for our hipco and gbema compilation coming out… next week!!!!

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

Liberia Stand Up: Damyarea (area song)

Junior Freeman & African Soldier – “Damyarea” (area song) by Akwaaba Music

Today Liberians vote for their next president. Just four days after the Nobel Foundation decided to let the world – and in particular Liberians – know how much they like Ma Ellen. We prefer sharing with the world a song that has been the soundtrack of an entire summer in Liberia – although summer there is the rainy season, which feels much more like winter. But meteorology aside, the “area song” has been an unavoidable sonic leitmotiv in all corners of Liberia. And we feel today’s a pretty OK day to share it: it’s also a sneak peak for our hipco and gbema compilation coming out… next week!!!!

http://soundcloud.com/akwaabamusic/junior-freeman-african-soldier

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

DJ Djeff & Maskarado – Elegom Bounsa (Los Carlos Kuduro Bootleg)

DJ Djeff & Maskarado – Elegom Bounsa (Los Carlos Kuduro Bootleg) by Akwaaba Music

Sometimes a nice acapella ends up in the right hands… last year at Generation BassIncubate festival, we met a young cat with a knack for kuduro… enter Lorenzo aka DJ Los Carlos, a Dutch producer born to Surinamese parents. But let’s let him tell his story:

“My name is Lorenzo aka DJ Los Carlos, I am 25 years old and a Dj/Producer. I work as a resident Dj at a club in my hometown and freelance at several clubs in the Netherlands, and have also played at clubs in Bulgaria, England and Spain. I also follow an education focused on producing music at the Herman Brood Academie in Utrecht, the Netherlands. I’ve always been busy with music but I decided to make it my professional career when I was 21, ever since I’ve been doing everything I can to make this dream come true with the support of my family and friends.

Music has always been a big part of my life, I can’t remember a time in life when I didn’t listen to music. I used to make mixtapes when I was little with my parents old eighttrack. I started producing tracks when I was seventeen, more seriously by the time I was 21. When I was 21 I also started DJing. What originally inspired me is that music is really personal, you can put anything you want in a track. Each and every one of the tracks I’ve made has a memory, some good some bad, but they remind me of a time in life that was important to me. It is the same with some of my favorite music I listen to every day, they stand for a particular time in my life.

I listen to all kinds of music and get inspiration from everything. At the moment I listen to Kuduro and this music inspires me a lot. I like the purity of the African style music. My parents used to listen to Soca music when I was growing up. Because of my Surinam (South American) roots rythmic music has always been a special thing in my life. I get my inspriation from all kind of music and artists. I like to use all of these influences in my tracks.

I wanted to make a kuduro track that was catchy and I already listened to this song a lot, it was fresh and new and I felt it went great with my beat. I discovered kuduro a couple of years ago, I love listening to it but I also love to play it when I’m spinning at the club. People love dancing to it. It’s not mainstream yet in the Netherlands, so it’s always nice to see people going wild on music they haven’t listened to and maybe would’ve never heard if I didn’t play it. I always get asked about the songtitle and the artist afterwards. Listening to kuduro makes me happy, feel like I’m ready to start a party and gets me pumped up for the weekend.”

You’ll notice it also contains a sample of “Surra de Bunda” by As Tequileiras do Funk & DJ Gasparzinho, another favorite of ours. Kindly authorized by www.samsobeats.com – you can check out and grab this great track here:
http://youtu.be/WHdp3XV7djA
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/surra-de-bunda/id432553624
http://www.beatport.com/release/surra-de-bunda/354017

Kibera Benga “Kichwateli” – Just A Band, Modeselektor, Maasai Mbili

Kibera Benga “Kichwateli” – Just A Band, Modeselektor, Maasai Mbili

“Kichwateli” is an Afro-Scifi music-mentary performed by the super nerdy African boy band Just A Band, Berlin’s top electronic act Modeselektor and Nairobi’s talented art group Maasai Mbili.

This video is Studio Ang‘s contribution to the BLNRB project, a cooperation of Kenyan and German artists initiated by Goethe-Institut Nairobi and Gebrüder Teichmann, anad released by our friends from Outhere Records.

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...

Kibera Benga “Kichwateli” – Just A Band, Modeselektor, Maasai Mbili

“Kichwateli” is an Afro-Scifi music-mentary performed by the super nerdy African boy band Just A Band, Berlin’s top electronic act Modeselektor and Nairobi’s talented art group Maasai Mbili.

This video is Studio Ang‘s contribution to the BLNRB project, a cooperation of Kenyan and German artists initiated by Goethe-Institut Nairobi and Gebrüder Teichmann, anad released by our friends from Outhere Records.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCJCkY25gxw

RELATED

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Music Video: Solid K – Walk Like A Champion

Walk like a champion was shot by Daniel Kwabena Marmo of The 3 Suns. The video captures high spirits from the start, as the kids run together through the neighborhood. Shows a champion mindset and how it's accompanied by hard work (Muscle guy in the gym). it captures...

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

Official Video: Petite amie/Elle veut by Ozaki

  Ozaki is part of a new generation of Ivorian artists inspired by global trap legends, Ozaki’s words are firmly rooted in Bassam and Abidjan’s bustling culture, and his La Bassamoise EP is yet another milestone pushing the envelope of the local Ivorian rap...

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

Music Video : Flowking Stone – Let them Know

  Kumasi (Oseikrom) based Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone releases a band new video titled "Let them Know". Let them know is one of the songs of his recent album Gifted II . The song  which is a fusion of 60's Ghanaian highlife and hiphop trap beats was produced by...