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Kalamu ya Salaam's information blog

 

DYNAMIC AFRICA
24 January, 2016

 

 

 

 

Recommended:

11 Music Videos We

Can’t Stop Watching.

 

blitz-the-ambassador-running-music-video-diasporadical-trilogia-2

Blitz the Ambassador – “Running”

Ending his Diasporadical‬ Trilogía project that took us from a love chase in 1960s Accra, to a journey of magical surrealism through the ins and outs of Brooklyn, New York, the final installment of the series sees rapper and filmmaker Blitz the Ambassador in Salvador, the capital of Brazil’s coastal state of Bahia – a place with a long history of African presence and cultural influences. 

One such tradition that has been passed down through generations is that of the Yoruba-informed religion of Candomblé which plays a central role in the Blitz-directed video that takes on interconnected issues linked to race, history, spirituality, and more. “Running”, he explains, “is a story of community in Salvador, Bahia threatened by gentrification. As the demolition team make their way to an old woman’s house to tear it down, she is protected by her Orisha’s.”

Khuli Chana – “Money”

Aside from being one of the most distinct voices in South African hip-hop, with incredible staying power, Khuli Chana has recently released a string of visually stimulating music videos for songs such as Never Grow Up9 Shots, and Mahamba Yedwa/Mo Tsipe. His latest, Money, is a ridiculously catchy infectious horn-laden hyped up track with fun and playful gold soaked scenes in the accompanying video.

Kiss Daniel  – “Good Time”

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Upon first listen, the direction of this song had me certain it was a Patorankingtrack…until I came across the video. A fan of both artists, I was pleasantly surprised and a little shocked that the Woju and Laye singer had not only released a song that had a title that was more than one word long, but that his husky voice had found a pleasant and vibrant home amongst a serious horn section, produced by DJ Coublon, but that he’d been just as experimental with the accompanying video. Song is so good Wizkid released his own version.

Branko – “Let Me Go”

(feat. Nonku Phiri & Mr. Carmack)

Lisbon-born artist João Barbosa aka Branko, founder of Kuduro group Buraka Som Sistema, laid down this soothing electronic experimental jam with South African vocalist Nonku Phiri and fellow producer Mr. Carmack, and shot the accompanying video in Johannesburg. 

Taken off his ATLAS project, the Francisco Neffe directed video features the glitter and glam-styled Nonku, dancers from Soweto’s Skeleton Pantsula and Orange Farm’s RealAction dance crews, and a young drag-racing carefree couple weaving through parts of the Johannesburg suburbs of Vrededorp, Old Park Station and Yeoville Ridge. 

Laura Mvula – “Overcome”

Adorned with lustrous gold jewelry contrasting beautifully with the powerful black and brown hues that fill up the screen, the video for Laura Mvula’s incredibly uplifting harmonious new song Overcome – which features stunning choreography and costuming – is just as inspiring and breathtaking as the song itself.

Jojo Abot – “Pi Lo Lo”

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In her own words, the Ghanaian singer described her directed-video as “ a woman, fully alive and blossoming. Free to make her own mistakes and find her own path. She exercises her right to be Queen and assert her rull especially when it relates to her body, her temple and her soul.”

“This video for me was about expressing the intricacies of being a woman, a truly perplexing subject”, she continues. “ Perplexing in the sense that she constantly finds herself having to choose between what her wants and the expectations of the society she lives in. In Pi lo Lo, FYFYA WOTO finds herself both conflicted, but also in a space of peace in her resolve to live. In this series she takes the form of a woman but I think and hope this is something humanity as a whole can relate to. These alternating characters represent our “good” vs “evil”, “rebellious” vs “conforming” , “spiritual” vs “fleshly” sides and the continual moment of choice knowing fully well that there are repercussions to bear. The domino effect of choices against the firm resolve to defend the ones freedom to choose. 

Little Simz – “Gratitude” ft. The Hics

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In the wake of the #FeesMustFall protests that brought to light the injustices and exploitation of staff and students at various South African tertiary institutions this year, British-Nigerian rapper Little Simz headed to the city of Cape Town where she teamed up with local artists and activists to both lend her support to the movement and use her platform to continue the spread of the struggle.

Juxtaposing images of Cape Town’s street youth culture with the street youth protests, photographed by Imraan Christian, scenes swing back and forth between Khayelitsha and Cape Town’s inner city, with an appearance from members of Jarrel Mathebula’s Indigenous Dance Academy that also appeared in this video.

NOMISUPASTA – “#Summerbutterflies”

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Carefree and full of renewed summertime vigor, the honey sweet-sounding whispery voice of South Africa’s Nomisupasta is accompanied by visuals that perfectly embody the playfulness of this song.

Ibeyi – “Stranger / Lover”

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Tussled and tugged at by body-less arms, the two sisters sing solemnly and poetically about the peculiar bittersweet mixture of loss and relief that come with the ending of a doomed relationship. As the unknown hands explore every inch of their faces, there’s a shocking intimacy in the careless feelings of these mysterious fingers.

Tekno – “Wash”

2015 was the year of Tekno. The Nigerian crooner blew up major thanks to his hit song Duro that I’m still yet to retire from overplaying. Following it up is Wash, another romantic Afropop jam slightly remiscent of Michael Jackson’s chases in The Way You Make Me Feel and You Rock My World.

Sauti Sol – “Live and Die in Afrika”

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In what may seem to some of us like an overnight success story, Sauti Sol, in the span of a few short years, have gone from being one of Kenya’s most popular acts to arguably the most popular Kenyan act currently making waves around the continent. Now a household name thanks to songs and videos like NishikeSura YakoShake Yo Bam Bam and throwback hits Still the One and Lazizi, they recently released their third album, Live and Die in Afrika with the title track video filmed in their hometown of Nairobi.

Watch all 11 videos here:

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>via: http://dynamicafrica.tumblr.com/post/137916426478/recommended-11-music-videos-we-cant-stop