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<title>Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</title><link>http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link><description>Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</description><category>Afro-Pop</category><language>en</language><ttl>720</ttl><pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:05:32 -0800</pubDate><image>
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<title>Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</title>
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<title>Amadou &amp; Mariam</title>
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<category>Mali</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:25 -0700</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia met each other in the 1970s in Bamako, Mali -- but not at a nightclub or a party or a single's bar. Both were actually enrolled in the newly formed Institute for Blind Youth. Against their families' wishes, the couple fell in love, got married and embarked on two challenging journeys: starting a family and building a music career. Bagayoko played in the Motel de Bamako house band for years, but ultimately the couple had to move to Cote D'Ivoire to make their career work. Work it did, and they gained no small fame for their African (and European) hit "Je Pense A Toi." The success of that song brought them to the attention of musical polymath Manu Chao, who produced their 2005 release <I>Dimanche A Bamako</I>. That release took them to unprecedented levels of fame in France, Africa and beyond, thanks to Chao's orgasmic take on global pop and their gorgeous vocal interplay.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>Johnny Clegg</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 3 Dec 2009 22:53:43 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Clegg led an interracial group in South Africa during the closing (and most volatile) years of apartheid. He had global success with his upbeat, club-happy Afro and western pop -- the Police seem to have had almost as much influence on his sound as the music of his adopted African home. Although his lyrics have always touched on international themes, Clegg's career -- at least in the west -- has been hurt by the dismantling of the very system that helped make his music so unique.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Youssou N'Dour</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 8 Dec 2009 09:16:47 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[N'Dour came to worldwide attention in the 1980s after being "discovered" by Peter Gabriel (he was already loved in France and a major star in his native Senegal) and impressing listeners with his high, soulful wails and incredible vocal technique. On his own recordings, he had invented a style of music known as <I>mbalax</I> -- a blend of African music with Caribbean and pop influences. N'Dour's music can surprise, with Cuban influenced horns working side by side with rhythmic guitars, a variety of sung trills, rhymes and scat interspersed between the sweetest melodies you've ever heard. Working with artists like Sting, Neneh Cherry, Branford Marsalis, Wyclef Jean and Gabriel helps N'Dour get his music to a wider audience, but it is his own recordings in which you can truly appreciate this astounding singer.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
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<title>Angelique Kidjo</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:25 -0700</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Forced to leave her native Benin (birthplace of voodoo!) for her survival -- and since relocated to Paris -- Angelique Kidjo is a gifted vocalist who combines African folk with everything from American hip-hop and European electronica to world pop. Her vocal style adds elements of soul and jazz, but that's no surprise coming from a woman who grew up loving the music of Jimi Hendrix, as well as Celtic music and Vocal Jazz. Her dance-friendly tracks feature enough 70s-style Funk, Acid Jazz grooves and phat beats to keep the club kids happy, but her A Capella vocals will please the older adults who fondly remember hearing fellow African-born vocalist Miriam Makeba for the first time.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Habib Koite &amp; Bamada</title>
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<category>Mali</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:16:51 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Somewhere between the bluesy roots music of Ali Farka Toure and the modern electro-griot sounds of Salif Keita lies the exquisite neo-traditional music of Habib Koite & Bamada. Hailing from Mali, where music flows from a deep and ancient well, Habib Koite plays mostly acoustic music based on traditional styles. While he utilizes West African drums, the kora (a 21-stringed African harp) and percussion (along with acoustic and electric guitars), Koite's original music also shows a familiarity with Funk and Flamenco. Koite was born into a family of traditional musicians, or griots. He learned to play the four-stringed ngoni as a child and studied at the National Arts Institute in Mali, where he became director of the school orchestra and later a guitar teacher. Koite is known as a solid, understated singer and a virtuoso guitarist; he uses pentatonic tuning and incorporates techniques used on traditional Malian stringed instruments. Drawing from a range of indigenous rhythms, he mostly plays up-tempo songs such as his '92 pan-African hit "Cigarette A Bana" (No More Cigarette).
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Asa</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:09:29 -0800</pubDate>
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<title>Baaba Maal</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:14:07 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Senegalese artist Baaba Maal is a giant of world music, blowing away audiences all over the globe and achieving legendary status on his home continent. His high, uplifting vocals, powerfully plaintive wails and twisting melodies can send shivers down your spine and raise the hair on the back of your neck. Often accompanied by a variety of African instruments such as the kora (a harp/lute hybrid), Maal takes advantage of sprawling backing ensembles sparked by tight rhythms, a bright chorus of singers, colorful brass and everything from Celtic pipes to Western dance beats. Not only is he an intense performer, but his compositions are righteous, standing up for oppressed people of the world, women in particular. There is a folkloric quality to the tales he weaves, best experienced during one of his intense live jams.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
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<title>Africando</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2009 09:34:51 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Wasis Diop</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:23:55 -0700</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Singer Wasis Diop emigrated from Senegal to Paris in the 1980s, dropping his engineering studies to play in several bands, including West African Cosmos. His first big break came when he composed the award-winning "C'est Le Dernier Qui A Raison" for singer Amina Annabi. Two years later he composed the soundtrack for the 1992 Senegalese film <I>Hyenes</I>, and that success led to his solo recording career. As a songwriter, Diop is deeply concerned with the survival of African culture, which manifested in two of his biggest hits: "African Dream," which hit the Top-40 in England, and the lush "Everything (Is Never Quite Enough)," which made it onto the soundtrack of <I>The Thomas Crown Affair</I>.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>Kanda Bongo Man</title>
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<category>Soukous</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:51:02 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Issa Bagayogo</title>
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<category>Mali</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:26 -0700</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[At first glance, Issa Bagayogo has the typical rags-to-riches story: young son of a farming family in Mali begins to play music, moves to the city, and hits the big time. The reality is somewhat messier than that. It took Bagayogo several cassettes and a change in producers before his sound took off, and in the meantime he moved back home once or twice, watched his marriage fall apart, and suffered bouts of depression and addiction. A mix of luck and perseverance led to a third opportunity to record, however -- this time with French producer Yves Wernert. Wernert encouraged a reluctant Bagayogo to mix his traditional <i>ngoni</i> (six-stringed lute) playing with modern electronics. Bagayogo's reluctance must have evaporated when 1998's <i>Sya</i> became a national best seller and earned him the award of Mali's "Brightest New Hope" a year later. 2002's <i>Timbuktu</I> fared even better, gaining a world audience captivated by Bagayogo's spare, bluesy <i>ngoni</i> playing, velvety voice, and hybrid instrumentation.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>Papa Wemba</title>
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<category>Soukous</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:16:09 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Papa Wemba's pure talent and angelic voice can be traced to his mother, who was a professional funeral singer in Zaire. In the '70s, Zaiko Langa Langa, a student group that included Wemba, set a new standard for Congolese popular music ("soukous") with their youthful lyricism and absence of brass. Wemba later formed his own group, Viva La Musica, and from his home base of Paris created a loose society of the sappeur consisting of elegant, high fashion musicians. Soundchecks took a backseat to the fashion check with Wemba and his large coterie. His Womad appearances and recordings for the Real World label would eventually place him squarely on the world stage. Whether he's trading vocal lines and dancing the latest Congolese dance with the Viva La Musica crew, or singing a catchy Afro-Caribbean song with his international band, Wemba's internationally recognized, soaring vocals and charisma always capture the spotlight.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Richard Bona</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.19472&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>World Fusion</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 6 Dec 2009 09:55:38 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Richard Bona</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.19472&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Thomas Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.14355&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>World Pop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:25:10 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Thomas Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.14355&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.14355&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Mapfumo's highly charged "chimurenga music" (music of struggle or justice) is revolutionary in many ways. In 1977 he was arrested and contained for political subversion, then obtained his release for a reconciliatory concert -- where he proceeded to play the offending songs as if nothing had happened. In terms of sound, Mapfumo was the first to break out of traditional forms and Western imitation, transferring mbira (thumb piano) lines to guitars and adding a U.S. Soul influence. Mapfumo's deep vocals lead his tight, rhythmic band the Blacks Unlimited through upbeat originals, driven by complicated rhythmic grooves and thick layers of melody that would entrance you if you tried to single them out. Add an offbeat bassline, and this classic Zimbabwean performer's grooves become irresistible African dance anthems.]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Thione Seck</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10205077&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:16:28 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Thione Seck</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10205077&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10205077&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Geoffrey Oryema</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2619&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:54:57 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.2619</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2619</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Geoffrey Oryema</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2619</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2619&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2619&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[An exile from Idi Amin's Uganda, Geoffrey Oryema settled in Paris and began to experiment with his native folkloric music. The result has been a unique mixture of African acoustic music that includes rock and ambient textures.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Oliver Mtukudzi</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16969&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 4 Aug 2009 09:36:32 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Oliver Mtukudzi</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.16969</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16969&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16969&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Madilu System</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.66596&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:58:08 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Madilu System</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.66596&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.66596&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Toubab Krewe</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.9333564&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:28 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.9333564</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Toubab Krewe</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.9333564</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.9333564&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.9333564&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Sawt el Atlas</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.54450&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Middle Eastern Pop</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:36:39 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Sawt el Atlas</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.54450&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.54450&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Juldeh Camara</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.28771680&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>World Pop</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 6 Jul 2009 10:59:49 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Juldeh Camara</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.28771680</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.28771680&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.28771680&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Juldeh Camara already had a pretty respectable resume before embarking on the project that would earn him an international reputation. A second-generation Gambian griot (musical storyteller), he was renowned in both Fula society (Camara is Fulani) and throughout the African music world as a master musician and virtuoso on the <I>riti</I>, a one-stringed fiddle used in griot traditions. After Camara moved to the U.K., where he worked as a musician, a friend gave him a copy of <I>Desert Road</I>, an album by Justin Adams, a British guitarist with a dedicated interest in African music (he also worked with Tinariwen). He picked up the phone and called Adams, and a beautiful partnership was born. The two shared some of their favorite music with each other: Western rock, blues and roots, traditional griot music, Afro-pop, desert blues. They also began jamming together, re-creating live the musical trajectories that continued to overlap those genres. The result was 2008's critically acclaimed <I>Soul Science</I>, which was followed in 2009 by <I>Tell No Lies</I>.
- Rachel Devitt]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Vusi Mahlasela</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.49610&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:25:10 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Vusi Mahlasela</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.49610&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.49610&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Born into a poor South African family in 1965, Vusi Mahlasela's story reads like a grandfather's artfully exaggerated hard-luck tale -- only his is true. He really did build his first guitar out of fishing line and tin when he was just a kid. Reared in Mamalodi Township, Mahlasela experienced the final ugly days of apartheid. He joined the apartheid protest movement in his teens, while simultaneously developing his skills as a singer and songwriter. As a regular presence at protests and funerals, Mahlasela crossed the apartheid government repeatedly; police routinely seized his writings and would jail him intermittently. After apartheid ended, Mahlasela began recording and performing regularly, but it wasn't until the release of the 2003 documentary film <I>Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony</i> that a wider world audience was introduced to him. That year he signed to fellow South African Dave Matthews' ATO Records, which released <I>The Voice</i>, a compilation of his best songs to date. In 2007 Mahlasela returned to the international stage with <i>Guiding Star</i>. Mahlasela's delicate guitar playing and uncannily soulful voice guide songs that tack between indigenous South African styles and a global singer-songwriter tradition.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Henri Dikongue</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16364&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:08:56 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Henri Dikongue</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.16364</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16364&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16364&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Talented young African guitarist Henri Dikongue uses his lovely vibrato voice to sing songs based around rhythms from both his native Cameroon and the Caribbean. Using acoustic instrumentation with percussion, he consciously chooses to avoid the Afro-Pop sound of Paris. Melodic guitar picking and soulful harmony vocals underscore potent lyrical content -- as Dikongue can attest, addressing issues such as racism and African politics is not the easiest path to popularity. He may have shocked his family when he chose to study music over law, but he's blazing a trail for a new generation of cosmopolitan Africans who hope to lift their music out of the dance ghetto.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Dub Colossus</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11571058&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>World Pop</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 7 Oct 2009 12:12:56 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Dub Colossus</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.11571058</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11571058&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11571058&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Samite</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.51576&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 7 Mar 2009 12:23:15 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.51576</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Samite</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.51576</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.51576&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.51576&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Samite was born and raised in Uganda. His musical training began with a traditional Ugandan flute but he was such an accomplished player that a teacher soon introduced him to the western flute. Samite eventually fled the political instability in Uganda and ended up in Kenya, where he played in western-influenced bands. His love of traditional music won out, however: on solo gigs, he began singing in his native tongue (Luganda) and playing original compositions on traditional instruments. His comforting music has found many fans; Samite now calls Ithaca, New York home.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Cheikh Lo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16954&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:08:32 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Cheikh Lo</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16954&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16954&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[From the cosmopolitan capital of Senegal, Dakar's Cheikh Lo has created his own distinct variant of popular African music. Having worked as a studio percussionist and background singer in France in the 1980s, he returned to Senegal to cultivate his own music near to the source. Basing his work on mbalax, the energetic Senegalese music popularized by Youssou N'dour, Lo adds a touch of Congolese soukous, Cuban son montuno, reggae, Flamenco, and jazz, and he sings over rhythms that are at once smooth and driving in a suave, sensuous voice. Instrumentation includes traditional Senegalese drums, guitars, Latin percussion, flute, and brass. A striking figure who sports long dreadlocks, Lo is not a rastaman but a devotee of a mystical Sufi Muslim brotherhood. His original, well-crafted songs maintain their African character while connecting with the Afro-Caribbean world at large.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Daby Toure</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6432382&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 1 May 2009 14:01:28 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Daby Toure</rhap:artist>
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<description />
</item><item>
<title>Extra Golden</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.9963303&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Post-Modern Pop</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 8 Dec 2009 09:16:48 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Extra Golden</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.9963303&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
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<title>Bonga</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.56716&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:04:08 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Bonga</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.56716&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Bonga's voice hits like a full-throttle race car, his gravelly tones on the brink of collapse as he pours forth his soul. Barcelo de Carvalho, an Angolan track and soccer star, was exiled in the Netherlands in 1972 for speaking out against Portuguese colonialism; under the name Bonga, he recorded an album using guitars and drums while mixing Central African folkloric music with that of Brazil. The record made an instant impact, and his overt politics earned him an arrest warrant until Angola's independence in 1975. The exile experience added to his musical repertoire as he learned styles from Cape Verde and other Lusophone countries -- namely, mornas, Fado, soukous and Samba. Whether upbeat or downtempo, there's a danceable sophistication to Bonga's compositions. His sadly sweet vocal refrains are so compelling, they transcend any language barrier.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Buraka Som Sistema</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11791610&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:14:15 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Buraka Som Sistema</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11791610&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11791610&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Portugal's Buraka Som Sistema are named in honor of a Lisbon suburb, but their reach is far broader. The band, founded in 2006, quickly became global ambassadors for <i>kuduro</i>, an Angola-rooted fusion of hip-hop, house, dancehall reggae and local styles. <i>Kuduro</i> has a strong presence in Portugal, given the country's colonial history in Africa; like Brazilian funk carioca or Baltimore breaks, it has captivated Western imaginations for its uncanny variants of Euro-American dance music styles. With the border-hopping, mischief-making M.I.A. as a booster (and guest singer on "Sound of Kuduro"), Buraka Som Sistema found a worldwide audience for their high-energy mix of fiery hand percussion, booming 808s, rave synths and rapid-fire chatter. They first came to attention with 2006's <I>From Buraka to the World</I>, a surprisingly focused effort that wraps up diamond-hard electronic production with supple, swinging rhythms. In 2008, they released their debut album, <I>Black Diamond</I>; the single featured remixes from Hot Chip and the Count & Sinden, but those were hardly necessary to demonstrate <i>kuduro</i>'s relevance to contemporary dancefloors.
They first came to attention with 2006's <I>From Buraka to the World</I>, a surprisingly focused effort wrapping up diamond-hard electronic production with supple, swinging rhythms. In 2008 they released their debut album, <I>Black Diamond</I>; the single featured remixes from Hot Chip and the Count and Sinden, but those were hardly necessary to demonstrate kuduro's relevance to contemporary dance floors.
- Philip Sherburne]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Daara J</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8732209&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>International Hip-Hop</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 3 Mar 2009 17:38:54 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Daara J</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8732209&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[
- Rachel Devitt]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Osibisa</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.69251&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Highlife</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:39 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Osibisa</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.69251&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Osibisa were among the first Afro-Pop bands to cross over to European and American audiences in the early 1970s. The band's members, hailing from Ghana and the Caribbean, came together in London and quickly made an impression on the university circuit. Mixing African, Caribbean, soul and rock elements into a fiery musical inferno that helped define the term "Afro-rock," they continually packed London dancefloors, thanks in no small part to a strong rhythm section that includes a standard drum kit, African drums/percussion, Cuban timbales and funky bass and organ. The group embellished the sound with jazzy brass and flute, while the fact that they sang mostly in English undoubtedly helped them cross over to non-African audiences. While Fela Kuti was singing about the serious issues, Osibisa -- which means "happiness" in the Akan language -- simply wanted to party. But that didn't mean the group would compromise its musical ideals: at the dawn of the 1980s, pressure increased on Osibisa to make concessions to disco's growing popularity. Bowing to the changing marketplace, the group took a hiatus through much of the '80s and '90s, reforming in 1996 under Teddy Osei's leadership. The band continues to tour and record, pumping out a vital mix of jazz, highlife, soul and rock.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Dobet Gnahore</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.15200371&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:25 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Dobet Gnahore</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.15200371&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Ivory Coast's prodigal daughter, Dobet Gnahore, grew up around music: her father is master drummer Boni Ngahore, and she was raised in an artist village outside Abidjan that hosted his Ki-Yi Mbock company. As a kid, Gnahore immersed herself in the stuff of performance: she learned to act, dance and drum as well as sing, and that rounded education has made her a sought-after, electrifying performer. Gnahore's first project, <I>Ano Neko</i>, was the result of a collaboration with her husband, musician Colin Laroche de Feline, and included her father as well as other musicians from Tunisia. It also garnered Gnahore a Newcomer nomination from the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music. As political instability in Ivory Coast grew, Gnahore relocated to Marseilles, taking advantage of the thriving world-music scene to develop her career. She released <I>Na Afriki</i> in 2007 to critical acclaim, singing in more than a half-dozen African languages on the release.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Bhundu Boys</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10818&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:33:01 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Bhundu Boys</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10818&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Zimbabwe's Bhundu Boys make great party music that even unadventurous rock fans will dig for its awesome string plucking. A marriage of native Jit and western styles with social commentary, the music features so much non-stop jangle guitar that you may think the Byrds were reborn on the African prairie. The Boys became the toast of mid-1980s Britain and, while they haven't evolved much since then, their albums are still wonderful. They've had some fine collaborations with country and Celtic artists, and were saluted by Johnny Marr and Yves N'Djock on the Talking Heads' "Nothing But Flowers."
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Ismael Lo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.33699&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Africa</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:25:10 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Ismael Lo</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.33699&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.33699&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Ismael Lo grew up primarily in Senegal, but American soul music was his constant companion: Wilson Picket, Etta James, James Brown saturated the radio waves. Inspired by what he heard, he taught himself to play guitar and harmonica and played regularly for friends and family. He never considered music a career until a family connection got him a spot on a local television show. The crowd response to him was so strong, Lo decided to devote himself to music and he joined the mbalax group Super Diamono de Dakar, whom he played with until going solo in the 1980s.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Malouma</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.49640&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:04:30 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Malouma</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.49640&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.49640&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[From the North African country of Mauritania, Malouma's voice has a nasal tone and Arabic trill reminiscent of Youssou N'Dour. Her plaintive tone is offset by cheerful pop production that relies heavily on programming and keyboard.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Jujuba</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.12313613&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2008 10:39:35 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Jujuba</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.12313613&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.12313613&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Sally Nyolo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.50456&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:20:44 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Sally Nyolo</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.50456&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Best known for her work with Zap Mama, Sally Nyolo has forged her own direction as a solo artist since the late '90s. Born in Cameroon, Nyolo immigrated to Paris when she was just 13 years old and found work as a backup singer before landing the gig with Zap Mama. She recorded <I>Sabsylma</i> and two live albums with the group, releasing her solo debut, <I>Tribu</i>, in 1996. In her solo work, Nyolo often returns to her roots: she explored <i>bikutsi</i>, a traditional rhythm from central Cameroon, on both 2000's <i>Beti</i> and 2002's <i>Zaione</i>. In 2006 she returned to Cameroon and set up an informal recording studio in the capital, where she recorded numerous local acts and released a compilation, 2007's <i>Studio Cameroon</i>.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Omar Pene &amp; Super Diamono</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.15200931&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 6 Dec 2009 09:55:50 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Omar Pene &amp; Super Diamono</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.15200931&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Mzbel</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11208543&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>International Hip-Hop</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:21:22 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Mzbel</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[Currently, Mzbel is Ghana's most successful female emcee, a diva as hot as the genre -- hiplife, a blend of highlife and hip-hop -- she performs. But Mzbel was an unlikely pop star who ended up in music via a rather circuitous route. She dreamed of being a newscaster, though she majored in French, geography and economics in college. Then she applied to the Ghana Institute of Journalism but found herself unable to afford the program. After a miserable stint in secretarial school, she took a course in public relations and TV and radio production. An internship at a radio station led to a part-time job at a recording studio called Hush Hush Studios. During downtime there, she would sometimes go into the studio while recording musicians were noodling around and sing songs she made up, just for fun. Months later, Mzbel was working somewhere else when Hush Hush called her and told her they wanted to release the songs she'd recorded. Still reluctant, Mzbel gave the studio permission but at first refused to do any performances or publicity for her own accidental debut. But the album, <i>Awoso Me</i>, blew up, and before she knew it, Mzbel was the pop star she had never planned to be.
- Rachel Devitt]]></description>
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<title>Sam Mangwana</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17736&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Soukous</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:23:55 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Sam Mangwana</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[Sam Mangwana is one of the Congo's greatest musicians. A stylistic maverick who's flirted with salsa, highlife, Afrobeat and soukous, Mangwana has been part of some of the Congo's most legendary bands. He started playing with Tabu Ley Rochereau when he was just 17 years old, was a founding member of Les Quatres Etoiles and collaborated with soukous great Franco through the 1980s. He's sung in a wealth of languages, including Lingala, French, Portuguese, Kiswahili and English -- to name a few -- and is now based in Paris.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>Mabulu</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.54632&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:14:24 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<title>Les Amazones De Guinee</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:25 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17690570&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
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<title>Wes </title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.33077&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:28:29 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<title>Lokua Kanza</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.13695&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:07:20 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Lokua Kanza</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[Congolese singer Lokua Kanza plays acoustic guitar and sings gentle songs in a lovely, high-pitched voice. His precise vocal harmony arrangements with his female vocal counterpart border on ecstatic.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Fadhili Williams Mdawida</title>
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<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:59:01 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Fadhili Williams Mdawida</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11039661&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
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<title>Chiwoniso</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.53468&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:28 -0700</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[You wouldn't exactly call Chiwoniso Maraire's career consistent: she released her debut, <I>Ancient Voices</i> in 1998 and, with the exception of a few compilation appearances, we heard nothing more for a decade. Maraire wasn't exactly goofing off: she was raising her daughters and doing international humanitarian work. In 2008 she returned to the studio, this time under the auspices of the Cumbancha label, who teamed her up with stellar musicians like guitarist Louis Mhlanga (King Sunny Ade, Hugh Masekela) and drummer Sam Matuare (Oliver Mtukudzi). 2008's <I>Rebel Woman</i> saw her singing fewer songs in English and burying her soul and R&B influences under a more strongly Zimbabwean, mbira-based sound.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>K-Tino</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11277042&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Pop</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:06:08 -0700</pubDate>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11277042&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
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<title>Tshala Muana</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16254&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Soukous</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:39:20 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Tshala Muana</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16254&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Muana is the diva of the "mutuashi" -- a folkloric music and dance rhythm famous for its risque nature. As characteristic of Congolese "soukous," there is a mesh of tingling guitars, a steady dance rhythm, horn punctuations, and call-and-response vocals led by her breathy sustain.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Mendes Brothers</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.27230&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cape Verde</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:23:53 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=275&amp;rws=%2Fworld-reggae%2Fafrica%2Fafro-pop%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Afro-Pop Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Two brothers from Cabo Verde, an island off the west coast of Africa, relocated to the Northeast U.S. with their musical aspirations. They launched a series of recordings that influenced the development of Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) popular music. Injecting Portuguese mornas with Angolan rhythms and cross-pollinating them with American Funk and Antillean Zouk, they created a new music.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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