The truth remains that no artist through Nigeria’s postcolonial years has contributed close to what Fela did – and continues to do - for human rights and social justice.
It was better in the old days.
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The falsetto virtuosity of the Weeknd, headliner of this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, contrasts with popular ShantyTok singalongs. How do these both reflect masculinity in 2021?
After rioters outside the US Capitol sang Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’, here are more global instances when history has sounded a little out of tune.
This is not a wok: Japanese musician Natsuki Tamura explores sounds at an online global festival of improvisation, IF 2020.
(Ajay Heble/IF 2020)
Improvisation asks us to trust that surprise will teach us something. As we enter a new year and a post-pandemic landscape, musical improvisation offers inspiration.
Beethoven statue in Vienna, Austria.
Mitzo/Shutterstock
In his work, many heard freedom as espoused by contemporary Enlightenment philosophers, like Immanuel Kant.
The country artist Charley Pride was one a few black artists who achieved success within country music in the 60s and 70s.
Republic Country Club/Wikimedia
J.P Clark’s work moved beyond agitating for justice in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. He was in love with nature.
Lovers Rock from Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series explored the music and Blues party scene of London in the 1970s.
BBC/McQueen Limited/Parisa Taghizadeh
Centred around a Blues Party in London, the second film from the Small Axe anthology captured the excitement of setting up a party but missed things about sound system culture in the UK.
DJs had to adopt live streaming during the pandemic. This new way of reaching audiences has created a whole new djing experience that is more accessible to a wider range of people.
Nigerian pop star D'banj performing on stage in London.
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