It’s been a whole week and I’ve missed my AfroKAN people. It is always a pleasure for me to share my “7 songs of the week ” with you. Truth be told, I am alive end functional only when I have my ear phones bursting with some good soulful music.
#TeamWeLoveMondays say it with me! We LOVE MONDAYS! Come on, I know you love Mondays too and if you don’t just hit up some of the music, it might just cheer you up – no IT IS guaranteed to cheer you up! Nina Mayers says so.
Otis – Jay Z & Kanye West
Sounds so soulful don’t you agree? Man this song, this song….every time I hear it I just want to get up and get out. Be in a desert surrounded by good looking guys and amazing cars. Just throwing my hands up like a mad woman. But the amazing part for me, the old school girl in me just loves the Otis sample. 2011 was a good year!
Our First time – Bruno Mars
It’s so brand new baby…. Do I ever get tired of hearing Bruno Mars high pitch? I doubt it… This one is swinging, mellow, dancy, ballad, reggae….a funny combination that makes me bounce from side to side. I can’t really remember the first time I heard it. Not to long ago nonetheless. It doesn’t evoke much except the urge to move back and forth. If I listen to the words long and hard enough, maybe I’ll think about “our first time”…. But first time songs for me are epic, maybe my play list will eventually allow you to discover them :p But it feels good, have a listen. Just go with it!
Tata N’zambe – Bisso na Bisso
First big French speaking African group to make it to my musical listings. You know my issues and stories with French rap. But Bisso na Bisso broke those barriers very early on in my teenage years. Why? Because their beats were afro funky as I like to call them. It was rap yes, but there was the background of heavy rhythmical drums in most of their music. This one in particular I first heard it on KTN in Nairobi, on one of those weekday shows “kasskass” or “rapem” not quite sure. It was one of those uniting us videos. And the fact that their musicians hail from so many various countries… Anyways, God is great!
Satisfy you – Puff Daddy
Back when he was Puff Daddy….this nigga has been through so many name changes that I honestly don’t know how he is called now in this day and age. In fact I can’t think of the last song I heard from him (that made it to my play list)- maybe coming home? Anyways, as I have mentioned many a times, if you don’t hear something from before the 2002 era on my play list then it means there is something wrong with me. This one is a go to song, a groove to song… Just makes me want to break out and burst a move. R kelly always makes me smile.
In those Jeans – Ginuwine
2003/2004 – around the time I was loving 100% G
I worry about the effect this song has on me today… Ginuwine was the HOT guy when I was growing up. He could sing, he could dance and he could just make anything look good. My most memorable Ginuwine song however is probably “same ol G” but we are not here to talk about that. You can discover all the greatness of Ginuwine in your own time. As far as am concerned he is worth listening to especially because Timbaland is the one who makes his beats. I was probably too young to understand the implications of this song when I first heard it, but I can definitely tell you that today if Ginuwine from the 90s asked to get into my jeans, I would tell him Yes, Yees, YEEESS!
Tchokolo – X Maleya
One of the best Cameroonian discoveries over the years. Let me explain; Cameroon music in the 70s, 80s and 90s was just at its best. We had high calibre musicians with music that was accessible world wide. Everyone could sing to a camer tune. Over the years this trend died and Cameroonian artists could no longer sell themselves across borders. X Maleya to me is one of those groups that has fought that barrier. Why? Because recently I listened to an artist (Timbulo) that had remixed every one of their singles (same shit diffferent language) – that to me is a true attestation to their brilliance.
Anyways, this song make me want to groove…every time…every time. I may not understand everything they say but still. The other thing I like about them is that afro pop vibe. They could rival with the Psquares of this world in my book.
Confessions – Koppo
In my attempt to discover more music from Cameroun I bought as many Cds as possible on my last holiday in Douala. So I heard this Koppo song for the 1st time in December 2011 – although not the first Koppo song I was hearing. What I like about him, he is authentic and talks about real live situations in a cynical and comical way… The fact that he uses street lingo and colloquialisms makes him accessible to the youth. Conscientious artists have never had any real success (anywhere) …Unfortunate, the reality is everyone wants to make money and wants club bangers. Anyways, I will always support these artists…so have a listen. Soft, rhythmic almost r&B like (unfortunately hard to follow if you don’t understand the lingo) but if you want I would galdly translate for you…another time.
