News

Damon Albarn’s music collective Africa Express has announced their sixth album. Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá will be released on July 11th via World Circuit. In anticipation, the first two singles, “Mi Lado” and “Kuduro”, are streaming now.

The music collective’s first album in six years was recorded last year in Mexico following a performance during Bahidorá Festival. Bahidorá is “a sonic trip which distills the joy of a musical adventure in Mexico into 21 extraordinary songs,” according to a press description. “Featuring artists from four continents but with roots firmly planted in Mexico, it entwines rich musical traditions ranging from cumbia, hip-hop and kuduro through to soul, salsa and the sweetest pop.”

Get Africa Collective Tickets Here

The album features over 30 artists, including Albarn, Django Django, Joan as Police Woman, Baba Sissoko, Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Poté, and Seye Adelekan, to name a few.

Reggaeton-influenced “Mi Lado” features producer Alansito Vega,...

Complete list of winners and nominees of the 2014 Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on Sunday February 8. Winners will be updated as they're announced during the telecast and pre-telecast. Record Of The Year “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli Xcx “Chandelier,” Sia **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith “Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor Album Of The Year **Winner** “Morning Phase,” Beck “Beyoncé,” Beyoncé “X,” Ed Sheeran “In The Lonely Hour,” Sam Smith “Girl,” Pharrell Williams Song Of The Year “All About That Bass,” Kevin Kadish & Meghan Trainor, songwriters (Meghan Trainor) “Chandelier,” Sia Furler & Jesse Shatkin, songwriters (Sia) “Shake It Off,” Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift) **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith, songwriters (Sam Smith) “Take Me To Church,” Andrew Hozier-Byrne, songwriter (Hozier) Best New Artist Iggy Azalea Bastille Brandy Clark...

Today on World AIDS Day 2014 we ask you to join us and speak out in solidarity with people living with and affected by HIV.

We have come such a long way—today new HIV infections are declining, better and simpler treatment is now available and people living with HIV are now living longer and healthier lives.

But significant challenges remain and we need to fast-track change.

We must close the gap between people who have access to HIV prevention and treatment and people who do not. We must close the gap between people with opportunities and people who are being left behind.

We want more results

We want to end the AIDS epidemic

We know that together we can do it

We are seeing remarkable progress, but we are not there yet

But gender inequalities, violations of human rights and even our own attitudes can leave people behind. People most...

The tenth edition of Mali's popular Festival in the Desert kicked off Thursday evening on the outskirts of the legendary city of Timbuktu in the Sahara desert.Close to 10,000 music fans - some from as far away as Japan and the United States - joined local Tuareg, nomads in the dunes, to hear some of Mali's and Africa's biggest music stars perform over three days.The tenth anniversary of the festival coincides with the launch of Mali's 50th anniversary celebrations marking its freedom from France.The festival is inspired by an annual three-day meeting of rival Tuareg clans, who gather in the desert for a cultural exchange including camel races, music and poetry.For the event's first nine years, it was held 60 km north of Timbuktu in the desert at Essakane. But this year the event was moved within two kilometres of Timbuktu, primarily for security reasons.Northern Mali has...

History

The kora is a West African harp with 21 strings and a large calabash gourd body. According to Eric Charry, a historian of West African music, the instrument originated in the late 18th century, during the era of the Gabu empire, which encompassed present-day Guinea Bissau, southern Senegal and the Gambia. It eventually traveled to Mali in the early 20th century via the Dakar-Bamako railway. The traditional kora, writes West African-music specialist Lucy Durán, was made by hand with materials from the West African savanna: a calabash gourd cut in half for the resonator; rosewood for the neck, handles and bridge; and cow or antelope leather for the sound table, tuning rings and strings. Until the 1970s, most kora players attached a metal rattle (nyenyemo) to the end of the raised bridge, which acted as a natural amplifier and added a percussive buzzing sound. Today, many elements of the traditional kora have changed.

Nominees of 2009 Naacp Image Awards for its recording category have been announced on January 7 in Los Angeles. From the announcement, it is revealed that Jennifer Hudson leads the pack with six nods and Beyonce Knowles follows with five counts.

Topping the music list, Jennifer competes with Anthony David, Estelle, Jazmine Sullivan and Leona Lewis in "Outstanding New Artist". She meanwhile lands her self-titled debut album in a stiff competition with Beyonce's "I Am...Sasha Fierce", Kanye West's "808's & Heartbreak", Ne-Yo's "Year of the Gentleman" and Seal's "Soul" in "Outstanding Album".

On the other hand, Beyonce has to face off Jennifer in three other categories; "Outstanding Female Artist", "Outstanding Song" and "Outstanding Music Video" in addition to her battle with Jennifer in "Outstanding Album". She gets her two videos for singles "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" competing with Alicia Keys' "Superwoman", will.

The Naacp has announced it's 40th Annual Image Awards nominations. In the film category, Cadillac Records, The Secret Life of Bees, Miracle at St. Anna, Seven Pounds and Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys" have been nominated.

The TV network with the most nominations? ABC with 24 total!

The awards night will be televised on Fox, Feb. 12 from the Shrine Auditorium.

Click Read More to see the complete list of nominees:

Television Categories

Comedy Series

"30 Rock" (NBC)

"Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)

"The Game" (CW)

"Tyler Perry.s House of Payne" (TBS)

"Ugly Betty" (ABC)

Actor in a Comedy Series

Donald Faison - "Scrubs" (NBC)

Lavan Davis - "Tyler Perry.s House of Payne" (TBS)

Paul James - "Greek" (ABC Family)

Terry Crews - "Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)

Tyler James Williams - "Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)

Actress in a Comedy Series

America Ferrera -...