List of African musicians
Encyclopedia
AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
- Cheb MamiCheb MamiAhmed Khelifati Mohamed better known by his stage name Cheb Mami , is an Algerian-born raï singer...
- IdirIdirHamid Cheriet better known by his stage name Idir is an Algerian musician of Berber origin.- Biography :...
- KhaledKhaled (musician)Khaled Hadj Ibrahim , better known as Khaled, is a raï singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in Sidi El Houari in Oran Province of Algeria...
- Souad MassiSouad MassiSouad Massi , born August 23, 1972, is an Algerian singer, songwriter and guitarist. She began her career performing in the Kabyle political rock band Atakor, before leaving the country following a series of death threats...
- Lounès MatoubLounès MatoubLounès Matoub was a famous Berber Kabyle singer and mondol player who was a prominent advocate of the Berber cause and secularism in Algeria throughout his life.He is revered as a hero and martyr in Kabylie and the Berber World but reviled by most of the Arab...
- Bellemou MessaoudBellemou MessaoudBellemou Messaoud is an Algerian musician and one of the most influential performers of modern raï music. Known as the father of raï, Messaoud began his career playing the trumpet but soon became known for adding foreign instruments like the saxophone, violin, and accordion to the genre...
- Ahmad Baba RachidAhmad Baba RachidRachid Baba Ahmed was an Algerian musical producer involved in the regional genre known as raï. He was credited with the international popularization of the genre in 1976, through the new pop raï, with a delicate and sophisticated blend of electronic instrumentation...
- Rachid TahaRachid TahaRachid Taha is an Algerian singer and activist based in France who has been described as "sonically adventurous." His music is influenced by many different styles such as rock, electronic, punk and raï.-Early life:Taha was born in 1958 in Sig , Algeria, although a second source suggests he was...
CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
- Njacko BackoNjacko BackoMulti-talented artist Njacko Backo was born in 1958 in Cameroon. He was raised in a very musical family and spent most of his childhood in a village called Bazou in western Cameroon. As a child, like most children in his village, he spent time making instruments, playing music, and learning the...
- Francis BebeyFrancis BebeyFrancis Bebey was a Cameroonian artist, musician, and writer.Bebey attended the Sorbonne, and was further educated in the United States...
- Moni BiléMoni BiléMono Bilé is a Cameroonian makossa musician. He was the best-selling makossa performer of the 1980s, and his album Amour & Espérance was an international hit that extended the worldwide popularity of the genre.-References:...
- Diboué BlackDiboué BlackEbenezer Diboué Black is a singer, composer and musical producer from Cameroon. He is also a songwriter, and performs his songs in French and Duala. His repertoire is mainly makossa and zouk...
- Manu DibangoManu Dibango-External links:*...
- Coco MbassiCoco MbassiCoco Mbassi is a female musical artist originating from Cameroon and based in Paris, France. Winner of the Radio France Internationale Découvertes Prize in 2001 with the song "Muenge Mwa Ndolo", she toured worldwide and her first album, Sepia, was released in 2001...
- Kristo NumpubyKristo Numpuby-External links:* *...
- Sally NyoloSally NyoloSally Nyolo is a Cameroonian pop musician who has lived in Paris since she was 13. In 1993 she joined Zap Mama and has also done solo work.-Web source:...
- Petit Pays
- Les Têtes BruléesLes Têtes BruléesLes Têtes Brulées are a Cameroonian band known for a mellow pop version of the bikutsi dance music. Their name literally means the burnt heads in French, but more likely is meant to imply mindblown or hot heads. They first rose to prominence in the 1980s, and quickly became the most well-known...
- Sam Fan ThomasSam Fan ThomasSam Fan Thomas is a Cameroonian musician associated with Makossa. He began in the late 1960s and had his first hit with Rikiatou. His African Typic Collection would be an international hit in 1984 and is perhaps his best known album...
- Richard BonaRichard BonaRichard Bona is a jazz bassist and musician. His real African name, as he said live in Montreal in a show with Bobby McFerrin, is Bona Pinder Yayumayalolo...
- Yannick NoahYannick NoahYannick Noah is a former professional tennis player from France. He is best remembered for being the last French man to win the French Open in 1983, and as a highly-successful captain of France's Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams...
Côte d'IvoireCôte d'IvoireThe Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
- Alpha BlondyAlpha BlondyAlpha Blondy is a reggae singer and international recording artist. Alpha Blondy was born Seydou Koné in Dimbokro, Côte d'Ivoire. He sings mainly in his native language of Dioula, in French and English, and sometimes in Arabic or Hebrew...
- Magic SystemMagic System (musical group)Magic System is a musical group from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, founded in 1996. The band comprises Salif "Asalfo" Traoré, Narcisse "Goude" Sadoua, Étienne "Tino" Boué Bi, and Adama "Manadja" Fanny....
- Ernesto DjédjéErnesto DjédjéErnesto Djédjé was an Ivorian musician from Daloa. His parents were Wolof and Bété. Djédjé began playing music at fifteen when he became a guitarist with Ivoiro Star, a leading dopé band, in 1962. He moved to Paris in 1968 and became a student...
- Tiken Jah FakolyTiken Jah FakolyTiken Jah Fakoly is a reggae singer from Côte d'Ivoire.Tiken Jah was born into a family of griots and christened Doumbia Moussa Fakoly on June 23, 1968 in Odienné, north-western Côte d'Ivoire. He discovered reggae at an early age, assembling his first group, Djelys, in 1987...
Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(former ZaireZaireThe Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
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- African FiestaAfrican FiestaL'Orchestra African Fiesta, often known simply as African Fiesta, was a Congolese soukous band started by Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr. Nico Kasanda in 1963.Tabu Ley and Dr. Nico were originally members of the seminal band Grand Kalle et l'African Jazz...
- Awilo LongombaAwilo LongombaAwilo Longomba is a Congolese musician who was a drummer in Viva la Musica, Stukas, Nouvelle Generation and Loketo. In 1995, he finally quit drumming for singing and released his first album Moto Pamba with help from Shimita, Ballou Canta, Dindo Yogo, Dally Kimoko, Sam Mangwana, Syran Mbenza and...
- Bimi OmbaleBimi OmbaleDebaba was a Congolese singer and musician.He joined the band Zaiko Langa Langa in 1969.In 1988, Zaiko Langa Langa was split up into Zaiko Langa Langa Nkolo Mboka, and Zaiko Langa Langa Familia Dei. Bimi Ombale joined the latter.-References:...
- Diblo DibalaDiblo DibalaDiblo Dibala, often known simply as Diblo, is a Congolese soukous musician, known as "Machine Gun" for his speed and skill on the guitar. He was born in 1954 in Kisangani. He moved to Kinshasa as a child, and aged 15 won a talent competition which led to him playing guitar in Franco's TPOK band...
- Dindo YogoDindo YogoDindo Yogo or with his real name Théodore Dindo Mabeli was a Congolese singer and musician. He was also called La Voix Cassée .In 1978, Dindo Yogo joined Papa Wemba's Viva La Musica...
- FrancoFrancois Luambo MakiadiFrançois Luambo Luanzo Makiadi was a major figure in twentieth century Congolese music, and African music in general. He is widely referred to as Franco Luambo or, simply, Franco. Known for his mastery of rumba, he was nicknamed the "Sorcerer of the Guitar" for his seemingly effortlessly fluid...
and OK JazzOK JazzTPOK Jazz, originally known as OK Jazz, was a rumba band in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from June 1956 until December 1993.-Location:... - Grand KalleGrand KalleJoseph Kabasele Tshamala , popularly known as Le Grand Kalle, was a Congolese singer and bandleader, considered the father of modern Congolese music...
and African Jazz - Jean Bosco MwendaJean Bosco MwendaJean Bosco Mwenda, also known as Mwenda wa Bayeke was a pioneer of Congolese fingerstyle acoustic guitar music. He was also popular in other African countries, particularly East Africa, and in the late 1950s and early 1960s was briefly based in Nairobi, where he had a regular radio show and became...
- Jimmy OmongaJimmy OmongaJimmy Omonga is a singer and songwriter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With his debut album "Destin" , he became within a few months one of Congo's new popular singers, known for his characteristic and unique voice; clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with soulful low...
- Josky Kiambukuta LondaJosky Kiambukuta LondaJosky Kiambukuta is a performing artist, singer and songwriter and composer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire. As a member of TPOK Jazz he played alongside Franco during their most popular period in the mid 1960s until the late 1980s...
- Kanda Bongo ManKanda Bongo ManKanda Bongo Man, born 1955 in Inongo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a prominent soukous musician.Kanda Bongo Man become the singer for Orchestra Belle Mambo in 1973, developing a sound influenced by Tabu Ley...
- King Kester EmeneyaKing Kester EmeneyaEmeneya Mubiala Jean , also known as King Kester Emeneya, is a Congolese musician.He was born in Kikwit within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While a student of political science at the University of Lubumbashi in 1977, King Kester joined the band Viva La Musica...
- Koffi OlomideKoffi OlomideAntoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, also known as Koffi Olomide , is a DR Congolese soukous singer, dancer, producer, and composer. He is also known by a multitude of other names and aliases.-Background:...
- Konono Nº1
- Lokua KanzaLokua KanzaLokua Kanza is a singer, songwriter, and composer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is known for his soulful, folksy sound, which is atypical of the dancefloor friendly soukous music that is common in the Congo.-Biography:...
- Madilu Système
- Marie DaulneMarie DaulneMarie Daulne born in Isiro, Haut-Uele District, Democratic Republic of the Congo to a Belgian who was killed that same year by Simba rebels, and to a local Bantu woman...
- M'bilia BelM'bilia BelM'bilia Bel is a Congolese rumba singer, known as the Queen of Congolese rumba. She rose to fame after being discovered by Tabu Ley Rochereau.-Biography:...
- Michel BoyibandaMichel BoyibandaMichel Boyibanda, is a soukous recording artist, composer and vocalist, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . He was once a member of the soukous band TPOK Jazz, led by François Luambo Makiadi, which dominated the Congolese music scene from the 1950s through the 1980s.-See also:* Franco Luambo...
- Mose Fan FanMose Fan FanMose Se Sengo is a guitarist, composer, band-leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is one of the pioneers of Congolese Soukous....
- Dr Nico KasandaDr Nico KasandaNicolas Kasanda wa Mikalay , popularly known as Dr. Nico was a guitarist, composer and one of the pioneers of soukous music. He was born in Mikalayi, Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Ndombe OpetumNdombe OpetumNdombe Opetum , popularly known as Pepe, is a soukous recording artist, composer and vocalist, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Nyboma Mwan'dido
- Papa WembaPapa WembaPapa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu . He is a Congolese rumba musician, one of Africa's most popular musicians, and prominent in World music.-Zaiko Langa Langa:...
- Pepe KallePepe KallePepe Kalle was a soukous singer, musician and bandleader from the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Les Quatre ÉtoilesLes Quatre EtoilesLes Quatre Etoiles is the Soukous musical group consisting of the Congolese musicians, Bopol Mansiamina, Wuta Mayi, Syran Mbenza and Nyboma.Their album, Sangonini, was produced by the renowned African music producer Ibrahim Sylla. The song "Doly", from Sangoni, enjoyed worldwide popularity,...
- Ray LemaRay LemaRaymond Lema A'nsi Nzinga, known as Ray Lema, is a Congolese musician born March 30, 1946 in Lufu-Toto, Bas-Congo Province.Lema is a pianist, guitarist, and songwriter. He worked for the National Ballet of Zaire, as it was then called, and in 1979 was invited to the United States by the...
- Sam MangwanaSam MangwanaSam Mangwana, born February 21, 1945, is a Congolese musician, born to a Zimbabwean migrant father and an Angolan mother. He is the frontman of his bands Festival des maquisards and African All Stars....
- Simaro LutumbaSimaro LutumbaSimaro Massiya Lutumba Ndomemueno , popularly known as Simaro, is a soukous rhythm guitarist and songwriter, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . He was once a member of the seminal soukous band TPOK Jazz which dominated the Congolese scene from 1960s through the 1980s.-Music career with...
- Staff Benda BililiStaff Benda BililiStaff Benda Bilili are a group of street musicians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They live around the grounds of the zoo in the countries capital city, Kinshasa, and play music which is rooted in rumba, with elements of old-school rhythm 'n' blues and reggae...
- Tabu Ley RochereauTabu Ley RochereauTabu Ley Rochereau is a musician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is the leader of Orchestre Afrisa International and one of Africa's most influential vocalists and prolific songwriters...
and African FiestaAfrican FiestaL'Orchestra African Fiesta, often known simply as African Fiesta, was a Congolese soukous band started by Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr. Nico Kasanda in 1963.Tabu Ley and Dr. Nico were originally members of the seminal band Grand Kalle et l'African Jazz... - Werrason Ngiama MakandaWerrasonWerrason, real name Noël Ngiama Makanda born December 25, 1965 in Moliombo, a small village in Northern Democratic Republic of Congo in Kikwit, Kwilu District is a musician from the Democratic Republic of Congo and also leader of the band Wenge Maison Mere . By age 8, Werrason was singing at his...
- Wuta MayiWuta MayiGaspard Wuta Mayi, commonly known as Wuta Mayi, is a soukous recording artist, composer and vocalist, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
- Zaiko Langa LangaZaiko Langa LangaZaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
- Teddy AfroTeddy AfroTeddy Afro is a popular Ethiopian singer and critic of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front...
- Alemu AgaAlemu AgaAlemu Aga is an Ethiopian musician and singer, a master of the bèguèna.Born in Entotta, near Addis Ababa, Alemu became interested in the begena at the age of twelve, when a master of the instrument moved in next door to his family, the Aleqa Tessema Welde-Emmanuel...
- Mahmoud AhmedMahmoud AhmedMahmoud Ahmed is an Ethiopian singer of Gurage ancestry.-Biography:Born in Addis Ababa, Mahmoud shined shoes in that city before becoming a handyman at the Arizona Club, where he first sang professionally in the early 1960s...
- Tadesse AlemuTadesse AlemuTadesse Alemu was an Ethiopian singer from Wollega who sang traditional Ethiopian songs, sometimes Christian-based, in an upbeat pop-music style with the modern-day electronic instrumentation that is characteristic of today's Ethiopian popular music. Active since 1997, nothing was known about his...
- Mulatu AstatkeMulatu AstatkeMulatu Astatke is an Ethiopian musician and arranger best known as the father of Ethio-jazz....
- Aster AwekeAster AwekeAster Aweke is an Ethiopian singer who lives in the United States. She is sometimes referred to as Ethiopia’s Aretha Franklin.Aweke was born in 1961 in Gondar, Ethiopia, and was raised in the capital city of Addis Ababa...
- Girma BèyènèGirma BèyènèGirma Bèyènè is a popular Ethiopian lyricist, composer, arranger, vocalist and pianist, most active during the golden era of Ethiopian vinyl record . He only recorded four songs as a vocalist, but arranged more than 60 titles and collaborated to at least 25 other tracks.-References:...
- Ali BirraAli BirraAli Birra is a famous Oromo singer, composer, poet and nationalist. He was born in Lagaharre village in the city of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.- Early life :Ali birra was born in Dire Dawa ....
- Alèmayèhu EshètéAlemayehu EsheteAlemayehu Eshete is an Ethiopian Ethio-jazz singer active since the 1960s who primarily sings in Amharic. Eshete's talent was recognized by colonel Rètta Dèmèqè who invited the young singer to perform with Addis Ababa's famous Police Orchestra...
- Tlahoun Gèssèssè
- GigiGigi (singer)Ejigayehu Shibabaw, or Gigi as she is popularly known, is one of the most successful contemporary Ethiopian singers worldwide. Coming from an ancient tradition of song originating in the Ethiopian Church, she has brought the music of Ethiopia to wider appreciation and developed it in combination...
- Gétatchèw MèkuryaGetatchew MekuryaGetatchew Mekurya is an Ethiopian jazz saxophonist.-Early career:Mekurya began his musical studies on traditional Ethiopian instruments such as the krar and the masenqo, and later moved on to the saxophone and clarinet. Upon reaching adolescence, he began his professional career in 1949 as a part...
- Kuku SebsebeKuku SebsebeKuku Sebsebe is an Ethiopian popular singer. She lived in the Washington, DC, area of the United States for many years but moved back to Ethiopia c. 2003...
- Asnaketch WorkuAsnaketch WorkuAsnaketch Worku, also known by the French spelling of her name Asnaqètch Wèrqu was a famous Ethiopian singer...
GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
- George DarkoGeorge DarkoGeorge Darko is a Ghanaian highlife musician, who introduced the Burger-highlife with his first hit "Ako ti brofo" , which was very popular in the early 1980s....
- E. T. MensahE. T. MensahEmmanuel Tettey Mensah, best known as E. T. Mensah was a Ghanaian highlife musician.He began as a flutist with the Accra Orchestra, a schoolchildren band, in 1930. In 1948 he formed "The Tempos", a group he might be best known for, and toured West Africa. The group gained international attention...
- OsibisaOsibisaOsibisa is a British Afro-pop band, founded in London in 1969 by four expatriate African and three Caribbean musicians. Osibisa were one of the first African bands to become widely popular, leading to claims of founding World Music.-History:...
- Reggie RockstoneReggie RockstoneReggie Rockstone is a rapper of Ghanaian descent, born in Ghana but lived his early years in the United States. He has been living in Ghana continuously since he pioneered the Hip-Life movement in 1994. He pioneered the Hiplife art form and has played an important role in the development of this...
- Buk BakBuk BakBuk Bak is a Ghanaian musical duo composed of Prince Bright aka Bling Sparkles and Ronnie Coches. They rap in Ga, Twi, and Pidgin, and were the first hiplife group in Ghana to be successful with Ga lyrics....
- Abrewa NanaAbrewa NanaAbrewa Nana is a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, dancer, and former Idol series judge.Nana's parents are Isaac Dakwa and Juliana Blankson. The name 'Abrewa' means 'Grandmother' in Akan, her language; Nana later adopted this as a stagename, partly because she had been named after her grandmother...
- Tic TacTic Tac (musician)Nana Kwaku Okyere Duah aka Tic Tac is an award-winning hiplife musician originally from Kwamo, a suburb in the Ashanti Region in Ghana.-Career:...
- VIP (hip hop crew)VIP (hip hop crew)VIP is a Ghanaian Hiplife group. Made up of Promzy , Prodigal , and Lazzy from a ghetto suburb in Accra, Ghana called Nima. The founder of this group is actually Friction who made this group with a friend of his who later had to leave the group for the U.S. to finish his education...
- Daddy LumbaDaddy LumbaDaddy Lumba is a Ghanaian singer who was based in Cologne, Germany. He was born in Nsuta near Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. In the early 1980s, he debuted on the highlife scene with his massive hit "Yeeye Aka Akwantuo Mu" with Nana Acheampong...
GuineaGuineaGuinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
- Sona Tata CondéSona Tata CondéSona Tata Condé is an internationally recognised Guinean musician. Sona Tata is a member of the Mandinka ethnic group. Sona Tata is widely popular in Guinea, especially in the capital Conakry. Sona Tata Condé recorded her afro-pop album Simbo which is named after her husband, in 2007...
- Sekouba BambinoSekouba BambinoSekouba "Bambino" Diabaté is the stage name of Sekouba Diabaté, a singer and musician born in Guinea, West Africa in 1964.Bambino was born and raised in the village of Kintinya, some 25 kilometers from the town of Siguiri, close to the border with Mali...
- Daddi CoolDaddi CoolDaddi Cool is a Sierra Leonean-born Guinean reggae musician. He was born and raised in Makeni, Sierra Leone. Daddi Cool served in the Sierra Leonean army, but fled the country during the early years of the Sierra Leone civil war and moved to Conakry, Guinea.In 1998, he released his most...
- Les Ballets AfricainsLes Ballets AfricainsLes Ballets Africains is a the national dance company of Guineaand is based in Conakry, Guinea, Africa.Although the name might suggest the idea of European "ballet" to English speakers, the focus of the company is actually to promote traditional African dance and culture.-History:Founded in Paris...
- Balla et ses BalladinsBalla et ses BalladinsBalla et ses Balladins were a dance-music orchestra formed in Guinea-Conakry in 1962 following the break-up of the Syli Orchestre National, Guinea's first state-sponsored group...
- Bembeya JazzBembeya JazzBembaya Jazz National is a Guinean jazz group that gained fame in the 1960s for their infectious Afropop rhythms. They are considered one of the most significant bands in Guinean music. Many of their recordings are based on traditional folk music in the country and have been fused with jazz and...
- Djeli Moussa DiawaraDjeli Moussa DiawaraDjeli Moussa Diawara, [born 1962 in Kankan, Guinea] is a Kora player , a composer, and singer.- Short Biography :Djeli Moussa Diawara was born to a family of the Griot tribe. His father was a balafon player, and his mother a singer...
- Famoudou KonatéFamoudou KonatéFamoudou Konaté is a Malinké master drummer from Guinea. Famoudou Konaté is a world-renowned virtuoso of the djembe drum and its orchestra. One of only a handful of initiated Masters of the Malinké drumming tradition, Famoudou is universally respected as one of the world’s premiere djembe Drum...
- Mory KantéMory KantéMory Kanté is a vocalist and player of the kora harp. He was born into one of Guinea's best known families of griot musicians...
- Mamady KeitaMamady KeïtaMamady Keïta is a master drummer from the West African nation of Guinea. He specializes in the goblet-shaped hand drum called djembe. He is also the founder of the Tam Tam Mandingue school of drumming...
KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
- Fadhili WilliamFadhili WilliamFadhili William Mdawida , was a Kenyan musician/composer who is most famous for his song "Malaika" which he recorded with his band 'The Jambo Boys' around 1963 ....
- Daudi KabakaDaudi KabakaDaudi Kabaka was a Kenyan-born singer.The type of music he is known for is called 'Benga' a popular style in East Africa. His best-known songs include "African Twist", "Harambee Harambee" and "Western Shilo"....
- Fundi KondeFundi KondeFundi Konde was a Kenyan musician. He was one of the first popular performers from that country, and was said to be the first electric guitarist from East Africa. His music utilized Swahili lyrics accompanied by a mixture of regional rhythms and imported rumba...
- Ayub OgadaAyub OgadaAyub Ogada is a musician from Kenya. Ogada was born in Mombasa and is one of the Luo people of Western Kenya.He received his first exposure to Western culture early on. When he was six, his parents , toured the college circuit in the U.S...
- Tony NyadundoTony NyadundoTony Nyadundo is a musician from Kenya. He performs the Ohangla a traditional style of music by the luo community. He is backed by the Ohangla Boys band. He is now branded the "King of Ohangla"....
- Wanyika bands, including Simba WanyikaSimba WanyikaSimba Wanyika was a Kenyan based band created in 1971 by Tanzanian brothers Wilson Kinyonga and George Kinyonga, and disbanded in 1994. Simba Wanyika and its two offshoots, Les Wanyika and Super Wanyika Stars, became some of the most popular bands in Kenya. Their guitar-driven sound, inspired by...
and its offshoots - Suzzana OwiyoSuzzana OwíyoSuzanna Owiyo is a Kenyan musician. A singer-songwriter, Owiyo has been called "the Tracy Chapman of Africa".Owiyo was born in Kasaye village, Nyakach, near the lakeside city of Kisumu, Suzanna Owiyo was introduced to music at a young age by her grandfather who was a prolific Nyatiti player.In high...
- Mighty King KongMighty King KongPaul Otieno Imbaya , better known for his stage name Mighty King Kong was a reggae musician from Kenya. He was born in Ugenya, Siaya District....
- Eric Wainaina (musician)Eric Wainaina (musician)Eric Wainaina is a Kenyan singer-songwriter. His career was launched with his debut album, Sawa Sawa, in 2001. Wainaina's music is a blend of Kenyan Benga rhythm and East African guitars, with some modern harmony.- Childhood :...
- George RamogiGeorge RamogiGeorge Ramogi was a Kenyan musician, who empowered the traditional luo benga and rumba genre of music. Ramogi was known for his spur of the good life and his notable appearances at bars and clubs in western Kenya-Nyanza region...
- Princess JullyPrincess JullyPrincess Jully is a benga musician from Kenya.She started as a back-up vocalist for Jolly Boys Band led by her husband Prince Jully . Prince Jully died in 1997 and subsequently Princess Jully took over the leadership of the band...
- Harry KimaniHarry Kimani-Biography:Kimani grew up with music, teaching himself to play the guitar by watching an older brother perform. He attended Kirangari High School in Nairobi, where he already showed a great interest in music; he sang, composed songs, participated in music festivals and, at one time, conducted the...
MaliMaliMali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
- Boubacar TraoréBoubacar TraoréBoubacar Traoré is a renowned singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Traoré also goes by the nickname Kar Kar, "the one who dribbles too much" in Bambara, a reference to his soccer playing: "a nickname I got from playing soccer when I was young...
- Mory KantéMory KantéMory Kanté is a vocalist and player of the kora harp. He was born into one of Guinea's best known families of griot musicians...
- Salif KeitaSalif KeitaSalif Keïta is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the Golden Voice of Africa, but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita...
- Toumani DiabatéToumani DiabatéToumani Diabaté is a Malian kora player. In addition to performing the traditional music of Mali, he has also been involved in cross-cultural collaborations with flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles.-Biography:...
- Kandia KouyatéKandia KouyatéKandia Kouyaté is a Malian jelimuso and kora player; she has earned the prestigious title of ngara, and is sometimes appellated La dangereuse and La grande vedette malienne...
- Habib KoitéHabib KoitéHabib Koité is a Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. His supporting cast, Bamada, is a super-group of West African talent, including Kélétigui Diabaté playing balafon.- Musical style :...
- Issa BagayogoIssa BagayogoIssa Bagayogo is a Malian musician. He has released four full-length albums all under the record label Six Degrees Records. Bagayogo lends his voice and plays the kamele n'goni while Yves Wernert is the producer and keyboardist.-Career:Bagayogo blends his native Malian traditions with western pop...
- Rokia TraoréRokia TraoréRokia Traoré is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group, her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was...
- TinariwenTinariwenTinariwen is a band of Tuareg-Berber musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali. The band was formed around 1979 in refugee camps in Libya but returned to Mali after a cease-fire in the 1990s...
- Ali Farka TouréAli Farka TouréAli Ibrahim “Farka” Touré was a Malian singer and guitarist, and one of the African continent’s most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin, the blues...
- Amadou et Mariam
- Oumou SangaréOumou SangaréOumou Sangare is a Malian Wassoulou musician, sometimes referred to as "The Songbird of Wassoulou." Wassoulou is a historic region south of the Niger River, and the music there is descended from traditional hunting songs, and is accompanied by a calabash...
- Afel BocoumAfel BocoumAfel Bocoum is a musician from Mali, noted as a singer and guitarist. He began his career as a member of Ali Farka Toure's group ASCO, and Toure is often regarded as his mentor. Both men come from the town of Niafunke on the River Niger, and are members of the Sonrai people...
- Lobi TraoréLobi TraoréLobi Traoré was a Malian musician. He was born in the village of Bakaridianna, on the Niger River close to Ségou and died in Bamako. His singing has been described in The Economist as "flat, strangely penetrating tone, somewhere between rap and blues".His breakthrough album, Bamako, produced by...
NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
- Eddy WataEddy WataEddy Wata is an African dance music artist. He was born to a Nigerian mother and Jamaican father and began to play with a battery-operated keyboard at a very young age...
- Fela Anikulapo Kuti
- Sir Victor Uwaifo
- Onyeka OnwenuOnyeka OnwenuOnyeka Onwenu is a Nigerian singer, actress and politician. In 2006 she won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a supporting role. She is currently the chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture.-Filmography:...
- Oliver De CoqueOliver De CoqueOliver De Coque is a well known name in Nigeria as well as the Nigerian music circle. Though many believe he was not a Nigerian owing to his popular name which has a French leaning, he had started music with Ekpili at the age of 17. Oliver De Coque was from Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government...
- 9ice9ice9ice was born on Thursday, January 17, 1980. He is a very popular Nigerian Musician with a classic style of music. 9ice is a south-westerner from Ogbomoso in Oyo State but he grew up in the district of Bariga in Lagos....
- Shirley BasseyShirley BasseyDame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
- Tunde NightingaleTunde NightingaleTunde Nightingale, a.k.a., "Western" was a native of Ibadan, the largest city in both Nigeria and Africa. An incredible guitarist with a sonorous voice to boot, he was best known for his unique Jùjú music style, following in the tradition of Tunde King....
- Femi KutiFemi KutiOlufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....
- Adé BantuAdé BantuAdegoke Odukoya, better known as Adé Bantu is a Nigerian-German musician, producer and activist. He is best known as the founder of the Afro-German musical collective and NGO Brothers Keepers and as the front man of Bantu & Afrobeat Academy Band...
- Tunde KingTunde KingTunde King was a Nigerian musician, credited as the founder of Jùjú music, who had great influence on Nigerian popular music.Lagos in the 1920s and 1930s was peopled by a mixture of local Yoruba people and returnees from the New World. Together they created a form of music named "Palm Wine" that...
- Ayinde BakareAyinde BakareAyinde Bakare was a pioneering Yoruba juju and highlife musician. He began recording on the HMV label in 1937 and is thought to have been the first juju musician to use an amplified guitar, in 1949....
- Yusuf OlatunjiYusuf OlatunjiYusuf Olatunji, also known as Baba Legba or Baba L’Egbaa was a Nigerian Sakara drum player, who popularized the sakara music style....
- King Sunny AdeKing Sunny AdéKing Sunny Adé is a popular performer of Yoruba Nigerian Jùjú music and a pioneer of modern world music. He has been classed as one of the most influential musicians of all time.-Background:...
- I.K. Dairo
- Ebenezer ObeyEbenezer ObeyEbenezer Obey , nicknamed the "Chief Commander," is a Nigerian pop musician.- Biography :Obey, whose full name is Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi, was born in Idogo, Ogun State, Nigeria of Egba-Yoruba ethnic background. He is of the Owu subgroup of the Egba. He began his professional...
- Haruna IsholaHaruna IsholaHaruna Ishola was a Nigerian musician, and one of the most popular artist in the apala genre.Haruna IsholaBorn: Unknown, Ijebu-igboDied: 1983...
- Ayinla Kollington
- Prince Nico MbargaPrince Nico MbargaPrince Nico Mbarga was a highlife musician, born to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father in Abakaliki, Nigeria...
- LagbajaLagbajaLagbaja is a Nigerian Afrobeat musician.-Name and mask:According to Lagbaja, his mask is used as an icon of man’s facelessness. Lagbaja is a Yoruba word that means "nobody in particular". It depicts the anonymity of the so-called “common man”. The mask and the name symbolize the faceless, the...
- Oriental Brothers
- Shina Peters
- Alhaji Abass Akande Obesere
- Osita Osadebe
- Sonny Okosuns
- Adewale AyubaAdewale AyubaAdewale Ayuba, with stage name Ayuba was born on May 6, 1966 in lkenne Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. He grew up as a child singer. By the age of eight, he had started singing at local Musical competitions and fiestas in lkenne Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. He is a distinct Fuji music artiste with a...
- Sade AduSade AduHelen Folasade Adu OBE , is a British singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. She first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the Brit and Grammy Award winning English group Sade.-Biography:Sade was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria...
- Tope AlabiTope AlabiTope Alabi, also known as Ore ti o common, and as Gbo Jesu, is a multi-platinum Nigerian Gospel Singer, film music composer and actor....
- Alhaji Dauda Epo-AkaraAlhaji Dauda Epo-AkaraDauda Akanmu Epo-Akara , a Yoruba musician from the historical city of Ibadan, was the main force behind the popular Yoruba music genre called were music. He started producing SP and LP records under Saliu Adetunji's Omo Aje Records label in Lagos...
- Alhaji Alamu Atatalo
- Babatunde OlatunjiBabatunde OlatunjiBabatunde Olatunji was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist and recording artist.- Biography :Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, a small town near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nigeria. A member of the Yoruba people, Olatunji was introduced to traditional African music at...
- Majek FashekMajek FashekMajekodumni Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek, is a Nigerian reggae singer and guitarist. Various translations of his name include "high priest who does not lie", "powers of miracles" and "the high priest does not live".-Early life:...
- Fela SowandeFela SowandeOlufela Obafunmilayo Sowande was a Nigerian musician and composer....
- Rex LawsonRex LawsonRex Jim Lawson , known as Cardinal Rex, was a singer, trumpeter and bandleader from Kalabari , Nigeria. One of the best-known highlife musicians of the 1960s, Lawson took highlife music to an intoxicating peak that has hardly been heard again after him.Lawson played with Sammy Obot, Bobby Benson,...
- Plantashun BoyzPlantashun BoyzPlantashun Boyz was a very successful Nigerian hip hop band whose members were Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo , Innocent Ujah Idibia and Chibuzor Oji...
- Eedris AbdulkareemEedris AbdulkareemEedris Abdulkareem, born Eedris Turayo Abdulkareem Ajenifuja, is a Nigerian hip hop artist.Born to a polygamous family in Kano, Nigeria, his father was from Ijesha, Osun State, and his mother was from Ogun State. Raised in Kano, he adopted Kano State as his state of origin. His father resides in...
- Tony TetuilaTony TetuilaAnthony Olanrewaju Awotoye better known as Tony Tetuila is an Afro hip hop artist from Nigeria. His name, Olanrewaju, means "My wealth is the future". Formerly a member of The Remedies , he split with the group and has been successful as a solo artist...
- 2 Face
- Genevieve NnajiGenevieve NnajiGenevieve Nnaji is a Nigerian actress. In 2005 she won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. CNN states that she is referred to as the "Julia Roberts of Africa".- Early life :...
- FazeFaze (musician)Faze is a Nigerian musician and is a member of Nigerian hip hop group Plantashun Boiz...
- D'banjD'banjDapo Daniel Oyebanjo , is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. and BET Awards of 2011 for Best International Act; Africa...
- JJC and 419 Squad
- Rugged man
- P-SquareP-SquareP-Square are a Nigerian R&B duo composed of non-identical twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye.-History:The story of P-Square began in St. Murumba secondary school, a small Catholic school in Jos, Nigeria...
- Tony AllenTony Allen (musician)Tony Oladipo Allen is aNigerian drummer, composer, and songwriter who currently lives and works in Paris. He is currently writing his autobiography "Tony Allen: Master Drummer of Afrobeat" with author/musician Michael E...
- Peter KingPeter King (afrobeat)Peter King is a Nigerian musician who played several instruments, but was best known as an alto saxophonist playing a combination of Afrobeat and Jazz....
- William OnyeaborWilliam OnyeaborWilliam Onyeabor is a funk musician from Nigeria. His songs are often heavily rhythmic and synthesized, occasionally epic in scope, with lyrics decrying war sung by both Onyeabor himself and female backing vocalists...
- Nneka Egbuna
SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
- AkonAkonAliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
- Baaba MaalBaaba MaalBaaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
- Ismaël LôIsmaël LôIsmaël Lô is a Senegalese musician. He was born in Dogondoutchi, Niger on 30 August 1956, to a Senegalese father and a Nigerien mother. Shortly after Lo's birth the family returned to Senegal where they settled in the town of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar. He also plays the guitar and the...
- Orchestra Baobab
- Positive Black SoulPositive Black SoulPositive Black Soul is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi and Amadou Barry , both of whom had previously been in other hip hop groups...
- Thione SeckThione SeckThione Ballago Seck is one of Senegal's greatest singers and musicians in the mbalax genre, on par with Baaba Maal and Youssou N'dour although he hasn't achieved the same level of fame outside his country. Seck comes from a family of "griot" singers from the Wolof people of Senegal...
and Raam DaanRaam DaanRaam Daan is a mbalax band from Senegal, Africa. Founded in 1974 by Thione Seck, Raam Daan has risen to become one of the most popular mbalax bands in Senegal .... - Star BandStar BandStar Band is a music group from Senegal that were the resident band of Dakar's Miami Club.Formed to celebrate Senegal's independence in 1960 the band has been host to some influential musicians, Youssou N'Dour being the most notable, and gave birth to Etoile de Dakar...
- Touré KundaTouré KundaTouré Kunda is a Senegalese musical group whose 20-year career encompasses recordings in six languages and collaborations with well-known musicians such as Carlos Santana...
- Youssou N'DourYoussou N'DourYoussou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
and Étoile de DakarÉtoile de DakarÉtoile de Dakar were a leading music group of Senegal in the 1970s.The group was formed in 1979 by Youssou N'Dour and members of the Star Band one of Dakar's best known nightclub house bands of the 1970s... - Xalam (band)Xalam (band)Xalam is the name of a Senegalese musical group founded in 1969 founded by a group of friends. The band was originally called African Khalam Orchestra....
TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
- Ras NasRas NasBorn in Morogoro , Ras Nas aka Nasibu Mwanukuzi, is a musician and poet from Tanzania who blends African music and reggae with a dash of poetry. Ras Nas' latest album, Dar-es-Salaam, contains roots reggae, soukous and dub poetry. It is released by , KonPro...
- Cool JamesCool JamesCool James, real name James Maligisa Dandu also known as "Mtoto wa Dandu"or CJ Massive was a Tanzanian musician....
- Gangwe MobbGangwe MobbGangwe Mobb is a Tanzanian hip hop group. They come from poor Temeke neighborhood in Dar es Salaam. It has two members: Inspector Haroun and Luteni Kalama . The group was established in late 90's soon after Kwanza Unit, Mr. II and other had popularized swahili hip hop music in Tanzania...
- Juma NatureJuma NatureJuma Nature a.k.a Sir Nature is a Tanzanian hip hop artist and a singer. He is the founder and member of a Temeke group called Wanaume, an informal group of rappers from the poor side of Dar es Salaam...
- Saida KaroliSaida KaroliSaida Karoli is a traditionalist Tanzanian singer and performer who has staged live shows in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC....
- Bi KidudeBi KidudeFatuma binti Baraka is a Zanzibari Taarab singer. She is considered the undisputed queen of Taarab and Unyago music and is also a protégé of Siti binti Saad. Bi Kidude was born in the village of Mfagimaringo, she was the daughter of a coconut seller in colonial Zanzibar...
- George KinyongaGeorge KinyongaGeorge Peter Kinyonga was an influential musician in Kenya.Born in Tanzania, Peter Kinyonga and his elder brother Wilson Kinyonga founded the rumba band Simba Wanyika which would later spawn Les Wanyika, Super Wanyika Stars and other offshoots.George and Wilson Kinyonga began as musicians in their...
- Wilson KinyongaWilson KinyongaWilson Peter Kinyonga was an influential musician in Kenya. Born in Tanzania, Wilson Kinyonga and his brother George Kinyonga founded the rumba band Simba Wanyika which would later spawn Les Wanyika, Super Wanyika Stars and other offshoots. Les Wanyika was to become more popular as Simba Wanyika...
- Kwanza UnitKwanza UnitKwanza Unit was an early Tanzanian hip hop group. Its name means "First Unit" and it was formed in 1993 by a merger of several groups and solo artists. They started rapping in English, but later used Swahili as well....
- Lady JaydeeLady JaydeeJudith Daines Wambura Mbibo, known as Lady Jaydee is an R&B/Hip-hop singer from Tanzania. She was voted Best Tanzanian Female R&B Artist in 2002, performed at the Kora All Africa Designers Competition, and was awarded "Best R&B Album" at the Tanzania Music Awards on August 6, 2004. In July 2005,...
- Daniel Owino MisianiDaniel Owino MisianiDaniel Owino Misiani was a musician from Kenya. He was known as the "King of History" in Kenya; overseas, he was known as "the grandfather of benga", of which he was a pioneer....
- Tumi MolekaneTumi MolekaneTumi Molekane, born in 1981 in Tanzania, is a popular musician from South Africa. A poet, musician and MC, he is famous as the lead singer/rapper of Tumi and the Volume]]....
- Mr. IIMr. IIJoseph Mbilinyi , known for his stage names Mr. II and Sugu and 2-proud, is one of the founders of the hip hop music scene in Tanzania. He was also elected to the Tanzanian Parliament in 2010....
- Remmy Ongala & Orchestra MatimilaRemmy OngalaRamadhani "Remmy" Mtoro Ongala was a Tanzanian guitarist and singer. Ongala was born in Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo....
- Professor JayProfessor JayJoseph Haule , popularly known as Professor Jay, is a Tanzanian hip hop artist. He is one of the prominent representants of the "Bongo Flava" Tanzanian hip hop subgenre, which mixes elements from both Western hip hop and the Tanzanian tradition Joseph Haule (born December 29, 1975), popularly known...
- Ray CRay CRehema Chalamila popularly known for her stage name Ray C is a musician from Tanzania. Her music is a mixture of Bongo flava, R&B and taarab- Biography :...
- Imani SangaImani SangaImani Sanga an ethnomusicologist, composer and Choral Conductor is a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Born in Matamba Uwanji in 1972, Imani Sanga was educated at Chimala primary school, Kidugala Lutheran Seminary, University of Dar es Salaam where he earned...
- Wanyika bands, including Simba WanyikaSimba WanyikaSimba Wanyika was a Kenyan based band created in 1971 by Tanzanian brothers Wilson Kinyonga and George Kinyonga, and disbanded in 1994. Simba Wanyika and its two offshoots, Les Wanyika and Super Wanyika Stars, became some of the most popular bands in Kenya. Their guitar-driven sound, inspired by...
and its offshoots - X PlastazX PlastazX Plastaz is a Tanzanian hip hop musical group based in Arusha and founded in 1996. They are one of the most popular acts in theTanzanian hip hop scene. Their style mixes elements from international hip hop and traditional Maasai music, represented by Maasai singer Merege. While Merege sings in maa...
- Hukwe ZawoseHukwe ZawoseHukwe Ubi Zawose was a prominent Tanzanian musician. He was a member of the Gogo ethnic group and played the ilimba, a large lamellophone similar to the mbira, as well as several other traditional instruments...
UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
- Bataka SquadBataka SquadBataka Squad is a pioneering Ugandan hip hop group. The group was formed by Babaluku , Saba Saba aka Krazy Native and Big Poppa Momo MC...
- Bebe CoolBebe CoolBebe Cool is a ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but a few years later he moved back to his native country...
- Bobi WineBobi WineBobi Wine is a musician from UgandaHe was born on 12th February 1982 in Mpingi District South West of Kampala District, who was Baptised Robert Kyagulanyi in the Roman Catholic Church. He went to Makerere University in Kampala. He started making music in the early 2000s...
- Geoffrey OryemaGeoffrey OryemaGeoffrey Oryema is an internationally renowned Ugandan musician. In 1977, at the age of 24 and at the height of Idi Amin's power, Oryema was smuggled across the Ugandan border in the trunk of a car, after the death of his father, Erinayo Wilson Oryema, who was a cabinet minister, beginning a life...
- Iryn NamubiruIryn NamubiruIryn Namubiru, also known as Irene Namubiru is a female, Ugandan performing artist, resident in Paris, France.-Background:She was born in Central Uganda...
- Jose Chameleon
- Juliana KanyomoziJuliana KanyomoziJuliana Kanyomozi, popularly known by the mononym Juliana, is a Ugandan female musician, entertainer and actress.-Background:She was born in Uganda on 27 November 1981. She attended Namasagali College in Kamuli District, for her high school education....
- Klear KutKlear KutKlear Kut is a five-member Ugandan ensemble consisting of Navio, Papito, Abba Lang, JB, and Tha Mith.Klear Kut was formed in August 2000. The group started by performing at karaokes around Kampala and quickly gained a reputation for their original performances...
- MadoxxMadoxxMadoxx is the stage name for the Ugandan roots reggae musician David Amon Ssemanda Ssematimba . Madoxx, who is popular in Uganda for his reggae ballads in Luganda, lives in Göteborg, Sweden.-Early life and career:...
- Paulo KafeeroPaulo KafeeroPrince Paulo Job Kafeero , commonly known as Paulo Kafeero, was a Ugandan recording artist, composer, vocalist and entertainer.-Education:...
- Philly LutaayaPhilly LutaayaPhilly Bongoley Lutaaya was a Ugandan musician who was the first prominent Ugandan to give a human face to HIV/AIDS...
- Saba Saba aka Krazy NativeSaba Saba aka Krazy NativeSaba Saba, also known as Krazy Native is a hip-hop artist and social activist from Uganda. Saba Saba began his hip hop career in 1993 with the group Bataka Squad. Saba Saba is now a solo artist, but remains a member of Bataka Squad, along with fellow members Babaluku and Shillingz...
ZambiaZambiaZambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
- Alick NkhataAlick NkhataAlick Nkhata was a popular Zambian musician and broadcaster in the 1950s through to the mid-1970s. Nkhata, Zambian Broadcasting Service’s director, formed the Lusaka Radio Band, which was later called the Big Gold Six Band. The band promoted Zambian music, translating original rural recordings...
- AmayengeAmayengeAmayenge is the name of a popular Zambian music group. Started by Kris Chali in 1978 in Choma, the band was originally called New Crossbones. The musical style of the group is called kalindula, a distinctive Zambian popular style with traditional African roots. Chali died 30 May 2003, but the...
- Distro KuombokaDistro KuombokaDistro Kuomboka were formed at Kabwe in 1979. They are Zambia's longest surviving band . Recognised as Zambia's Best Band at the Ngoma National Music Awards and Best Band in the Copperbelt at the Mukuba Music Awards , Distro Kuomboka are now the resident band at the Mukuba Hotel, in the...
- Mashome Blue Jeans
- Paul NgoziPaul NgoziPaul Ngozi, born Paul Dobson Nyirongo was a popular Zambian musician He rose to take his place at the top of Zambian Music in the 1970s and 1980s...
ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
- Albert NyathiAlbert NyathiAlbert Nyathi is a poet who is particularly famous for the poem and song Senzeni na?, which he composed following the assassination of Chris Hani...
- Alick MachesoAlick MachesoAlick Macheso is a contemporary musician, often referred to as the king of sungura. Born and raised in Shamva, Alick rose to fame in the late 1990s as a solo artist with Orchestra Mberikwazvo. He is well known throughout all of Africa as one of the most successful African singers and ranked among...
- Bhundu BoysBhundu BoysThe Bhundu Boys were a Zimbabwean band that played a mixture of chimurenga music with American rock and roll, disco, country, and pop influences...
- Busi NcubeBusi NcubeBusi Ncube is a female Mbira singer from Zimbabwe, who sings in six African languages.Busi Ncube was a member of the Afro-Fusion group Illanga; the group released three albums during the 1980s, and played during the 1988 Human Rights Now! concert....
- Ephat MujuruEphat MujuruEphat Mujuru , a Zimbabwean musician, was one of the 20th century's finest players of the mbira, a traditional instrument of the Shona ethnic group of Zimbabwe.-Biography:...
- HohodzaHohodzaHohodza is a Zimbabwean band formed in 1992. One of its main aims is to promote Zimbabwean culture".-Formation:The band members were mainly self-taught, drawing heavily on their traditional musical and dancing roots. Their first show was in 1992 in Harare....
- Leonard DemboLeonard DemboLeonard Tazvivinga Dembo was a Zimbabwean guitar-band musician who became extremely popular in Zimbabwe during the 1990s with his band the 'Barura Express'.-Early life and education:...
- Oliver Mtukudzi
- Paul MatavirePaul MatavirePaul Matavire was a blind Zimbabwean musician and songwriter born in Maranda, Mwenezi District. He rose to prominence in the 1980s when he joined the Jairos Jiri Band based in Bulawayo at the Jairos Jiri Rehabilitation Centre. He was then elected to lead the Jairo Jiri Band, as one of Zimbabwe's...
- R.U.N.N. familyR.U.N.N. familyR.U.N.N. family were a Zimbabwean musical group that had several hits in the 1980s, whose songs combined mbira-inspired music with reggae and rhumba influences....
- Safirio MadzikatireSafirio MadzikatireSafirio Madzikatire, also known as Mukadota, was a multi-disciplinary artist specialising in comedy and music. His nickname comes from his role as Mukadota Baba VaRwizi on The Mukadota Family, a Shona TV drama which ran on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Television ZTV in the 1980s and early 1990s.-References:...
- Simon ChimbetuSimon ChimbetuSimon Chopper Chimbetu was a Zimbabwean guitarist, vocalist and composer. He was the founding member his band Orchestra Dendera Kings.-Early life:...
- SiyayaSiyayaSiyaya are a music, dance and theatre group from Makokoba, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.-Origin:Siyaya formed in 1989 and were originally known as Nostalgic Actors and Singers Alliance . They started with 5 members and were led by Mike Sobiko...
- Solomon 'Jah Solo' SkuzaSolomon SkuzaSolomon Skuza , also known as Jah Solo was a Zimbabwean musician, one of the most popular to come out of Plumtree. In addition to his native Kalanga, he wrote lyrics in Ndebele, Shona and English as well...
- Stella ChiwesheStella ChiwesheStella Chiweshe is a Zimbabwean musician. She is internationally known for her singing and playing of the mbira dzavadzimu, a traditional instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe...
- System TazvidaSystem TazvidaSystem Tazvida was a Zimbabwean musician very popular in his home country mainly in the 1990s, though not as well known internationally. Tazvida wrote and performed songs mainly in his native Shona tongue....
- Thomas MapfumoThomas MapfumoThomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo is a Zimbabwean musician known as "The Lion of Zimbabwe" and "Mukanya" for his immense popularity and for the political influence he wields through his music, including his sharp criticism of the government of President Robert Mugabe...
- Tongai MoyoTongai MoyoTongai Moyo was a contemporary Zimbabwean musician, often referred to as Dhewa. Born and raised in Kwekwe, Dhewa rose to fame in the late 1990s as a solo-artist with the Utakataka express...