Azonto and its growing global reaches… Somebody should write a book about it. ‘Tribal Azonto’ above: Ghana via the UK — sampling South African electro? Next, from Accra proper, a rap convo with Trebla, Hotjam, EL and Stargo (and many other cameos):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMCpxdneQCw

Rap from a different kind and country: here’s a new video for Milk Coffee & Sugar (that’s Edgar Sekloka and Gaël Faye):

Nigerian D.i.s Guise’s track ‘Mr Bambe’ now has a video:

And one last rap. The video is older, but Tanzanian collective X Plastaz released the long (and excellent) Shule mixtape this week. Ziggylah’s ‘Bang Bang’ is on it:

‘Mabone’ is a dance tune by Lesotho-born Refiloe “Chocolate Soul” Thoahlane. It comes with a glorious video:

We haven’t included too many Mozambicans here recently. A pretty wild video for Dama do Bling’s poppy ‘Champion’:

More pop, from Uganda come Radio and Weasel (remember their 2010 classic ‘Heart Attack Vuvuzela’ — they’ve upped the production quality of their music videos since):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZpinLkjyi8

Meanwhile in London: DJ Yoda, Afrikan Boy and Soom T throwing a party on a bus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvirURDc1

And Melina Matrsoukass shot the video below in Jamaica for Chicago dance-hall duo Wild Belle’s (brother and sister in fact) track ‘Keep You’. It has elicited some interesting YouTube comments:

H/T’s to @zach_rosen, @TIholie (via @nemesisinc), @ianbirrell, @Tribalmagz, @25toLyf and @Birdseeding.

Further Reading

Fuel’s errand

When Africa’s richest man announced the construction of the continent’s largest crude oil refinery, many were hopeful. But Aliko Dangote has not saved Nigeria. The Nigerian Scam returns to the Africa Is a Country Podcast to explain why.

Fragile state

Without an immediate change in approach, Somalia will remain a fragmented country populated by self-serving elites seeking foreign patrons.

Coming home

In 1991, acclaimed South African artist Helen Sebidi’s artworks were presumed stolen in Sweden. Three decades later, a caretaker at the residential college where they disappeared found them in a ceiling cupboard, still in their original packaging.

Imaginary homelands

A new biography of former apartheid homeland leader Lucas Mangope struggles to do more than arrange the actions of its subject into a neat chronology.

Business as usual?

This month, Algeria quietly held its second election since Abdelaziz Bouteflika was ousted in 2019. On the podcast, we ask what Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s second term means for the country.