Stories about Music from July, 2011
Mozambique: Political Rapper Arrested
Mozambicans are reacting to what appears to have been the arrest yesterday of controversial and talented MC Azagaia. While there is no official news, some of his 4,600+ fans showed their support on Facebook and have created a “Free Azagaia” event. The rapper was questioned in 2008 by police, who...
China: Music Video on Wenzhou Train Crash
Some netizens have changed the lyrics of a popular rock song “Nothing to my name” by Cui Jian to comment upon the Wenzhou Train Crash. C Custer from China Geeks has the lyrics of the music video translated.
Russia: News as Rap
Edmund Downie at Foreign Policy Passport reports that Russian president Dmitri Medvedev is much impressed by news agency's RIA-Novosti introduction of news in the form of musical rap info [ru].
Colombia: ‘Padding Journalism’
In the wake of the death of singer Joe Arroyo, Colombian news channel NTN24 featured reactions with actresses, models, and former beauty queens in English on its website. The video featuring model and presenter Carolina Cruz was heavily mocked on blogs and social media. Journalist Carolina Ruiz questions [es] the...
Puerto Rico: PR Indie's LAMC Coverage
Redod, the editor of the alternative music blog Puerto Rico Indie [es], reflects on the amazing and intense coverage [es] they offered of the Latin American Music Conference (LAMC) in New York City. Check it out!
Lebanon: Musician Arrested for Mocking President in Song
Lebanese musician Zeid Hamdan was detained briefly this week for allegedly defaming President Michel Suleiman in a song he released in 2010. Lebanese newspaper Assafir has since reported the Hamdan has been released, but not before a Twitter and blogger storm publicised the news of his initial arrest. Lebanon's online...
Myanmar: Traditional music instruments
htootayzar posts pictures of traditional music instruments from Myanmar.
Colombia: Dancing Police Welcome Soccer Players
In Medellin, Colombia, police officers welcomed England's U-20 soccer players at the airport with a dance, making a good impression on visitors but raising concerns on security for some locals.
Colombia: Singer Joe Arroyo Dies
Colombian salsa singer Álvaro José Arroyo González, better known as Joe Arroyo, passed away on July 26 in Barranquilla. On Twitter, blogs and websites his fans reacted to the news remembering his life and his songs.
Jamaica: Unimpressed with Minaj
Active Voice publishes a guest post about singer Nicki Minaj's performance at Jamaica's recent Reggae Sumfest: “Minaj messed up when she displayed such flagrant disrespect to Jamaica by announcing that she was warned about profanity but went ahead merrily, regardless.”
Trinidad & Tobago: A Poem for Amy
“I’ve never met Amy Winehouse. I’m not a musician. I’m not British or anything even remotely connected to her. I only discovered her music about three years ago and, honestly, there were people who were more ardent fans”: Still, Lisa Allen-Agostini was inspired to write a poem for the late...
Slovakia: Big Money in the Tube
A few weeks ago, the Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights society (SOZA) - the country's music copyright organization - started billing web servers, typically for young music fans, which were embedding YouTube and Vimeo videos on their pages. Tibor Blazko reports on the Slovak netizens' reactions.
Zimbabwe: Video: Zimbabwe's Alternative Hip Hop Scene
Bunmi shares a video about Zimbabwe's art scene: The Nomadic Wax crew that shot the mini documentary above about Zimbabwe's alternative hip hop scene talk at length about the capital's famous hub of cultural activity, “Book Cafe”
Jamaica: Reggae Sumfest
Tallawah blogs about the Top 10 performances at this year's Reggae Sumfest, here and here, while Active Voice posts photos.
Guinea: Guinean Music Mourns Manfila Kanté
The passing of Manfila Kanté, a Guinean music star, has been announced via the Facebook account La Presse guinéenne en ligne [fr]. Aly Cherif (Prince Cherif) wrote [fr]: “The Guinean cultural scene is in mourning. Manfila Kanté died in Paris this Wednesday, July 20, following a long illness. A huge...
Kenya: Ex-Minister Records Rap Song
From politics to music and back to politics in Kenya: “Suspended Higher Education Minister William Ruto donned a new hat, that of a recording artistes and hit up the Click Track studios with rappers Juliani and Emmanuel Jal on July 10.”
Hong Kong and China: Free Ai Weiwei
A remix music video for the Free Ai Weiwei campaign.
Jamaica: Rivers & Mountains
“One of my favourite Caribbean proverbs comes from Haiti…‘Deye mon genmon’. Translated: behind the mountains there are mountains. It is such a fantastic description of the landscapes of both Jamaica and Haiti…Our hills roll on forever. Our mountains never end”: Under the Saltire Flag reflects on music, landscapes and the...
East Timor: Arts and Creative Industries in Focus
With the main purpose of launching the future Academy of Arts and Creative Industries of East Timor, a series of cultural events and an international conference are taking place in Dili until the 17th of July. The organization's website Tatoli ba Kultura includes a media map featuring unique works by Timorese...
Russia: News Website to be Closed Because of Racial Clashes Coverage
URA.ru, an information agency and website that became popular after it extensively covered clashes in a small Russian village Sagra, is on the verge of being closed down by the authorities. It is said that because of URA.ru, the coverage of Sagra clashes became “too extensive” in media.
Cuba: On Queue
“The queue in Cuba…is our music, our magic, our politics. It is the place where we philosophise…the campfire around which we perform our daily routines: conversing, falling for and out with people and, quipping”: A Cuban in London says you haven't seen a real line until you line up in...
