Is this the 21st century version of Paul Gilroy’s Black Atlantic (minus the intellectualism or the politics)?It is Fally Ipupa, the Congolese superstar, and the American R&B singer, Olivia, who used to be on rapper 50 Cent’s G-Unit label.  It is the perfect match of bling, fantasy, and aspirational immigrant culture in Europe and American R&B.

A better version of the new Black Atlantic, for me at least, is this: BET, the American music and reality TV channel is not usually associated with cosmopolitanism, so when the Tanzanian rapper, Gsan (from the legendary crew, XPlastaz), turned up on the BET Hip Hop Awards broadcast rapping in Swahili, I was equally shocked and impressed. As part of the awards show the producers pre-recorded a series of cyphers. One of them has DJ Premier getting KRS-One, Wale, Nipsey Hussle and, of course, Gsan, freestyling. There he is at 1:31 holding his own. (Via AfricanHipHop.com )

The journalist, Lara Pawson, just put up a link to a photographic project, “Kingsmead Eyes,” by the South African photographer Gideon Mendel working with 28 children who all live in a housing project and go to the same school in Hackney, London. The children, most from immigrant backgrounds, documented their world over six months, photographing their friends, families, community and school. In turn, Mendel made portraits of all the children.  More here.

Still my favorite Delroy Wilson track: “True Believer in Love.”

The Fela revival–CD, DVD and MP3 re-release in one package–continues.

A (British) Channel 4 news report on “corrective rape” of lesbians by men in South Africa (among the victims was the former captain of South Africa’s women’s football team, Eudy Simelane) has won the Stonewall Award, which “… celebrates those who have made a positive impact on the lives of lesbian and gay people in Britain.”

The actor Edward Norton ran the New York City Marathon last weekend accompanied by Masai men to promote conservation back in Kenya. I know this is for a “good cause.” But why do you have to bring out the “Masai Warriors” headlines? Apparently it makes for “good television.” And that’s what TV producers want. So you give it to them.  You’re going: Sean chill out. But, this is so old.

Throwback: Juan Tizol was a brilliant trombone player, but a composer too (and a borinqueño of course). Here is the video of Tizol doing his now classic tune, “Caravan,” with Duke Ellington. This film was recorded in 1952. Ellington and Tizol first performed the song together in 1937.

The American model, Hillary Rowland, is in need of publicity. Oh, she’ll take some clothes off and say its all in aid of Africans. Via Gawker.

Finally, some bad (in a good way) 1970s West African funk courtesy of one of the continent’s craziest bands, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou. This track is called “Gbeti Madjro.”