Nairobi’s Westlands district is the rich side of a highly unequal city. But it also provided a space for electronic musicians and music-lovers from across social divides.
Conscious Kiswahili rap gave the youth a voice of protest towards the turn of the millennium. Today, more mainstream popular musicians have joined in, making music with direct critical messages.
Kamau Ngigi aka Kamaa aka Githingithia (Earthquake) is one of the founders of legendary rap trio Kalamashaka, widely regarded as originators of Kiswahili rap in Nairobi. Here, he tells the story of the Nairobi of his day.
After growing up in Japan, Sally, a Kenyan teenager, wanted to reconnect with Kenyan music upon returning home, while dealing with the meaning of that term, «home».
Listen to this playlist of artists from Nairobi, Kenya. It traces different genres and schools and it features music released between 2001 and 2022.
Listen to this playlist of artists from war-torn Kharkiv, Ukraine, and their current releases. Curated by Andrii Symonovych from Kyiv, during the invasion by Russia, 2022.
Listen to this playlist of artists from Palestine and their current releases.
Episode 10 of the «Timezones» podcast series reflects the digital reality of being together as a people, thus shedding light on the challenges of working as a Palestinian artist today.
Since the advent of COVID-19, Algerian youth, artists, and studios have taken to TikTok to sell and promote the latest raï hits. One unique way for young people to engage in musical sociality is through so-called «sonic gifts».
IR :: Sankara Future Dub Resurgence perform a ceremony for an anti-colonial future, recorded live at the Dub Museum in Kampala, Uganda.
A Timezones episode around the stories and sounds of Mount Makiling in the Philippines. A mythical site of tremendous importance for many Filipino artists.
