Afropop Worldwide

Saudade is a key emotion word for Portuguese speakers. The feeling of Saudade is an untranslatable word for the deep presence of absence. In this episode of Closeup, we bridge the gap between Brazil and Ethiopia, through the sound of music. On the surface, when comparing both respective countries few similarities come to mind. But given the cultural richness of each country in regards to the food,...

We get an update on Lagos from Afropop contributor, Fay Fay. And Mukwae has a reunion/conversation with Las Hijas Del Rap. Episode #002

Ghana Must Go by Afropop Worldwide

Planet Afropop is the latest offering from Afropop Worldwide. Every two weeks, this podcast will feature lively conversations among the three hosts--Georges Collinet, Banning Eyre and Mukwae Wabei Siyolwe—as well as interviews, new music, trending African cultural news and much more. This is the maiden voyage for this podcast. It includes an introduction to the hosts, an interview with Afrobeats s...

We honor the late Joe Cuba with this portrait of "Bugalú," produced for Afropop Worldwide by Ned Sublette. Bugalú is the Spanish spelling of boogaloo, and was also known as “Latin soul.” Joe Cuba was one of bugalú’s most popular artists, best known for the major hit “Bang Bang” that his band created on the spot one night at a New York club. Joe was a mesmerizing storyteller, and we’ll hear some of...

Beny Moré and Ismael Rivera are national heroes in their home countries, Cuba and Puerto Rico respectively. They were soneros of the highest order, masters of the art of improvised singing. We'll hear some of the songs that made them famous and follow their development as artists. Produced by Ned Sublette. APWW #134

Bachata is a music of the people. Recalling the American blues, bachata was infamous as the anthem of the hard-drinking, womanizing, down-on-his-luck man, vilified as the entertainment of the brothels and the cabarets, and worshipped by the down-trodden poor as the deepest expression of their feelings. Today it is an international sensation. Alex Wolfe, director of the film "Santo Domingo Blues: T...

Veteran Afropop producer Banning Eyre visits the Zawose family compound in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, to experience the magic of the hypnotic music of the Gogo people, the Wagogo. Msafiri Zawose, son of the late Tanzanian music legend Hukwe Zawose, describes the music and the emergence of the new Zawose Reunion Band.

In this episode, we find out how cumbia left Colombia in the ‘60s and ‘70s and traveled to other countries. Everywhere it went, it transformed itself, adapting to its new environment. In Peru, it mixed with psychedelic guitar effects and Andean sounds to become chicha. In Argentina, it became the expression of a new generation of restless youth in the burgeoning slums of Buenos Aires. And in Mexic...

In the early 2000s, Afropop told the story of “Four Generations” in Congolese music—from rumba and rumba-rock to soukous and ndombolo. Now time has marched on, and once again, thrilling new sounds are emerging from Kinshasa and its global diaspora. We’ll hear hyperkinetic roots-rock from Jupiter and Okwess, Fally Ipupa’s embrace of the current Afrobeats trend, experimental innovations from Pierre...

To make this unprecedented program, producer Ned Sublette traveled to Mbanza-Kongo, the ancient seat of the Kongo empire located in present-day northern Angola, where he spoke to Dr. Bárbaro Martínez Ruiz, professor of art and art history at Stanford. We’ll learn about the simbi, the spirits that Martínez Ruiz describes as “the multiple power of god”; hear Antonio Madiata play the lungoyi-ngoyi, t...

Movement: A Conversation with Jesus Diaz: Meklit Hadero is a singer and composer and the host of a new podcast called Movement, which tells the story of global migrations through music. In this shared episode, Meklit speaks with Cuban-American percussionist Jesus Díaz about his journey from playing homemade drums in Havana to performing on the biggest stages in the world Diaz. Produced by Ian Coss...

Congo has always played an oversized role in entertaining dance lovers on the continent and beyond with greats like Franco, Tabu Ley, Doctor Nico, Zaiko Langa Langa, Papa Wemba, Pepe Kalle, and others. We start in pre-independence Congo with the beloved "Papa" Wendo Kolossoy, the grandfather of rumba, as he talks with us at his home in Kinshasa. We talk to the man and listen in on a recording sess...

Stambeli is traditional healing music in Tunisia. It is related to Moroccan gnawa music using similar instrumentation and generally for the purpose of healing a person during a ritual ceremony. But Stambeli also stands on its own at a time of cultural and generational change in Tunisia. Producer Tasha Goldberg touches down in Tunisia to connect with young and old generations who value and honor th...

The World Sacred Music festival in Fes, Morocco fully delivers on its promise of bringing together profound, spiritual music from around the globe. In one edition of the Festival, Youssou N'Dour debuted his Egypt project, backed by an orchestra from Cairo; whirling dervishes from Turkey and qawwali singers Meher Ali and Sheher Ali from Pakistan revealed contrasting faces of Sufi music and dance; t...

Producers Jayme Stone and Cory Seznec take us on a fingerstyle guitar journey through Africa.

The oud is the ancestor of many modern string instruments, including the lute and the guitar. Its origins may lie in Persia or ancient Arabia, but now, it is played all over the world, used in spiritual and secular music, in classical, pop, and jazz settings. In this program, we hear oud music from Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, and elsewhere, exploring the instrument’s history, lore, and...

The 700-year period of Muslim courts and conquerors in Medieval Spain (711-1492) leaves behind many mysteries. In the first of a three-part look at the musical legacy of Andalusia, this program presents period recreations of medieval Spanish music and considers the lasting influences the era would have on Europe. This program takes a provocative look at instruments--the lute and the violin--at the...

Carnival in Trinidad is a feast for the senses – sights, smells, sounds, all blend together into a colorful celebration that you just have to see to believe. Trinidad born trumpeter Etienne Charles has composed an ambitious multi-part suite of music honoring the elements of Carnival that he experienced from a young age called Carnival: Sound of a People Vol. 1. Producer Trevor Smith speaks with Ch...

In January, 2000, a group of adventurous Afropop listeners accompanied by local artists including Habib Koite and special guest Bonnie Raitt toured Mali to hear the country’s extraordinary music. This program recaps the adventure with vivid live recordings of Habib, Khaira Arby, the Super Rail Band, Lobi Traore and others in nightclubs, private homes and in the dunes of the Sahara. It was a trip t...

If you’ve followed the news out of Mali since 2012, you may be discouraged by the conflict, violence and political turmoil in the headlines. But Mali has a long and profound history. It has met many challenges in the past. In this program, Professor Cherif Keita expertly guides us through the early history of Mali, up through the end of the 20th century, told through the music of the country’s gre...

In this episode, we make our annual trek to Miami to record the Afro Roots Festival. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Mali's Amadou & Mariam headlined. Over four decades, Amadou & Mariam have managed to joyfully combine their love story with a musical career. Touring the globe, they have become some of the most famous ambassadors of African music. Collaborations with Damon Albarn, Manu Chao, San...

Inspired by Jamaica’s dancehall music from the 90s and early 2000s, Zimbabwean dancehall music (Zimdancehall) started out as an underground subculture in the ghettos of Zimbabwe and is now the country’s most popular genre. In this episode we’ll trace the subgenre’s rocky rise to the top and meet some of its founding pioneers: the likes of producer, Jusa Dementor, and recording artist, Sniper Storm...

On "Breaking Into Afrobeats" Georges Collinet and Lagos-based producer producer FayFay, shed light on the challenges faced by aspiring artists in the Afrobeats music industry in Nigeria. This episode introduces listeners to emerging talents like Romi, Bayanni, Boy Spyce, Lady Donli, Young John and Kidd Carder - highlighting their journeys, obstacles, and aspirations. Through interviews and music,...

Traditional Manding (Mande) griots living in France sit at the crossroads between Africa and Europe. Historically, their role has been to weave traditional, oral histories, often within music, to promote a united, peaceful society. As they have become part of the modern global community, each griot has their own way of staying true to these historical roles, while also broadening their appeal to m...