Koffi Olomide - Abracadabra

Koffi Olomide's latest album "Abracadabra" has created a LOT of controversy after it's January 7th release. According to a Congolese blogger named Alex Engwete:

"On January 7, the date of the release of "Abracadabra" in Paris, pro-Tshisekedi supporters threatened to burn down the entire city block housing African music shops if these dared to put on their shelves the accursed CD.
In Kinshasa, where the launch of the album was preceded by a costly massive citywide billboard campaign, the official release of the album took place on Saturday, January 14, at the "Salon Congo" of the Grand Hôtel, with Olomide's press conference. Even at this secure venue, Olomide had to weather a vicious verbal assault by a reporter from the opposition press who went through a litany of the musician's alleged malfeasance: his "flight" from France to avoid a criminal investigation, and more importantly, his "flattery" of Kabila!" - Alex Engwete 

Merde! :o

*silence*

But fear not my friends, here's some select tracks from the 2 CD album for your listening pleasure......or not if you're anti-Koffi Olomide/Kabila. 


Tracklist:
1.007
2. Demande
3. Ekafela
4. Linda Like
5. Medieval
6. Double Mbonda
7. Emballe Moi
8. Matanga

DOWNLOAD LINK

Daddy Lumba

Chale!!!! This man's a LEGEND in Ghana! Dude's been making tracks from the 80's and he's still going strong! 
With 25 + albums (from what i've counted) under his belt, Daddy Lumba’s albums have yielded more number one and top ten hits than any other Ghanaian musician.......for real! 

I got some select tracks for y'all.... some of my absolute favourites! If you have any requests let me know!

Makoma ho Toffee (roughly translated as my sweetheart) * (this song touches me in a different kind of way!)
Theresa
Aban Nsa Aka Wo
Made in Ghana
Eye Odo Nti
Odo Beba na Mawu
Ebi Se Eye Aduro
Obi Ate Me so Boo
Nsei Me Din

*Chale means friend in Ga (a language spoken in Ghana)


Download HERE:  Random Daddy Lumba Tracks

"Who's car is this?"

LOL!

Shot and directed by Village Beat in Nairobi, the video for The Very Best's newest single "Yoshua Alikuti" is a play on Lil Wayne's music video for A Milli. 

I can't wait to hear their new album! 

The Second Tick - DJ Clock

Tick, tock.....

I know I know....Yeah it's been a long TIME since I uploaded some music from the motherland...so not to keep you waiting, I got some "semi-old school" South African house tracks for you!  Released in 2009, "The Second Tick" is the second studio album by SAMA 2009 (South African Music Awards) nominated DJ and record producer DJ Clock.

See, it's like I never left ;)


DOWNLOAD LINK:
http://www.mediafire.com/?cv5i6n5jnnz9h69

Enjoy!!

It's been far too long!!

Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I updated this blog, but I promise this time i'll be consistent! :D

I have soooooo many new and old songs to share with you, so be on the lookout starting this week! It'll make up for the months I was gone :D
I went to South Africa for an internship from Jan-April this year and of course I collected as much music as I can to share with you.



GET READY!!!!!!!!!

African Food and Arts Festival

Taken from the facebook event page:
"This event is to provide opportunity for Ottawa families to relax and be entertained in an Afro-centric environment while gaining a deeper appreciation of the countries of Africa - their foods, culture, history, geography, economic and development issues.

Come in and enjoy ethnic foods, arts & crafts, music & other entertainment. Representatives of several African communities will be present."

Don't miss it! Purchase your ticket today at Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/mTgs49

It will be held on Ottawa's City Hall on July 16th!

Come one, come all! *Ghanaian accent*

Festival Nuits d'Afrique!

Hey everyone!!

Festival Nuits d'Afrique in Montreal is back!! I'm so excited! 2 weeks of different concerts and activities for everyone.

I'm too excited for Meiway, Oumou Sangare, Kassav and Soukous Stars!

Check out the website at: http://www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com/en

See you there! :)

I Have My Liberty! Gospel Sounds from Accra, Ghana

I received an email from Calpin Hoffman-Williamson who is a Philadelphia-based audio engineer and producer of I Have My Liberty! Gospel Sounds from Accra, Ghana.

A description of the project:

I Have My Liberty! Gospel Sounds from Accra, Ghana is an album of songs and performances recorded live from the churches of Ghana’s capitol city.

Amid Accra’s bustling sprawl of swirling dust and exhaust, are countless havens for homegrown musical expression: charismatic and Pentecostal-inspired church services. There, distorted PA systems anchored by female singers and ramshackle guitars played by a rotating cast of local men, weave in and out of popular melodies bringing congregations to their feet. Singers emote in repeated phrases, lifted by tambourines, claps, and percussion, to unite their voices in praise and worship. I Have My Liberty! takes listeners into these churches, where congregations silence the noise and process the anxieties of their West African metropolis.

credits

released 24 April 2011
produced by Calpin Hoffman-Williamson
mastered by Timothy Stollenwerk

I urge you all to check out this amazing project!

Listen to the album in its entirety at: ihavemyliberty.bandcamp.com

Read the I Have My Liberty! blog at: ihavemyliberty.tumblr.com

Download and share select songs at: soundcloud.com/ihavemyliberty

I'm back!!

Hello everyone!! It's been too long since i've updated this blog.... but in the coming days, weeks and months...prepare to be blown away by more posts on music from the motherland!! With the Ottawa Jazz festival, Festval Nuits d'Afrique in Montreal and many other African summer concerts, I'll be sure to keep you all posted!!

I'm going to see the South African legend Hugh Masekela perform today at the Ottawa Jazz Festival! I'm so excited!! Are you?!

I hope he performs my favourite song:

Stay tuned my friends! :D

Qui est derrière toi?

Now that i've moved to Ottawa, it's so hard to find CD's and cassettes (yes I still have them lol) of African music. If I really want a CD, I have to travel to Montreal or Toronto to get them..as most of the CD's I want aren't available for purchase online, or the full track isn't available. :( But being a broke student, that's not very often. *hint, hint* lol
I was trying to be cheap and look for torrents and downloads of it but there weren't any.

Anyways moving on, Ferre Gola is one of my favorite Congolese singers at the moment, and as promised in an earlier post about Ferre Gola, here's some tracks from his latest album "Qui est derrière toi?" which is a 2 CD album. Mehn, the way I had to SEARCH for this album no be small! Kai! That's how much I love his music, even though I don't understand what the hell he's saying. The CD as in the majority of Congolese CDs these days is a blend of the fast-tempo Ndombolo and slower Rumba tracks.

Tracklist:
1. 3 ème doigt
2. Generique bokoko
3.Bequille
4. Match Eza Wooh
5.Qui est derrière toi?
6. Je t'attend
7. Diki Diki
8. Kamasutra
9.Légume
10. Zazou
11.Andy Mputu
12. Insuline

QUI EST DERRIERE TOI DOWNLOAD

Fresh 'ish from the Motherland

Why hello there everyone! Yeah, yeah it's been MONTHS since I posted.

*looks around* You know...school...work... the World Cup... depression after Ghana's heartbreaking loss to Uruguay :$%:#:@$ Suarez :@ $#%#......but i'm back! Yay! :) I appreciate the random messages I recieved asking for new songs :)

Anyways over the months i've just been stacking up on new and old music from the motherland and i'll share the love...

Here's a MASH up mix from all corners of the motherland :) ..enjoy!

Tracklist:

1. Umsebemzi Wami - DJ What What (South Africa)

2. Ghana Lady - Appietus ft Mframa (Ghana)

3. The Uncomfortable Truth - Nneka (Nigeria)

4. La Danse du Mannequin - Yannick le Mannequin ft Petit Pays (Cameroon)

5. Tchongon Cite - Abou Smith (Cote d'Ivoire)

6. La Jungle - Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)

7. Yaaye - Gorgui Ndiaye (Senegal)

8. Somalia - K'Naan (Somalia)

9. Pike, Pike - DJ Patrick fr Agre. G (Angola)

10. Koune Araafti Mali Entier - Najat Aatabou (Morocco)

MOTHERLANDIAN MIX DOWNLOAD

Senegal represent!

I'm a huge fan of Senegalese music...and their football (soccer team)... well in the 2002 FIFA World Cup I was ..since then they haven't impressed me at all. Sorry Senegalese folk lol. Anyways this posting is of Mbalax (probounced mbalakh) music in which "Etoile de Dakar (starring Youssou N'Dour and El Hadji Faye), and Raam Daan (starring Thione Seck)"(1) ,are credited in helping to nurture the evolution of mbalax into an internationally recognized style. It's a fusion of "Sabar" (the tradition drumming of Senegal) with the electric guitar, brass and keyboard rhythms.

Here are some fresh tracks from a "mixtape" called "Mbeuguel Da Fa Khew Vol. 2".

1. Amitie - Youssou N'dour & Viviane N'dour
2. Diama Noir - Aida Ndiaye * my fave
3. Beuss Bi - Abdou Guitte Seck
4. Yaaye - Gorgui Ndiaye
5. Sama Gamou - Youssou N'dour
6. Music- Titi
7. Niit - Youssou N'dour
8. Jangaro - Abdou Guitte Seck

Mbalax Download Link

*attempts to dance sabar* Man.... dancing to Mbalax is a workout *gasps* lol google it up and you'll see what i'm talking about.



1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mbalax

LOL I know wikipedia is sometimes not a credible source..hehe no profs nearby :P

GO BLACKSTARS, GO BLACKSTARS GO!

In honour of my national team THE GHANA BLACK STARS, here's some patriotic music to ignite our run to win the AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS and in June - the FIFA WORLD CUP! Oh yes I believe in my team!!! *waves hand in praise*


Y'all might think i'm crazy, but I prepare my mind, body and soul before big Blackstar games. Some of these songs are part of my "praise and worship" session before watching the game. Yes football (soccer) is my religion and i'm not ashamed to admit it lol.



Ghanaian National Anthem


Ghana 2008 CAN Anthem


Oseyie - Hiplife All-Stars


Black Stars - Sway

Ferre Gola!

Happy belated new year! Yeah it's been a while since I posted something. Times are rough but i'm still here! lol

Anyways, i've been listening to these two songs non-stop since 2 weeks ago... oh man! Ferre Gola is one of my favourite artists right now. He has an amazing voice and even though I don't understand what the hell he's saying. His newest album (Qui est Derrière Toi) came out in October and i'll post some of the tracks in a later post.
For those of you that don't know who he is, his real name is Hervé Gola Bataringe and was born in Kinshasa, DR Congo in 1976.
Besides his great voice, he plays the piano and drums. He was discovered in 1995 by Werrason back then when he was a member of the group Wenge Musica during a fair. This discovery launched the career of the singer.

P.S: The videos are kinda "wack" but the songs are nice....and he's fine too ;)

Meiway

*eats last chunk of fufu* ....ahem.....

One of my favourite artists, Frederic Ehui- better known as Meiway- rules dance floors all over Africa. Using zoblazo (a catchy rhythm from southern Cote d'Ivoire), Meiway has invented his own signature style throughout a career that has spanned more than 15 years. He sings in N'zema (a language spoken in Cote D'Ivoire as well as in Ghana) and French. Enjoy!!

Word!

Tracklist:
1. Fidelite- Papillon ft Meiway
2. Emeraude
3. Appolo
4. Ayibebou
5 .Les Genies Vous Parlent
6. Cellulaire
7. 300% Zoblazo
8. Miss Lolo
9. Kalaboule Man
10. Prends Mais Laisse

Meiway Download

African "Rave" Music

Man it's been a while since I posted something.....
School. Bills. Rent. You know how it is lol.

Anyways, over the past few years many new genres of "rave" music have started from all over Africa including Kuduro, Hiplife, Coupe Decale, Kwaito and so on.
They all have something in common. It's about freedom of expression. It's about youth spilling onto the dance-floor and experimenting with a wave of old and new sounds and of freedom of association. It's all about escape from the hardships of life. Life is tough in the motherland, sh*t it's not easy being a youth in general wherever you live.
Y'all know when you're sick of life and you HIT the dance-floor, all your problems just melt away (Well it's true for me..I don't know about you lol). If you know me very well... I DANCE my problems away lol.
Here's a collection of some of my favourite tunes right now that I blast in my speakers...whether i'm in the library gettin' my learn on, or in my room bored as hell.

Here we go:

1. Zingolo (South Rakkas Crew Remix) - Tinny (Ghana)
2. Kwata-Kwata - DJ Eridson (Angola)
3. Wena - Esau Mwamwaya (Malawi)
4. Logobi (instru) - Zaza Twins (Cote D'Ivoire/France) *this beat is too sick!
5. Decale Mon Afrique - DJ Vielo (Cote D'Ivoire)
6. Kaggua - Ku-Bo ft Tshila (Uganda/Austria)
7. Sane Eba - Zakee Kuduro ft. Anbuley (Ghana/Austria/Philly)
8. Un Gaou a Oran - Magic System ft 113 & Mohamed Lamine (Cote d'Ivoire/Algeria/Mali/France)
9. Straight 2 Your Head - Lil Kenny (Zimbabwe/USA)

>>African "Rave" Music Download<<

Congolese Divas

DRC STAND UP!

This post is 2nd of a series of posts focusing on divas of the African continent (1st post being Malian Divas).


Enjoy!

Tracklist:

1. Mina Kupenda - Vonga Aye
2. Koumba - Tshala Muana
3. Femme Commercante - Mpongo Love
4. Massu - Jolie Detta & Yondo Nyota
5. Nakei Nairobi - M'bilia Bel
6. Kupepe Suka - Abeti Masikini
7. C'est Dur la vie D'une Femme Celibataire - Baniel & Nana
8. Bazo - Yondo Sister

Congolese Divas Download

Petit Pays!

Cameroon stand UP!

In honor of Petit-Pays doing a series of concerts in North America (so excited!!), here's his 2nd album and one of my favourites "Ancien Parigo":

A lil' background info taken from http://crawfurd.dk/africa/petitpays.htm :

Behind the artist name of Petit Pays is Adolphe Claude Moundi, born in Douala (Cameroon) in 1967. He started early playing music, but also studied law in Paris. Petit Pays has had a professional music career since the late 1980's when he teamed up with the producer Eyabé Kwedi. He has written hundreds of songs and several has become big hits, first of all in Cameroon and West Africa. On many albums Petit Pays plays with his band called "Les Sans Visas" (The Sans Visa International).

The numerous albums of Petit Pays are first of all dance music influenced by Makossa, Soukous, the more slow and sensual Zouk and sometimes a little touch of salsa. Makossa is the traditional music originating from the Douala region of Cameroon. The lyrics are often quite steamy, but that probably doesn't do any damage to his popularity.

>>>Ancien Parigo Download <<<

Malian Divas

Here's a collection of traditional Malian music sung by some of Mali's prominent female musicians. These songs feature the 'kora', a harp-like instrument dominant in traditional Malian music, and the balafon, which is like a xylophone, also common to Malian music. These women have such amazing voices....trust me you'll be blown away. Word. Oh and some of the songs were ripped straight from cassettes, so if the volume is a bit low, don't worry, it's not your computer messing up.

P.s: That's Oumou Sangare in the picture. Isn't she beautiful? ;)

Tracklist:
1. Anka Mali Ba - Djeneba Seck
2. Santolema - Sadio Kouyate* (my favourite :) )
3. Korodia - Na Hawa Doumbia
4. Na - Ramata Diakite
5. Guede - Kandja Kouyate
6. Kanimba - Siramori Diabate
7. Akafo - Oumou Sangare
8. Farafina Mousso - Naimy Diabate
9. Astou Damba - Djamy Kouyate
10. Djeneba Diallo - Tata Bambo Kouyate

Malian Divas Download

A Rough Guide to Coupe Decale

On va coupé, on va danser ....
Get ready to JAM!

Tracklist:

1. Aladji - Jeff Bongolo Bango
2. Fete a Saga - Douk Saga
3. Wolosso - Dollar DJ
4. Seka Seka - DJ Mareshal
5. Sentiment Moko - DJ Kaloudji
6. Bobaraba - DJ Eloh & DJ Mix
7. Les Bienfaiteurs - Dino Malachie
8. Faire le Cho - Anaconda
9. Kpangor - DJ Arafat ft Debordo
10. Améliore ta Vie - DJ Molokai
11. Sans Guèbè - Doliziana Debordo ft Majistral DJ
12. Coupé-Tué - Les Tueuses
13. Coupe Decale Crunk - The Bird ft Mano 2 Mano
14. Dans la Foret du Congo - DJ Kedjevara

A Rough Guide to Coupe Decale Download