Lungu Lungu: New Akwaaba Column for Fader Magazine
In case you missed the first installment of our new Lungu Lungu column over at Fader Mag, here's the second piece, this time about one of our current favorites down here in Ghana, Shadow, the one man operation that is literally lifting the entire Buduburam Liberia...
Spreading Mamã Africana: take this instrumental!!
Batida and Akwaaba invite you to take this beat further, sticking to the original concept: the song Lá Vai María is about Mamã Africana, both Africa and the African mother. So we just ask that you stick to the theme: write a song about your own María, about mothers,...
Lungu Lungu: Wanlov Tells the FOKN DunaQuest Story
A few minutes with Wanlov the Kubolor, half of the FOKN Bois. He and M3nsa connected with the Irie Maffia in Budapest, giving birth to some infectious, futuristic Afropop. Akwaaba, chaleh, welcome 2 d future. Via our new Lungu Lungu column over at The Fader:...
FOKN Bois meet Irie Maffia: The FOKN DunaQuest in Budapest
After running around Accra because of money, the FOKN Bois left for Budapest, hungry on a quest to find the finest duna (arse). They were kidnapped by the infamous Irie Maffia, a notorious band of musicians, singers, songwriters, deejays, producers,...
Mama I Love Yooooooou
Today, second sunday of May, seems to have more national mother's days than any other date. So let's celebrate yeah? We couldnt come up with a top 10 or 20 songs about mommies, there are simply TOO MANY in Africa. So instead, we indulge into 10 minutes of claaaaassic...
Moving Crunk Out The Way: Introducing Yob – Lomé, Togo
We met Yob on our last trip to Togo, almost one year ago already! We have hours and hours of footage, but finally managed to edit some of the fantastic footage, thanks in large to Tim Videomit, who met Benjamin Lebrave last fall in Paris. Check out the interview he...
Jali – Free “Combination” Remix by Dabö
Interestingly, just as Steve Pile comes back from Gambia, where he heard the Combination remixes blasting daily on the radio ("Almost everyday they'd play 2 tracks after BBC news cast"), we received a very interesting new remix of the song by a certain Dabö, which we...
FOKN Bois: For Those Who Missed Coz Ov Moni
You know we'd never leave you in the dark... if you are a careful reader of this page you know we're about to release an album by FOKN Bois & Irie Maffia. If you haven't seen it yet, then its about time you check out the FOKN Bois' pidgin musical Coz Ov Moni,...
Just A Band: Kudish! The Sound of Soup
Straight from Just A Band's website: From the first time we ever went on stage (in August 2008 – nerve-wracking!) for live performances and/or DJ-sets, we’ve always prepared some remixes of our own songs (and other Kenyan songs we like) to play before we start or...
Azingele Remixed
Results are in! And this time we waste no time, EP is available for download right here, and shortly available at all major music stores. First let's talk about Azingele... In 2010 Ruff-N-Smooth took Ghana by storm with a string of hits, the last of which was Azingele...
FOKN BOIS meet Irie Maffia: Akwaaba Chale Welcome 2 D Future
After running around Accra because of money, the FOKN Bois, of Coz Ov Moni fame (you haven't seen it yet?!?!?!) left for Budapest, hungry, on a quest to find the finest duna (arse). They were kidnapped by the infamous Irie Maffia, a notorious band of musicians,...
Opening a new chapter: Accra-cra-cra-craaaa
We may not have made it very clear on the site, but if you've followed us closely enough, you may have noticed references to the move to Accra, Ghana. Well it is now in process, as our head dood Benjamin Lebrave just landed there, and is looking to set up shop in the...
Never too much rumba – DJ Zhao strikes again
You can always trust DJ Zhao to deliver an intense blend of fine sounds from all over the world. He did an incredible job with his Chop Chop Supermix for us, and he's back again with this amazing 2 hour set - yes, 2 hours - of transatlantic rumba bliss. With a heavy...
Akwaaba Remixed!!
It's out! Cop it first from us in our bandcamp shop. More info in our previous post. And here's what Diplo does with it:RELATED It's out! Cop it first from us in our bandcamp shop. More info in our previous post. And here's what Diplo does with it:RELATED
Azingele Remix Contest: “Exercise Patience”
We've received a few messages from remixers asking for a bit more time to finish their work. Based on what we've heard so far, we have no reason to want to stymie their talent, and our past remix contest have run on African time anyway... so you got yourself an extra...
About Music Markets in Africa – PopKomm Panel
Last Fall in Berlin, Akwaaba Music' Benjamin Lebrave moderated a panel for All2GetherNow / PopKomm in Berlin. The panel looked into the specifics and opportunities in the business of music, in Africa. Joining him were Penya Africa's director and head producer Robert...
Perfect Loosers Megamix!
[:en] It all started one year ago, Akwaaba head dood Benjamin Lebrave met up with the Perfect Loosers in their studio right outside of Paris. He came with a mountain of songs by Ahmed Fofana, Baba Salah and Onyenze. Treasures he'd accumulated on his travels to West...
Jali’s Konteh Kunda studio in Gambia – We need your gear!
Jali on the mic.. A nice update from our good friend Steve Pile, the musician who made Jali's album come to life. Steve is headed back to Konteh Kunda music school in Brikama, Gambia. He is bringing some gear with him to setup a functional recording studio there....
NGOMA 8 – DJ Zhao Kizomba Mixtape
If you hear a Western DJ playing music from Africa, 99% of the time he/she will either be playing old school afrobeat and afrofunk, or super high energy dance music. Unless maybe you find yourself in a Cape Verdian club we doubt you'd hear a lot of more mellow sounds....
01/31 WFMU show with DJ Rupture
Last week, Benjamin Lebrave connected with DJ Rupture for his weekly show on New York's WFMU. If you don't know about Rupture... well, now's a good time to learn more about the hyper active producer / journalist. The two had connected last fall in Tilburg for...
Crowdkrushers dope mix for Bomb Diggy
Our good friends the Crowkrushers strike again with another bad arse mix, this time for our other doods the Bomb Diggy crew out of Amsterdam. They pieced together a pretty fantastic mix spanning the gamut from dancehall to hiplife to a lot of stuff we're not sure what...
Next Level!!!! D’Banj & Snoop Dogg
It was only a matter of time!! We can't believe it's finally happening.. one of Nigeria's top dawgs with the top dawg himself!!! Can't pretend to be so impressed by the actual song, but that's a different story. We're moving the main Akwaaba office to Ghana in a few...
Elegom Bounsa – Video by Angola’s Ho Chi Fu
Ho Chi Fu strikes again! If he is not yet a household name in your brain, then go check out his youtube channel NOW. He has established himself as the number one music video director in Angola, a country with a booming music scene, more and more cash, hence more and...
Ruff N Smooth “Azingele” Remix Contest
Going Africa and Beyond... Ruff-N-Smooth's moto seems particularly appropriate for this next Akwaaba remix contest: their song Azingele is the next big hit coming from this new Ghanaian powerduo, the video's been out for a couple of days only, and it's already...
Ruff N Smooth – New Video “Azingele” feat SK Blinks
Chop Our Music – 2 year Anniversary Super Release!
[:en] 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...
Let’s help Africa 10 wrap it up!
AFRICA10 needs your help!!!! The film is a character-based feature documentary about the incredible spirit of soccer in Africa. It features five inspiring stories from across the continent, intercut with commentary from famous Africans including Kofi Annan, Desmond...