Africa: Ibrahim Maalouf Embraces the World

Ibrahim Maalouf is shape-shifting Renaissance man. A master of the quarter-tone trumpet, a modified version of the instrument capable of playing Arabic scales (maqamat), Maalouf… Read more »

Africa: New York's Habibi Fest Is Underway Passion and Soul

The fourth annual Habibi Festival is now underway at Joe's Pub in New York City. The festival highlights the music of the SWANA region (South West Asia and North Africa). This… Read more »

Africa: Africa Meets Harlem and Belongó Celebrates Hispanic Heritage

It was a busy Afropop Sunday in Harlem on October 6. Starting at 11AM at, Arturo O'Farrill and his consummate band, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra hosted a celebration of Hispanic… Read more »

Nigeria: Kano's Ado Gwanja Sings for the Ladies

When Afropop visited Kano, Nigeria, in 2017, we met an ambitious, English-speaking student named Umar Musa Ali. He has since expressed keen interest in reporting to us about… Read more »

Africa: Joe Boyd's Epic Journey Through Global Music

Producer and writer Joe Boyd started out managing Americana acts in the '60s before moving to London where he went on to produce landmark albums for artists as diverse as Pink… Read more »

Africa: Afropop Top Videos - October, 2024

Here are nine new picks for our playlist. From Brazilian rap and Malian reggae to Salin's global jazz on a beach in Thailand, it's a rich mix, once again with women in the… Read more »

Africa: More Fun With Rockin' Dopsie Jr.!

Rockin' Dopsie Jr. (born David Rubin) is the son of Zydeco legend, accordionist, singer, composer and bandleader Rockin' Dopsie, who died in 1993 after a spectacular career in… Read more »

Senegal: Don't Miss Globalquerque! in Albuquerque (Sept. 26-28)

Here's a shout-out to our listeners on KUNM-FM in Albuquerque and on stations throughout the great state of New Mexico. We know you're psyched for the annual Globalquerque! music… Read more »

Mali: Mali's Amadou and Mariam Celebrate Five Decades in Music

Mali's Grammy-nominated Afro-rock sensation, Amadou and Mariam, once billed as "The Blind Couple of Mali" have had a big year this year. They recently played a cover of a Serge… Read more »

Rwanda: Rwanda's Young Artists Going Back to Their Roots

Banner image: Kenny Mirasano performing during his concert True Mutu at L'Espace on December 9. Photo from © The New Times Rwanda Read more »

Sudan: Mahmoud Abdel Aziz - Timeless Voice of Sudan

With an eclectic sound that united both young and old, it's no surprise that "Al Hoot" (the Whale) still stands as a figurehead of Sudanese revolution in both music and social… Read more »

Africa: Planet Afropop - Season 2 Releases

The much-anticipated second season of Planet Afropop, the podcast companion to the Peabody Award-winning Afropop Worldwide, is officially launching on September 10, 2024. Over the… Read more »

Africa: Sidi Samb's Afroflamenco Debuts in America

Sidi Samb is a veteran Senegalese bandleader who has long made his home in Spain, where he developed a deep love for and familiarity with flamenco music and dance. Samb has been… Read more »

Cameroon: Ekep Nkwelle - Tapping the Spiritual Source

One of the most memorable moments for us this year at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal was the chance to see and hear 25-year old, Cameroonian-American jazz singer… Read more »

Africa: Kofi Appenteng On 70 Years of the Africa America Institute

Kofi Appenteng is the President of the Africa-America Institute (AAI). Founded in 1953, AAI is a premier U.S.-based organization dedicated to bridging Africa and America by… Read more »

Africa: Afropop Top Videos - August, 2024

The songs of summer 2024 are flying by. We at Afropop Worldwide have our own takes, and here are a few to consider. This month's seven picks lean heavily into Afrobeats, the genre… Read more »

Africa: Salin Cheewapansri - From Bangkok to Africa

Salin Cheewapansri was born in the mid-1990's and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. Musically inclined, she tried the piano, but then switched to drums when she heard that the drum… Read more »

Africa: Palm Wine Festival Returns to New York

In association with Move Forward Music, the Lagos-based Palmwine Festival celebrating Nigeria's nascent alternative music scene returned to Central Park Summerstage on August 17.… Read more »

Africa: Ana Moura - Going Beyond Fado

Banner photo by Benoit Rousseau Read more »

Ghana: Ghanaian Singer Afroso Blends Tradition with Modernity

Okaidja Afroso is a Ghanaian singer, dancer, guitarist and composer based in Oregon since 1999, but still deeply tied to his Gãdangmé roots in a fishing community of… Read more »

Africa: Ron's 2024 Nuits d'Afrique Rundown!

Afropop's Ron Deutsch attended the entire run of this year's Nuits D'Afrique Festival in Montreal. His report on the Montreal Jazz Festival was a tour de force! Here's his rundown… Read more »

Nigeria: Ego Ella May Is Not Alone

What's in a name? For jazz singer/songwriter Ego Ella May, it's a window into her rich heritage. Her first name, pronounced "eh-go," honors her Nigerian roots - her parents having… Read more »

Africa: Wild Weekend in NYC - Thandiswa, Seun Kuti, Magic System and More!

Greetings from Night 3 of the six-night "outdoor" portion of Montreal's Nuits D'Afrique Festival. As ever, the festival is a firehose of great music, much of it new to us,… Read more »

Africa: Daymé Arocena At LAMC 2024

A showcase is, well, a showcase. It's where record labels and companies push and highlight their talent for record producers, industry execs, and press. Perhaps they need a… Read more »

Africa: The Joy Lapps Project - On a Mission to Keep Afro-Caribbean Culture Alive

We first fell in love with Grammy-nominated steel pan artist Joy Lapps, when she walked - or rather, waddled - on stage, eight months pregnant at the Festival International de Jazz… Read more »