The acts are posting black boxes on this day (June 2) of disconnecting from work to focus on community. The music industry is taking a pause today (June 2) to observe what is being called “Black Out Tuesday” (as well…
Peter Gabriel has condemned the “racist murder” of George Floyd and called on society to think, act and call out persecution. The legendary British musician and activist observed “Blackout Tuesday” in solidarity with black artists and colleagues in the music…
Ghanaian Afropop singer Stonebwoy addressed both pandemics plaguing the world, coronavirus and racism, during his poignant Billboard Live At-Home performance Monday (June 1) that raised money for My Friend’s Place, which supports the homeless youth. Performing from Ghana’s capital of Accra…
Beach Bunny frontwoman Lili Trifilio apologized on Sunday (May 31) after a track she wrote to honor the memory of George Floyd stirred up controversy on social media. The lilting tribute, titled “George Floyd,” finds the indie rocker ruminating on…
The gold rush is on as major labels try to tap into the continent’s global potential. The week of May 10, Universal Music Central Europe & Africa senior vp A&R Joe Chialo’s packed schedule included conference calls with the music…
Before YouTube director of urban music Tuma Basa made hip-hop one of the hottest genres in the world, he grew up in Congo, Zimbabwe — and Iowa. Now he’s using his dual cultural background to do the same for African…
Despite the key role he has played in bringing the sounds of Afrobeats to the U.S. and U.K. pop charts, the Nigerian producer says he has never been able to make a living out of his music from domestic revenue.…
Africa’s acts are bigger than ever. Now it needs venues to match. Nigerian Afrobeats star Naira Marley has become so popular internationally that his home country — Africa’s largest, with a population of over 205 million — doesn’t have a live venue…
LAGOS, NIGERIA — Only three years ago, most major Nigerian film producers didn’t bother to pay musicians before using their music in films — or even to ask permission. “Nollywood,” a sobriquet for the Nigerian film industry, didn’t think it…
Aled Haydn Jones has been promoted to lead one of the BBC’s flagship music-based stations, Radio 1. Haydn Jones was most recently head of programmes at the station, which draws roughly 10 million listeners, and he was behind this year’s…