Every day, money changes hands in Ghanaian cedi, South African rand, and Brazilian real as music is created, traded, performed, purchased and pirated. In this episode we look at the business side of African music, through a series of vignettes from around the continent and diaspora that illuminate the deep connections between musical creation and the economies that sustain it. We start with the story of how cellphones are transforming Africa's music industries. Then, we see how economic competition drove the creation of Colombian champeta music. We take a look at the role of copyright in Jamaican dancehall, and follow the legal struggle over royalties from "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in South Africa.

Afropop Worldwide can be heard Sunday nights at 9:00 pm on KRCB-FM Radio 91 / streaming @ norcalpublicmedia.org / Listen on the go - download the FREE KRCB mobile app from the App Store & Google Play!

"Dakar Muse" takes us to one of the most exciting musical cities in Africa. We'll meet young stars on the Mbalax scene, Senegal's national music. And we'll hear rappers making their mark in the huge Hip Hop scene. Finally, we pay tribute to the brilliant Mbalax pioneer Thione Seck, who recently died of Covid-19.

Afropop Worldwide can be heard Sunday nights at 9:00 pm on KRCB-FM Radio 91 / streaming @ norcalpublicmedia.org / Listen on the go - download the FREE KRCB mobile app from the App Store & Google Play!

The Kenyan capital is roaring into the 2020s. On this program singer/songwriter/producer Eric Wainaina introduces us to a rising cadre of artists rocking the Nairobi scene. From hip-hop and dancehall to R&B and Gengetone, the city’s cultural melting pot is coming to a boil at a time of political change when artists are finding their voices to speak out against government corruption and champion social justice movements.  We meet artists on the front line--Juliani, Karun and Blinky Bill—and take a side trip to Kakuma, one of Africa’s largest refugee camps where music, including hop-hop, is literally a matter of survival.

Afropop Worldwide can be heard Sunday nights at 9:00 pm on KRCB-FM Radio 91 / streaming @ norcalpublicmedia.org / Listen on the go - download the FREE KRCB mobile app from the App Store & Google Play!

When you think punk, a few locations tend to come to mind- New York, London, LA. But Durban? Jo’Burg? South Africa? In this program, we are taking a trip to a time and a place where punk had a very different meaning, exploring the music and the legacy of the mixed race bands that challenged apartheid.

Afropop Worldwide can be heard Sunday nights at 9:00 pm on KRCB-FM Radio 91 / streaming @ norcalpublicmedia.org / Listen on the go - download the FREE KRCB mobile app from the App Store & Google Play!