The music industry celebrates three rocking anniversaries this week: Rage Against the Machine's first album is 20 years old, Bryan Ferry revisits 40 years of creation through jazz, and Macy Gray celebrates Stevie Wonder's "Talking Book" album which came out back in 1972.
Young artist Esperanza Spalding is back on a European tour introducing her latest album “Radio music society” going beyond the boundaries of jazz. We continue with the discovery of Kendrick Lamar, the new prodigy of the American hip hop revealed by Doctor Dre. We conclude this musical trip focusing on the afrobeat Brooklyn-based Antibalas band back with a brand new self-titled and fifth album, released five years after their previous work endorsing fela Anikulapo kuti's legacy with passion.
The cocoa harvest kicks off in Ivory Coast, but producers could be hit by racketeering by guards and soldiers. Meanwhile, details emerge of a plot to poison Benin's president. Also, Saudi Arabia bans Muslims from the DRC and Uganda from the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, saying they could be carrying disease. Finally, protests in Angola are both rare and dangerous, but some rappers are using their music to take on the president.
A video of suspected terrorist Jérémie Louis-Sidney rapping about Islam and the 9/11 attacks emerged Monday as France looked for clues to the man accused of blowing up a kosher grocery store. Louis-Sidney was shot and killed in a weekend police raid.
In today's show we pay homage to one of the founding members of 1980s rap pioneers "The Beastie Boys" Adam Yauch, alias MCA, who died after battling cancer for the past three years. Also on the programme a "Toast to Freedom" as Amnesty International celebrates 50 years with an album featuring the talents of Carly Simon, Jane Birkin and Kris Kristofferson among others. We'll also hear from the 4th album of Bertrand Burgalat, one of the most respected producers/arrangers in France.
Following Mali's political crisis, a collective of musicians that includes the country's leading hip-hop group are rapping for a return to full democracy. FRANCE 24's special correspondent reports.
As diplomats gather in London to seek a solution to Somalia’s crisis, a Somali hip-hop group is daringly rapping their opposition to al Shabaab. Unlike the conference attendees, their message is in Somali for Somalis by Somalis.
Senegalese rappers leading protests against President Abdoulaye Wade. The "Barefoot Bandit », a web sensation in the US. And members of community news site Reddit help save a Kenyan orphanage.
R&B soultress Mary J. Blige is back, but can she knock Beyoncé off her throne with new single "Mr. Wrong"? Then make way for Congo Brazzaville's pop sensation Nzete and his new tune, "Sexy Chocolat." We wrap up today's music show with Nigerian drumming maestro Tony Allen who has influenced international artists with his afrobeat rhythms.
After the Golden Globes the race to the Oscars is now on and it's neck-and-neck between "The Artist" and "The Descendants." Also on the programme, French hip-hop pioneer Farid Berki joins us to share his passion for dance and talk about Paris' Suresnes Cités Danse festival. Plus, we get a glimpse of the Louvre's new exhibition curated by the Nobel prize winner for literature, J.M.G. Le Clézio.
