soul food: nas + damian marley's 'as we enter'

today's soundtrack has just been injected with some awesome in the form of this track from nas and damian marley from their forthcoming album distant relatives.

'as we enter'



(video directed, once again, by nabil elderkin)

love the fact that (inspired by k'naan) they sampled mulatu atske 'yegelle tezeta'



fiyah.

soul food: nas + damian marley's 'as we enter'

soul food: afropolitana: shad k

i have waxed poetic in previous posts about the awesomeness that is shadrach kabango.

his next album T.O.S.L is due out on may 25th and, from what i've heard so far, we may not be ready for it's dopeness. (yes. that's a word.)

here's the video for his first single 'yaa, i get it'.

listen to more music from the forthcoming album, here. ('rose garden' is killing me softly with it's awesome.)

soul food: afropolitana: shad k

soul food: maxwell's fistful of tears

classic. elegant. beautiful.

Maxwell - Fistful Of Tears (Official Video)

soul food: maxwell's fistful of tears

soul food: moments

uh, i know this blog is a little 'wavin' flag'ged out right now, but...um...i don't care! big ups to K'naan who took home two Juno Awards for Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. woot! this moment has been a long time coming:

listen to an in-depth interview with K'naan on Q with Jian Ghomeshi, here.

soul food: moments

universal anthem

this song is truly the perfect anthem. here are two of the latest renditions of K'naan's Wavin' Flag:

Young Artists for Haiti



The Official World Cup Anthem (feat David Bisbal)

aaand, finally, the video for the album version (directed, once again, by the awesome Nabil)

universal anthem

badu's back

empress erykah perfoms 'window seat' on jimmy fallon, backed by the legendary roots crew.




loving the hat. side-eye-ing the leotard (?). loving her.

badu's back

give me freedom, give me fire...

official video for k'naan's FIFA World Cup anthem, 'wavin' flag: coca-cola celebration remix':



99 days til the World Cup is hosted by South Africa.

wave ya flag!!!

give me freedom, give me fire...

negrita's soundtrack: the tour

and, now, ladies and gentlemen...the tweet negrita has been waiting for:

@john_forte: It's official - K'Naan, Wale, and John Forte coming to a town near you this Spring!

um...


woot!

negrita's soundtrack: the tour

let freedom reign: nelson mandela

today marks 20 years since the release of Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years of his life as a political prisoner.

i clearly remember watching his release on television on a cold winter morning, and writing about it in my little journal, which was ordinarily filled with angst-ridden pre-teen non-drama. after years of participating in anti-apartheid protests with my parents and their friends (my first taste of activism), i knew i was witnessing a moment that would forever impact the continent, and the world.

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

"Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement."

--Nelson Mandela

if you have not already, read about his epic journey in Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom.'
and 'When Mandela Turned Down Freedom' via Khaya Dlanga.

let freedom reign: nelson mandela

soul food: erykah's 'window seat'

more new music of awesome.
here's 'window seat' by erykah badu, from her forthcoming release new amerykah pt. 2: return of the ankh.
over the past year or so: new k'naan, john forte, maxwell, sade, common, mos def, q-tip...and now erykah. at this point...all i need is lauryn and d'angelo to come back and i'll be complete. next up...groove theory!!!

soul food: erykah's 'window seat'

teddy pendergrass

we have a lost an incredible talent and a true legend.
may his soul rest in eternal peace.

Teddy Pendergrass first gained notoriety as a member of the Philadelphia group, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes.



in 1977 he begun his solo career, and went on to become the first African American to have five consecutive platinum albums. in 1982 Pendergrass was injured in a car accident, which left him paralyzed from mid-chest down but which did not stop his momentum. two years later, he returned with his next album, which featured this single (and which is when i first fell in love with his voice):



you will be missed, Teddy. truly.




Teddy Pendergrass
1950-2010

teddy pendergrass