Music

A few examples of contemporary African music

• Richard Bona—Cameroon

  Afropulse.com’s biography of Richard Bona: Richard grew up in eastern Cameroon. He began performing at age 5, and playing the guitar professionally at 11. He lives in New York City now where you can catch him at the Izzy Bar or the Zinc Bar. His music is an emotional outpouring of his life experiences

“Kalabancoro” ('Rejection and Oblivion')

Pani ke pani ke niken la
Pani ke subala nike nd’la

Nongele te ponda o ta o wone na babo
Yam’ebolo eta nde na na mwase
Mundende
Na timbi o wala bosinigna bongo
Nyola eyo bwam’i
Mo o pudi nde na na dibe mo e na
Si kwala kem

Pani ke pani ke niken la
Na wo je mo e bodi oa
Pani ke subala nike ndi’la

E du ye mun kelennan miri la
E du ye mun kelennan miri la
Ni i ma fén ké
A Kanna bi la ni son taro
Sama allah bé moka faka na ma da bi la
Kafo Ko moko lou lanaya moko lou
Fama kobé allah

Pani ke ni son ti la
Pani ke niken la ha ni son ti la
Pani ke subala nike ndi’la
Haha jamana kero son tila
Pani ke nni son ti la

Pani ke niken la ha a kana digi la
Pani ke subala nike ndi’la
Ni non ti la moko lou a kana digila

Suka latu, ndolu lalala
Diso longo lene toi longo di senge
Muna bello na i ma wo bwambo
Ne nde lamba eduna dikeko
Silba to gold ba titi edube

Suka latu, ndolu lalala
Na na e kana kasi

Pani ke pani ke niken la
Pani ke subala nike ndila
To na wo ne pon nde la mba
Musango e na nu sango
Pani ke subala nike nd’ula

Na timbi o wala muaso mw’ebola penja
Lo pudi nde na na dibe mo e na si
Kwala kem
Ne son tila ni son tila
Ni son tila jamana kero a kana digila

Ni son tila ni son tila
Kalabancoro, na dibe mo e na si kwala
Wa senga

• D’Gary & Jihé—Madagascar

“Mbo Hahita Avao” ('One of These Days I'll Find It')

According to Putumayo World Music, “D’Gary’s voice on Mbo Hahita Avao (‘One of These Days I’ll Find It’) is gruff, exasperated perhaps. Maybe that’s because in this song, he’s having a difficult time with his mate. He sings: ‘My love, there is something I adore/That since yesterday you give me no more.’”