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Music from Africa and the African diaspora

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Best 15 politically or socially conscious tracks from Africa and the African Diaspora

Best 15 politically or socially conscious tracks from Africa and the African Diaspora

Music, as arts in general, is never neutral. It shapes, changes, influences cultures, societies and politics. In some cases, it is used to enforce toxic views on social norms and it can also be instrumentalised by political entrepreneurs. But music can help us to become more aware about political or social problems. The following 15 tracks released in 2020 raise the listeners’ consciousness about…

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Fena Gitu - 'Siri'

Fena Gitu – ‘Siri’

Award winning Kenyan musician Fena Guti uses her artistry to influence social norms and to advocate for more liberal views on sexuality. In a country where homosexuality is still being punished by law, the video for her Afrofusion track ‘Siri‘ shows two women engaging in a sexual affair. In an interview with Kenyan Youtube Channel Convo she said about the song: “Women are the most sensual sexual…

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Avit - 'Why Hate Me'

Avit – ‘Why Hate Me’

In 2020 the decentralized political movement Black Lives Matter grew turned to a global force. Protests erupted in all major cities of the world. In order to give musical impetus to the movement, Ghanaian rising Afrofusion artist Avit (‘Election Day‘) dropped ‘Why Hate Me‘. In the Kuvie produced piece, he points to historical and present forms of racism and contemplates about the causes of the…

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Jennifer Kamikazi - 'Black Skin'

Jennifer Kamikazi – ‘Black Skin’

‘Black Skin‘ by rising Folk artist Jennifer Kamikazi is a beautiful ode to Black beauty and a critique of Eurocentric conceptions of beauty. The artist told the magazine Our Culture about the motivation behind the song and the process of creating it with the producer Tania Ilyashova: “The song is about black beauty and was inspired by my childhood and growing up in a society with Eurocentric and…

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Avit - 'Election Day'

Avit – ‘Election Day’

As Ghanaians go to the polls today in presidential and legislative elections, rising Ghanaian rapper Avit provides the Republic with a suitable soundtrack. The “Election Day” is a sober critique of the political elite in Ghana but likewise a powerful reminder of the citizens’ most important power in democracies: The right to vote. As Avit rides on the Kuvie produced tune, he dismantles Ghanaian…

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Pamela Badjogo - 'Toto'

Pamela Badjogo – ‘Toto’

In times of a global pandemic that brings isolation, suffering and social polarization, the Gambian Soul artist Pamela Badjogo bestows the world with a message of solidarity. As in previous tracks (‘Respectez-nous‘ & ‘Ngoka‘), she uses her voice to remind us about values like humanity, diversity and unity. In her new track, ‘Toto‘, sung in her mother tongue Bakaningui, Pamela Badjogo celebrates…

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Made Kuti - 'Your Enemy'

Made Kuti – ‘Your Enemy’

In this year, artists like Falz (‘Johnny‘) and Burna Boy (‘20 10 2020‘) have vocalized their protest against the excessive use of violence by police units in Nigeria through songs. ‘Your Enemy‘ by Made Kuti enlarges the discussion in order to ask questions about the structural and psychological factors that can cause police brutality. The track is taken from the double-album ‘Legacy +‘, which he…

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Maurice Kirya - 'Munonde'

Maurice Kirya – ‘Munonde’

As Ugandans approach the day of the upcoming Presidential Election (14th January 2021), their country is going through a painful pre-election phase. The arrest of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi (aka Bobi Wine) led to protests, which the Ugandan Security Personal responded with heavy violence. So far, the Police has confirmed that 50 persons have lost their lives (The East African).…

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Sampa The Great - 'Final Form (Live Performance ARIA Awards 2020)'

Sampa The Great – ‘Final Form (Live Performance ARIA Awards 2020)’

Sampa The Great (‘Energy‘) used the stage at the most important music award show in Australia, the ARIA award show, to denounce discrimination and the lacking diversity in the Australian music industry. The Zambian-born, Botswana-raised rapper cited the non-diverse ARIA board, “Is it free, this industry, for people like me? Diversity, equity, in your ARIA boards?” and ignited a crucial debate…

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Ami Yerewolo - 'Je Gère'

Ami Yerewolo – ‘Je Gère’

Award-winning Malian rappeuse Ami Yerewolo has always preached it: “I’m saying it all the time: It’s not the gender that counts, it’s the talent“. And she is walking the talk. Having skillfully maneuvered her own path through the male dominated rap game, she signed a record deal with the label Othantiq – founded by musical virtuoso Blick Bassy (‘Ngwa‘).

‘Je Gère‘ is taken from her highly…

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Burna Boy - '20 10 20'

Burna Boy – ’20 10 20′

In ‘20 10 20‘ Nigerian Afrofusion artist Burna Boy (‘Monsters You Made‘) processes the police brutality that protesters faced at the Lekki toll gate on 20th of October (More: Amnesty International and CNN). Just like Falz (‘Johnny‘) he has been very outspoken in his criticism of the Nigerian Police. Pointing to the police shooting at the tollgate, Burna Boy directly addresses certain office…

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Gaël Faye - 'Kwibuka' (Feat. Samuel Kamanzi)

Gaël Faye – ‘Kwibuka’ (Feat. Samuel Kamanzi)

How do you write a song in remembrance to a genocide? Gaël Faye was born and raised in Bujumbura/ Burundi, but he has strong family ties to Rwanda as his mother is Rwandan. On his new album, he dedicates a song to the annual commemoration of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. ‘Kwibuka‘ is Kinyarwanda and means ‘to remember’.

“Tuzahora tubashimira tubazirikana Tubibuka mubihe byiza twagiranye Tuzahora…

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Star Féminine Band - 'Femme Africaine'

Star Féminine Band – ‘Femme Africaine’

Following the path that Angélique Kidjo, Oumou Sangaré (‘Ah Ndiya‘) and Miriam Makeba have paved for them, this female band from Natitingou in North-Western Benin has a bold message for all African girls and women: “You can become president of the republic/ You can become the country’s Prime Minister/ Get up, something has to be done“. The group was formed in 2016 by André Balaguemon, a Beninese…

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Falz - 'Johnny'

Falz – ‘Johnny’

Falz (‘This is Nigeria‘) has been one of the most outspoken Nigerian artists during the recent #EndSARS protests in Nigeria. He now re-released one of his tracks from 2019, ‘Johnny‘, which highlights police brutality and the senseless killings of Nigerian youths. The Olu The Wave produced video depicts video footage and imagery of police brutality at the Lekki Toll Gate (More: Amnesty…

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Aziza Brahim - 'Sahari'

Aziza Brahim – ‘Sahari’

Aziza Brahim‘s songs tell the stories of the Sahrawi people, who still struggle for self-determination and national sovereignty. Her music serves as musical and lyrical advocacy work for their cause and ‘Sahari‘, one of the tracks of her recent LP ‘Sahari‘ (Glitterbeat) is a great example. Its lyrics illustrate the historical and present struggle of the Sahrawi people, most of whom live in…

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Bantu - 'Water Cemetery'

Bantu – ‘Water Cemetery’

When African and European leaders fall silent, BANTU lifts up their voices in order to speak for those whose bodies cannot speak anymore. In ‘Water cemetery‘ the Nigerian collective tackles the silence about the mass drowning in the Mediterranean Sea: ‘Where’s the outrage who we holding accountable?/ Are we all numb cause of daily survival?/ Why the images don’t touch us no more?” BANTU also…

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Songhoy Blues - 'Barré'

Songhoy Blues – ‘Barré’

With ‘Barré‘ (Change), the Malian quartet Songhoy Blues just released the unofficial anthem for the Malian political transition after the recent coup d’état. In the track they criticize the old political elite and advocate for a generational change. “We are tired, exhausted, we have struggled/ Now, change is essential for development”. The lyrics illustrate the economic and social consequences…

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