Jali Bakary Konteh “Combination” remix contest
THE RULES 1. Download the tracks HERE - 17 tracks (!) at 120 bpm, 213mb zip file. 2. Do what you do! Take the tracks and mash them up in any way you can think of.. 3. Upload your remix in our Fairtilizer dropbox and name it Combination (your name Remix) and add “Jali...
Just A Band – Ha He video
Very funny mish mash of 1970s film... blaxploitation, Bollywood, probably some Kenyan cinema we don't really know about - can anyone help us out? Get the song for free here, we only ask for your email, which we promise we won't share with anyone!!! If you like these...
Refugee All Stars.. almost out!
Jali Bakary Konteh: Griot kora player from the Gambia
We're excited to introduce a fantastic new artist to the Akwaaba roster: Gambian kora player Jali Bakary Konteh. We were introcuded to Jali through Steve Pile, a Northern California resident who spent time in the Gambia, first to learn how to play the kora, which is...
Batida – Bazuka (hint at Carlos Lamartine)
(Approximate BBRAVE vs Google translation from www.radiofazuma.com): Dive into the archives of the RTP [national Portuguese TV]. The idea was to select images that illustrate the hidden story behind "Bazuka". We [DJ Mpula & Radio Fazuma team] hand-picked historic...
02/18 NL: BBRAVE in Tilburg
February 18th, GENERATION BASS presents: BBRAVE (Akwaaba Music) SONIDO DEL PRINCIPE (Generation Bass) TRECID Hall of fame, st. ceciliastraat 23, Tilburg 8.30pm – entrance is 2,50 euros
02/19 NL: BBRAVE, Sonido del Principe, DJ TP OK
Sonido del Principe (Bersa Discos, Generation Bass) DJ TP OK and yours truly, BBRAVE from right here! All performing in Rotterdam at Worm.
02/20 NL: BBRAVE @ Bomb Diggy (Amsterdam)
Back in Amsterdam with the Bomb Diggy crew, back at OT 301, should be another great night of fruity loops, full details on their site.
01/12 WW: Killamu – “A Minha Face”
Get the album in iTunes! Killamu is one of the most respected kuduro beat makers in Angola. He has been part of the kuduro scene for ten years now, and started producing tracks for Gueto Produções with Mestre Ara eight years ago. The duo quickly established their...
Mundiando: new podcast feat Michel Pinheiro
As always, Marcos Sacchi takes us all over the world, download the latest episode of his Mundiando podcast while it lasts!! And check out the full tracklist on his site as well.
Constipated Constitution
Cameroonian singer Lapiro de Mbanga landed a 3 year jail sentence for his song "Constipated Constitution" which denounces Paul Biya's "management style": Biya's been running Cameroon for 26 years now, and seems not to tolerate much criticism... please take a moment to...
Akwaaba @ Angeleno mag (LA)
Short but sweet - page 64 of this LA institution of a magazine.. thanks to Tamara for hooking it up!
Maga Bo – Outras Terras mixtape
Pinning down Maga Bo is tough. Not just musically: the man seems to constantly be on the go, making beats and laying vocals anywhere between Senegal and his hometown, Rio de Janeiro. The tracks featured on this mixtape reflect his geographic and sonic range, as Bo...
01/10 NY: GlobalFest
Loads of sounds coming through New York this SUnday January 10. Here's the line-up: - Alif Naaba, West African acoustic song (Burkina Faso) - Cara Dillon, striking Celtic vocalist (Ireland) - Caravan Palace, swingin’ electro manouche jazz (France) - Cedric Watson...
Sierra Leonean music in LA Times
It's exciting and inspiring for us to see Sierra Leonean sounds featured in a prominent paper such as the LA Times. We read a piece today talking about music and its political role in Sierra Leone, a country where the divide between the educated elite and the masses...
Saudades da terra do semba
Not sure who took this photo... but whoever took it did a great job. As we start 2010 we hope to get back to Luanda very soon, the music and energy were so inspiring... and as the African Cup of Nations approaches, surely the levels of energy - or straight up chaos!...
More Nomadic Wax treasures
We share a lot of our ideals with Nomadic Wax, a fantastic structure which gave birth to the great Democracy in Dakar film, but also to a slew of other projects, you MUST have a look at their site. If you know the Akwaaba story, you'll enjoy the similarities with the...
Democracy in Dakar
This is not exactly a brand new newsflash, but if you haven't seen this, it's way time. Hip hop activists unite!!
2009 was a good one!
We picked through some of the music we put out in 2009, and selected 10 tracks, quintessential Akwaaba ;p
12/26 LA: Akwaaba @ KPFK 90.7 FM
Nnamdi Moweta of Afrodicia is inviting Benjamin Lebrave over for a quick update: we've got lots of projects bubbling in 2010, the show will be a good place to hear what's new and get an idea of what's next, don't miss it! 2 - 3pm PST (GMT - 8), 90.7 fm in the Los...
Gift idea: Gentlemen of Bakongo
You may have seen photo galleries of the Sapeurs of Brazzaville sprouting up online. The photos are most likely taken from this very entertaining book released earlier this year. Just under $30 at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.
Gift idea: Contemporary African art
Nandipha Mntambo, "Europa," 2008 Samuel Fosso, "Le Pirate" (1997) Chéri Samba, aka Samba wa Mbimba N'zingo Nuni Masi Ndo Mbasi, "Les Pantalons sont Defendus" Yinka Shonibare, "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (Africa)," (2009) Great new book: Contemporary African...
DJ Zhao – Ngoma 3
BBRAVE met DJ Zhao during his stay in Berlin last October. The two didn't get to play together, but did exchange thoughts about African flavored club music - and tunes! Zhao's a cool cat, well versed in all strains of syncopated funk, from UK Funky to logobi and...
Akwaaba in Shook (UK)
Thanks to Gervase de Wilde for his time and hook ups last month in London! Download the full article (pdf) here.
Ghetto Palms 83: Bersa, ZJ Sparks, Cartagena bounce
Eddie Stats gets to the decks and pours a lot into this short lil' mix: Ghetto Palms 83 Spider Web blend: Uproot Andy, “El Bolleton” (Bersa Discos) Macka Diamond, “Think You Can Handle it” (Spider Web/ZJ Sparks) RDX, “Every Man Need a Woman (Wine On)” (Spider Web/ZJ...
Killamu: 10 years of kuduro in Angola
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...
Tinny – Zingolo + remix download
We've been digging this video for a minute now, not sure why we didn't post sooner. But today we have a good excuse: get the remix of Zingolo by Sway, download here. https://soundcloud.com/pitchandsync/zingolo-sway-remix-masteredRELATEDWe've been digging this video...