Genre Spotlight: Morna in Cape Verde

Genre Spotlight: Morna in Cape Verde

Cape Verdean Morna, known as the Queen Music, is a heritage genre born from centuries of migration and longing. Rooted in the improvised songs of enslaved women, it evolved into a poignant musical form expressing sodade—deep emotional yearning—that Cesária Évora brought to global stages.

Blog post image
Afrobeats, Amapiano… and What Next?
By Josplay | 12/15/2025 | Genres
Afrobeats dominated the 2010s. Amapiano owned the 2020s. But what is next? Could it be Afro Rave, Arewa Sound, or Afro House or Afro tech? The next global sound of Africa is forming right now.
Blog post image
Your Detty December Opportunities
By Josplay | 12/12/2025 | General
Detty December is not just vibes. It is a chance for you, an indie artist, to be seen, heard and remembered. Here is how to turn Lagos festive chaos into real momentum
Blog post image
Gender Roles in African Music Traditions
By Josplay | 12/11/2025 | Instrument
The nyatiti was strictly played by the male gender until Anyango (Eriko Mukoyama), a female Japanese player, broke a rule thousands of years old.
Blog post image
Spiritual Symbols of African Animal Carvings
By Josplay | 12/8/2025 | General
Different animal carvings in Africa create a living visual language. The lion symbolizes kingship and authority, while the crocodile symbolizes duality and spiritual power. The elephant, serpent, antelope, birds and buffalo represents different virtues.
Blog post image
Remastering, Remixing, Reimagining, Sampling, and Interpolation: What’s the difference?
By Josplay | 12/5/2025 | General
Remastering, Remixing, Reimagining, Sampling, and Interpolation, What is the difference?
Blog post image
Genre Spotlight: Igbo Rap in Nigeria
By Josplay | 12/3/2025 | Genres
Rather than mirroring American hip-hop, Igbo rap carved its own identity by blending traditional instruments like the igba, udu, and ogene with contemporary production. Pioneered by Mr. Raw and MC Loph, then revolutionized by Phyno street-focused storytelling, the genre has evolved from cultural commentary to raw youth narratives.
Blog post image
Genre Spotlight: Kadongo Kamu
By Josplay | 11/28/2025 | Genres
Kadongo Kamu is oldest mainstream genre  from Uganda. It blends rich Ganda storytelling with its signature single-guitar style. Rooted in Bakisimba rhythms, it remains culturally powerful through pioneers and modern artists who are keeping its tradition alive across generations.
Blog post image
The ABC of Songwriting
By Josplay | 11/26/2025 | General
As songwriters, we move through a wide spectrum of themes: romance, joy, heartbreak, birth, death, longing, conflict, healing, celebration, loneliness, and every unnamed feeling in between.
Blog post image
Genre Spotlight: Maskandi in South Africa
By Josplay | 11/24/2025 | Genres
Maskandi is a Zulu folk sound rooted in migrant history, blending storytelling, guitar traditions, and modern influences. Its resurgence among young South Africans shows how the genre is evolving into a bold expression of pride, identity, and cultural memory
Blog post image
A Case for African Female Artists
By Josplay | 11/21/2025 | People
A deep look at female African artists, their rising global influence, the barriers they face, and why the music industry must create stronger pathways for women.
Blog post image
Genre Spotlight: Mahraganat in Egypt
By Josplay | 11/19/2025 | Genres
Mahraganat music, Egypt’s electrifying blend of Shaabi rhythms, hip-hop energy, and raw electronic beats, began from Cairo’s streets and went ahead to become a defining voice for urban youth. Despite bans and controversy, the genre continues to reshape Egyptian pop culture through rhythm, resistance, and grassroots creativity
Blog post image
Nigerian Contemporary Music Scenes in the 1990s
By Josplay | 11/17/2025 | General
The 1990s marked a defining era for contemporary Nigerian music, blending indigenous rhythms with global influences to create a fresh sound. This period witnessed the rise of pioneering artists who fused hip-hop, R&B, reggae, Afro-juju and highlife into a new urban identity.
Blog post image
The Extraordinary Journey of Raï Music
By Josplay | 11/13/2025 | Genres
Raï music began in the smoky cabarets of colonial Oran and eventually made its way to the cultural heritage list of UNESCO. It is most defiant and influential musical export from Algeria, a genre born from struggle that never gave up.
Blog post image
Genre Spotlight: Asakaa in Ghana
By Josplay | 11/10/2025 | Genres
Born in Kumasi’s Ashanti New Town, Ghana’s Asakaa music blends local slang, drill rhythms, and hip-hop energy. Led by the Asakaa Boys, it’s reshaping Ghanaian youth culture, fashion, and global perceptions of African street music.