http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYnBiZmiRcM&w=560&h=315 Hello! Boima here, and I'm back helping out with the Friday music break. A Haitian Rara (not Ornette Coleman) sampling rap/poem by Hyperdub affiliate The Spaceape got me excited this week, so that's my lead off pick -- above! Not only do the U.S. and China have political happenings this month, but Sierra Leoneans go to the polls next week as well. Bajah and the Dry Eye Crew put out a song appealing for peace amongst young people, who are often conscripted by politicians to carry out violence during election periods. Back in Sierra Leone, the musical messages to hold politicians accountable reassuringly continue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gog5HorNpvU&w=560&h=315 Meanwhile a young diaspora Sierra Leonean is making noise in the U.K. with an electro-pop sound and Nikki Minaj-esque video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAbCYkE2QMM&w=560&h=315 M.anifest releases a NICE neo-Hiplife video with the beautiful Efya off his album Immigrant Chronicles: Coming to America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj7C1-CV_w8&w=560&h=315 His countryman Sway goes full Akon this week, dropping a video for an electro pop collabo with Mr. Hudson and Crystal Waters! But I can't help wonder, what happened to Up Ur Speed Sway? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgPD-NsvIn8&w=560&h=315 Awadi goes to Medellín, Colombia to sing about revolution. I wonder if the FARC is in on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaXXzw5FgaM&w=560&h=315 Which reminds me that I had the pleasure to spend a weekend with Medellín based, Pacifico reppin' Explosión Negra in Philadelphia recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnBL1SNUOCc&w=560&h=315 New high quality Liberian video for a not-so-Hipco rap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3_IAOXZaI8&w=560&h=315 I'm realizing that I kind of over-Hip Hopped this Music Break, so here's a nice change of pace from Portugal based singer with Cape Verdian roots Dino D' Santiago featuring Pedro Mourato and Gileno Santana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmy04YmbpAw&w=560&h=315 And finally, London based A.J. Holmes, who's learned from and collaborated with musicians from classic Sierra Leonean bands like Super Combo and the S.E. Rogie band, goes to the sea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdXsm81FkBo&w=560&h=315

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHRbEhLj540 I've recently taken on a new daily commute from Bed-Stuy to Harlem via the A Train. This route, once celebrated in song by Duke Ellington, was and remains famous for connecting New York's two largest and most historical Black Communities. Today, both communities retain their importance as cultural nodes for the descendents of Black migrants from the American South, but both have also become central nodes for New York's newest waves of African immigration. The almost hour long commute has given me plenty of time to get through a few DJ mixes. Given my daily trip's musical and cultural connection, perhaps it's only appropriate that I present "Take the A Train" updated for the 21st Century, a list of some of my favorite Africa-connected mixes from this year so far. Olugbenga's Africa in Your Earbuds #15 for OkayAfrica By far my favorite in the Africa in Your Earbuds series over at OkayAfrica. This schizophrenic but brief mix takes us from Highlife to Grime via Naija pop and Afrobeat, transitioned by Olugbenga's own productions. The personality that comes out in this mix is something that all mix creators should strive for.
Otelo Burning Mixtape I haven't seen the movie, but the mixtape is outstanding. There are plenty of surprising elements and favorite tracks, but standouts include Zaki Ibrahim's "Something in the Water" and "Walk on Water" by Reason. Both artists are on the lineup of Motif Records.
The Jungle Book Beat Tape by DJ Juls This is a beat-tape, a mix made up of original productions that sample from sources that have influenced the beat-maker. While others have attempted to do similar Dilla-esque sampling of West African sounds, DJ Juls's The Jungle Book beat tape is by far the best I've heard. The mix is perfect to vibe out to while doing something else, allowing oneself to get surprised by the various musical elements he throws in. Check out the great write up on Juls by Benjamin Lebrave at This is Africa.
Ngoma 13: Juju-Juke by DJ Zhao The great thing about the Internet is the ability to give a lot of context to a DJ mix to learn about what inspired the sound, and give background on the artists included. No one does this more thoroughly than Berlin-based DJ Zhao. His latest mix in his Ngoma series "Juju-Juke" is my favorite of his. Zhao expands on an idea I myself have played with, and puts it together into a beautifully executed mix.
Afro-House 2012 by Dubbel Dutch I've repeatedly said that Angolan House is one of the genres I'm most excited about. Benjamin Lebrave points to a flawless mix by a key figure in the industry, DJ Satellite. But it is an American who put together my favorite mix of African House tunes in 2012 so far. This mix culled entirely from the Soundcloud pages of various producers in Portugal and Angola is a stellar representation of the Kuduro-House sound.
The Ultimate Azonto Mix CD by DJ Neptizzle A springtime round up of the best in Azonto sounds via UK DJ Neptizzle. This is probably the most comprehensive round up I've heard of the impending Ghanian take-over of the global pop pallette. A great mix to get anyone dancing!
Fact Mix 307: Ayshay This mix officially dropped in 2011, but in December, so I mostly listened to it in 2012. Ayshay is the alias of New York via Dakar via Kuwait producer Fatima Al Qadiri. A deeply personal cross-section of the artist's Afro-Arab sonic identities, the entire mix is stellar. But it's the point where Madinina suddenly slips into Medina that made this one of my favorite mixes ever.
Yo No Soy Virgen, Pero Hago Milagros by Maracuyeah Based on the name and cover of this mix, it already deserves attention. Sonically you get Cumbia, Vallenatos, smashed together with the Dembows and Moombahtons of DJ Rat and Mafe's DC Latino experience. It's a formula to create another deeply personal and well put together DJ mix. My only critique comes inspired by my El Salvadoran friend who grew up in DC when it was still "Chocolate City," who said he wanted to hear Cumbia and Go Go mashed up.
Dark York by Le1f This mix is one I'm still wrapping my head around. Partly because the Uptown lingo, that Le1f spits mutedly over an amazingly curated selection of futuristic electronic beats from the best of the up and comers in the electronic dance world like Nguzunguzu, Skin and Bones, Matt Shadetek, is taking me a while to fully understand and interpret. Le1f raps fast and continuous around colloquial concepts that will have most of us playing catch up for awhile long after he's moved on to his next projects. It's also worth mentioning that Le1f (Khalif Diouf) is a representative of New York's Senegalese community via Harlem, and that's a perfect place to end our ride on the A Train. Almost.
Don't forget my own Africa-centered mix from earlier this year over at the XLR8R Podcast!

I'm taking over the Friday music break this week. First up, the prolific Azonto producer E.L. surprises us this week with a 25 track debut album. He had so many songs stored up he decided to release a video for one that's not even on the album. Check his Swagga. http://youtu.be/oNZ-bMFgYH8 Kanye and Jay Z team up with Romain Gavras who capitalizes on images of our global instability. Will marrying Hip Hop with riot chic help out Angolan protesters? Probably not. http://youtu.be/FJt7gNi3Nr4 In a video that is a little more grounded than your average commercial Hip Hop video (and especially contrasting with the one above), Nas, who has collaborated with family members before, releases a song and video tribute to his daughter! http://youtu.be/xP4_0z2M85Q Trying to deliver on the promise to incorporate more Afro-Latino-ness on the blog, here's Colombian Pacific Coast Hip Hop group Choquibtown's latest "Hasta El Techo." http://youtu.be/azYcDY7mnco And, Maga Bo's "No Balanço da Canoa" featuring Rosângela Macedo and Marcelo Yuka. The remix album for his Quilombo do Futuro project dropped this week. http://youtu.be/6dbb4y7AIG4 Nos vemos a primeira feira!

http://youtu.be/fvCvNwzsYvE Latin America and the Caribbean haven't gotten enough attention on this site. We're going to intentionally rectify that, and I'm excited to start by sharing this video from sometimes collaborators of mine, Los Rakas. Beyond having worked with Los Rakas I'm a fan, especially because they are able to take the best of what Panama represents in its multi-cultural, multi-lingual stew of Afro-Caribbean culture, and mix it so effortlessly with another amazingly multi-cultural place I once called home, Northern California. The above video is for a single from the Hip Hop in Spanish project: 24 Horas Escuela de Karate, by the always impressive Ski Beats (check the first single with Spanish rapper Tote King here). If you don't know much about Panama's historical cultural mix, I'd say start here. And if you really want to go in, head on over here for sounds like the following, and a lot more. http://youtu.be/NLvhg_143Qg

Freedom Day in South Africa. Togo Independence Day. And Sierra Leone's 51st Independence Day. That's all today. We've been celebrating Freedom Day with music elsewhere today. So this post is for Sierra Leone. My current favorite song we played last week but there's more: a Bajah and Dry Yai Crew song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bHOWazDJls Refugee All Stars released an album this week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSWe0V4VMA Sierra Leoneans are active in the diaspora too. Like Janka and the Bubu Gang: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBRobRddHaA Or Shady Baby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M07Xf286Sfc And a classic for an election year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y70NmnU1kDw You'll tell us what your favorite Togolese tunes of the moment are in the comments.

http://youtu.be/q88JPrlhzh4 If you're unfamiliar with my musical work, OkayAfrica.com recently did a profile on me for their web TV series. Meanwhile, a team of fellow African DJs in New York and I have linked up to try and establish a permanent home for people of all backgrounds to enjoy the young, fresh, creative sounds coming out of the diaspora at large in downtown Manhattan. This Friday at Bamboo in Manhattan’s East Village we present the second edition of a night we’re calling PAN. Joining us will be DJ Marco, the owner of San Francisco's Baobab Village, and the crew from Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City who will be celebrating their theatrical premiere. Hopefully the night will also serve as a celebration of independence and freedom for all the local Sierra Leoneans and South Africans. Here's the poster:

The Northern Nigeria repping White Nigerian (isn't he Lebanese Nigerian?), along with JJC, invites us all to a Hausa-Pidgin speaking world of cross-racial national identity. It's schticky, but the truth is, the world could use a little more exposure to stuff like this. http://youtu.be/rNM9_8J3cf0 Download the track over at TIA.

http://youtu.be/afO9RSfdVEA Thinking about Mbalax Dub, got me wanting to share some more of Kaba Blon. It doesn't seem like they have uploaded anything online yet, and the only song available for purchase I believe is Moribayassa. But, Mo Laudi was playing me some more of their tracks the other day. He had gotten them from a Malian friend in Paris.

The rapper formerly known as Mos Def's take on the Jay Z track with his own song, "N****s in Poorest." http://youtu.be/nFg7-4vBPWM

http://youtu.be/_rPIzyKkuNs Berlin based Dub and Techno producer Mark Ernestus (check his previous work with Rhythm and Sound) fell in love with Mbalax (how could you not?), went to Senegal, found a band, and produced a collection of songs for release on Honest Jons records. The first release is Mbeuguel Dafa Nekh from the group Jeri-Jeri (led by Bakane Seck) featuring Mbene Diatta Seck. Since I've been experimenting with my own ideas of Club-Mbalax, the Mbalax Dub version has got me too excited!

http://youtu.be/wbdFQvzmbZ8 Somali-Canadian R&B Singer A'maal Nuux wants to be Mufasa.  The description of the song on Youtube says, "This song touches on the devastation and upheavals afflicting Somalia... offers a message of hope calling on the people that a devastated nation can actually rise from the ashes of war!" A little Somali pride in your radio R&B. I can't be mad.  I appreciate that more and more artists aspiring to the mainstream in the Americas are able to foreground their African heritage. Not too long ago it would have been a detriment. And although not necessarily a direct reference to the Lion King, just like the American President she flips the stereotype. Nice one!