Arts + Culture
Gye Nyame to Sankofa: a guide to Adinkra symbols and where they come from
Adinkra symbols are visual proverbs from Asante culture, stamped onto cloth with carved calabash stamps and dye. Ntonso,…
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Arts + Culture
Kente at Bonwire: the weaving village behind Ghana’s most famous cloth
Bonwire, a town near Kumasi, is famous as a centre of Asante kente weaving. The cloth is woven…
Music
Gyakie’s “Forever”: the Kumasi love song that conquered Lagos
Gyakie's "Forever" appeared on her 2020 EP Seed. Its March 2021 remix with Omah Lay topped Nigeria's TurnTable…
Arts + Culture
Staff Benda Bilili: the Kinshasa street band on tricycles that conquered Cannes
Staff Benda Bilili was a Kinshasa band whose core members were disabled by polio. Their 2009 album Très…
Music
Werrason: the Wenge split, Solola Bien and the night at Bercy
When Wenge Musica split in 1997, Werrason co-founded Wenge Musica Maison Mère. Their 1999 album Solola Bien! went…
Music
Mushin 2 Mo’Hits: the Wande Coal debut that Nigerian pop still copies
Wande Coal's debut album Mushin 2 Mo'Hits, released on 12 April 2009 and produced entirely by Don Jazzy,…
Music
Seun Kuti and Egypt 80: the youngest son who kept Fela’s band alive
After Fela Kuti died in 1997, his youngest son Seun took over leadership of his father's band, Egypt…
Music
Busi Mhlongo: the queen of maskandi who took a male tradition and made it hers
Busi Mhlongo, born in Inanda in 1947, began her career with a 1963 South African hit version of…
Music
Vusi Mahlasela: “The Voice” who sang at Mandela’s inauguration
Vusi Mahlasela grew up in Mamelodi, built his first guitar from an oil can and fishing line, and…
Music
A.B. Crentsil: the Prestea highlife man who made Ghana laugh and blush
A.B. Crentsil, born in Prestea in 1943, led the Sweet Talks in the 1970s and later formed Ahenfo.…