African Music and Songs That You Don’t know About

People all over the world have one thing in common and that is the love for music. It can be simple spontaneous harmonies or complex musical compositions that take many months to perfect. Either way, music is an important part of our lives and even plays a part in how we relate to each other. The different types of music are formed by the culture it springs from. For example, African music tells the story of its culture and source.

African music has is roots deep in the origins of Africa. This continent is home to diverse cultures from many countries. Some of these cultures have been very successful at getting their African songs accepted by the mainstream population of African and international listeners. Some African songs have garnered attention on the world stage. We will look at a few of them.

Among the most recognized African music is the afro beat. The afro beat incorporates funky rhythms, Yoruba music, percussions, and jazz to create its own hybrid style. It began with Fela Kunti who was a Nigerian musician that became well known due to his radical political opinions he expressed through his unique African songs. This musical style quickly became popular and grew to become one of the biggest musical influences to come out of Africa. A newer form or variation of Afro beat is known as Afro talk music which was recently created by an artist called Georgy B. This form of music is a form of story telling using spoken words in songs. It is gaining popularity and been played allover the world.

Kwaito is another type of popular African song. This African music originated on the southernmost tip of Africa during the apartheid resistance. The local African tribes used their musical style to express their views on the political oppression they faced. Some say the oppression was overcome thanks in great part to this music. The love for Kwaito swelled from its beginnings in humble Africa, and has drawn attention from the world audience as well.

Lingala is a common type of African music among people in Central and East Africa. It is believed to have originates in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One particular type of Lingala is called Saben. Saben is quite popular and is the most common style of Lingala. The Saben African song is said to have its rhythm based upon the sounds of a moving train. Lingala and Saben have spread beyond the Congo and are gaining popularity all over Africa.

Kapungala is another common form of African song. This African music is fairly new to the scene but is quickly gaining popularity in East Africa. Kapungala is actually a blend of Lingala and Kapuka. Kapuka is a traditional form of African music popular among the people of Kenya. Kapungala has successfully brought together the old and the new to form a distinct sound all its own.

Africa is also home to a great deal of traditional folk songs. These are generally songs that were passed down from generation to generation; they were sung to convey some form of teaching and often contained a moral inclination. Many of the songs were also known as “work” songs. These were songs that were sung as women ploughed the fields in a group. These songs kept them motivated as they did their work.

As one can see, African songs have a colorful history as well as a world of diversity. The cultural richness in Africa will continue to produce good African music for the whole world to enjoy. This is truly exhibited in all forms of the variety of African songs available today.

You can learn more about African songs at the African Side website. While you are there, you can also watch the trailer of the hit African movie called The African Side.

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