Of course you know that this post isn't about Fela Anikulapo-Kuti or his LP Black President.
What can I say? I never thought I would see this day as long as I lived. The whole idea that a Chicagoan would be elected President of the United States is odd enough, much less a Hawaiian. But a biracial son of a Kenyan immigrant and a white American woman, with a Muslim name, who grew up in Indonesia?! Who could have imagined it?
For those of us who are in interracial relationships Obama's triumph is especially sweet. It's not like Priscilla and I have had a hard time of it the last 23 years (it's not the 1950s, after all), but finally we feel like we've really, really arrived. Our daughters Ify and Aku have been especially ecstatic the last few months - Barack Obama after all is one of their own, or rather our own. In the last month Aku has spent 2-4 hours every evening after school down at the local Obama headquarters and walking door-to-door on behalf of the campaign.
Of course I don't think the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. I've always felt that real social progress comes when the masses of people organize in their own interests - against war and racism, for unions and justice on the job, in defense of women's rights and equality for gays. So while this may be a largely "symbolic" victory for us radicals and progressives, at least for one day the oppressed and neglected can hold their heads high.
I know this is an African music blog, but in my first post I reserved the right to write about other subjects. Thanks for indulging me this time, and anyway, if you're reading this, I'm pretty sure you're an "Obama person" (to the McCain supporters, if any, my condolences). To mark this joyous occasion, and courtesy of Steve Ntwiga Mugiri, here are a couple of tracks recorded by Congolese/Kenyan musician Samba Mapangala during his recent US tour. Click the link to Steve's blog to read more about them:
Samba Mapangala - Obama Ubarikiwe (Vocal Mix)
Samba Mapangala - Obama Ubarikiwe
Update: In the comments, Kreismyr passes on a link to this great video by Kenyan-American band Extra Golden:
Update 2: Thanks to Squeezyboy for tipping us off to this Kenge Kenge video here. And the video of the Samba Mapangala track is here.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Black President
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16 comments:
Hi John, just to share that victory with you. Hope this will open a new era (and that your black president won't be as Idi Amin, that Fela depicts in his album). Yet I'm french (but from jewsih background), no need to tell you africans rejoice as well : my 13 year old daughter, whose mother is from Ivory Coast (remember I still have the project to start a blog on Ivory Coast music with her) sent me an sms at 6 this morning (Paris time) to tell me Obama was the winner. My wish is also that thanks to this election, the internet will remain a space of freedom for letting music lovers discover more and more of the excellent songs that you post. Long life Likembe
Congrats everybody!!!!!
This song comes to mind too.....!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4vHhv5QHs8
serious talk there john! kudos for this, you guys keep showing the world the right path
I was watching the news and tears came to my eyes when i saw ppl from all around the world celebrating in unison
I feel extremely honored to live this historic day, right now I'm heading to the newspaper stand to get everything I can and seal that in a box
I wish you all the best for the years to come, as I believe the harder days are ahead
I'm proud to be able to say that I voted for Obama. Truly this is a historic moment in our country of epic proportions. It's impossible to know how well Obama will do as president, but it can only go uphill after 8 horrible years under Bush.
Thank you for the Mapangala songs. A very fitting post for today indeed. Take care.
Zer0_II
Greetings. I wanted to let you know that I've added your fabulous blog to the "Africa" category of my music blogroll/directory @ http://music-bloggers.blogspot.com
I'm trying to put together the most comprehensive list of music blogs which feature out of print or otherwise unavailable music, as well as those which share podcasts, or sample mp3 files. I've categorized them so that you can easily find exactly what you are looking for.
If you would like to help me out, you can do so by linking back to my blog. Although it isn't required in order to be listed, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for all the hard work and time that goes into maintaining this blog, and especially for the fantastic music you share. Take care.
Zer0_II
Samba says: Asante sana, John. Viva Obama! Obama Oye!
Have you seen this one ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0QNiGYClbM
wanted to send an email but didn't have it:
Femi Kuti release Day by Day in the US on Downtown Records’ new imprint Mercer Street Records.
video preview for the album available for posting: http://www.disc-over.net/PROMO/FEMI_KUTI/day_by_day_us.html
Hey John,
You keep talking about subjects other than music when you've got such sound things to say. Just hope the younguns like your daughter who have done so much to secure this victory don't get to disillusioned that Obama can't put it all back together again or stop the greedy bastards that got us into this mess exercising their power again.
Oh & love the music you put up for us to!
J
There are some McCainiacs who read this blog, too, such as yours truly. But hell, Obama's election made history. Cool. Congratulations especially to acolytes of The One.
Steelytom: You're more than welcome.
let's hope for the most change this man will be able to bring.
note: both links are of the same mp3
thanks for this great blog!!!
and if anyone has ever wondered what Digital Gamelan is like, or what Capetown gospel singers sounds like in the ghettos of London, or how Robots would play Ethiopian Jazz...
http://differentwaters.blogspot.com/2008/10/fusion-one-revised-and-expanded.html
Zhao: You're correct. I've fixed the links.
Oops, you've got the song links reversed now: the first one is the vocal mix, the second one is the original with the Fanaka rap. By the way the harmony on the vocal mix is provided by Jonal, formerly with the latter-day TPOK Jazz.
CC: I thought the "vocal mix" was the one with the rapping, at least that seems logical. But going over Steve's site, I see you're right, so I've corrected the links.
There is even yet a 3d version, remastered, with a re-take of the rap, and improved sound on the mix! all available for free download at www.drop.io/sambasingsforobama
Viva Obama!
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