Africa Is a Country

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Boima Tucker

Boima Tucker is a music producer, DJ, writer, and cultural activist. He is the managing editor of Africa Is a Country, co-founder of Kondi Band and the founder of the INTL BLK record label.

Website

F***yesafricans

Someone started a a page called fuckyesafricans in the vein of the "fuckyes" tumblr meme. For those unfamiliar with the format, the dry title is meant for irony filled humor to follow once you click the link. Fuckyesafricans has its funny moments, but it lacks irony, which makes it kind of miss the point of the fuckyes meme. There are other ethnically oriented pages, so at least it's nice to see someone repping for "the Africans." The page, which takes submissions from readers, seems to be mostly aimed at youth in the diaspora since many posts are about generational conflict. Some posts seem like cathartic complaints about the purported abuses of African parents. Some things just seem out of date like post 117 about cellphones.

Coming to America

Filmmakers like Nikyatu Jusu, of Sierra Leonean descent, provide reference points for young African immigrants growing up in the West.

'Real African Music'

Thanks to HavePlentyMusic I saw that big time house producers experimenting with Kuduro for a few years, are perhaps finally ready for Coupe Decale (Click through to listen to the remix). Kind of full circle really, as I really think Bob Sinclair's and similar productions were a big influence on the sound of Coupe Decale, and the Euro pop surge of Magic System, Jessy Matador, et al to begin with. Boddhi Satva a house producer from Central African Republic is the perfect ambassador to bring it to the scene at large. Watch him shake his Bobaraba in a recent video interview. Traxsource who is selling a DJ Arafat (Côte d'Ivoire) single as remixed by Boddhi describes it as "real African music." I've noticed that while sites like Traxsource and the house scene in general have managed to support music that helps to redefine notions of what "African music" means, there is a tendency at the same time to hold the music back dealing in descriptions that rely on rehashed stereotypes and notions of authenticity. Boddhi Satva does more, real Central-African-Belgian-House-Remixing below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr8sTAJ0x_Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVazMXZhR2Q

Music Break

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8Df8yPn_bc&fs=1&hl=en_US] A little Luso Rap infatuation I've been harboring for a while has led me down interesting paths throughout the years.  The attention that I've given to sounds like Kuduro, House Angolana, and Tarraxinha has led me away from good old Hip Hop like Kid MC's track above. Time to pay more attention.--Boima Tucker

Swahili Cipher

African Hip Hop has been the number one hop site and radio show about hip hop culture on the continent for a few years. 

Manifest Destiny

It is through popular culture that the initial connections with homeland and diaspora will begin to make an impact on the consciousness of younger generations of Africans.