K'Naan Warsame is one of my favorite rappers. His lyrics are deep, on point, conscious, and real. He combines spoken word artistry with African rhythms and his life experiences. He has gone through a lot and he sums it up in one line - "If I rhymed about home and got descriptive, I'll make 50 Cent look like Limp Bizkit".

Yesterday, I attended my first K'Naan concert. I am not done seeing K'Naan perform because the energy he and his band bring on stage and to the crowd is something music fans want again and again. My friends and I got to the club (where he was going to be performing) around 11 but he didn't show up on stage until 12 midnight. The DJ played some good tunes to keep the crowd dancing but personally I would have rather sat somewhere and listened to some K'Naan tunes in anticipation of his performance. Hearing lines like "I'm so sick my rhyme book throws a fit/ I need a vaccination just so I can spit my own shit" (from African way) have to be better than trying to have a good time while waiting for K'Naan to show up.

African musician award season is in full effect. After the release of the nominees for the Channel O Music Video Awards, and the initial selection of Kora Award 2008 nominees, The Music Of Black Origin (MOBO) awards nominees have been released too. MOBO celebrates genres like hip hop, R&B, gospel, and reggae and other styles that are of Black Origin. The British ceremony has become one of the most respected award ceremonies in recent times. It has had a Best African musician category in years past and winners include Samini (Ghana), and Tuface Idibia (Nigeria).

While we wait for the nominees for the upcoming MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), nominated for the Best African Act in the 2008 MOBO's are the following:

• View all from Kaysha
  Artistes Kaysha
  Album Legendary
  Year 2006
  Writer Edward Lorenzo Mokolo Jnr
  Language English, Portuguese
  Track # 7
  Runtime 4:35
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5_4KZclZh4

Museke caught up with Afro-Carribean international music superstar Kaysha Edward Lorenzo Mokolo in the midst of his many travels and asked him a few questions (interview).

Museke: How are you?
Kaysha: Fine thanx

Museke: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Kaysha: I come from an African background, born in Kinshasa, many brothers and sisters, good religious education... Came to France when I was 7 and been around the world several times with my parents and brothers and sisters

My peoples my peoples we finally done DID IT!! After 2 years, 6 cities and 3 countries we have completed and released the latest Soulfège record “Take Back the Mic.” For a long time we’ve used the tag line “it’s more than music…it’s a movement.” Well if you listen to the record you’ll start to get an idea of what we mean. With contributions from a gang of musicians, producers and engineers representing expertise in everything from Rock to Dancehall we set out to create a soundtrack to the kind of world we want to live in.
And this is it.
Check out an album review on Museke.com

There have been many instances where African musicians have sampled popular American songs. The sampling gets done so blatantly that you could call some songs 'Thriller in Swahili', 'Amazing Grace in Zulu' and 'Unleash the dragon in Twi'. One popular remix or sampling is that of Banky W's Ebute metta which was also first known as the Nigerian remix of Rihanna's Umbrella. People may complain about the lack of originality of these African musicians but maybe they will care to know that Manu Dibango's Soul Makossa is part of the backbone for Rihanna's worldwide hit - Please don't stop the music. "Mama-se, mama-sa, mama-ma-ko-ssa" (mamase mamase mamakusa) is that line that has kept dance floors going since 1972.

• View all from Soulfege
  Artistes Soulfege
  Album Afropolitan
  Year 2003
  Writer Soulfege, Kelley Nicole
  Language English
  Runtime 5:07

• View all from Wanlov
  Artistes Wanlov the Kuborlor, Anjolee
  Album Green card
  Year 2007
  Writer Emmanuel Owusu Bonsu
  Language English
  Track # 14
  Runtime 3:37
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq_wgmyZBZo

No, not that one. I am taking about Wanlov's long-awaited debut CD called Green Card. I bought it a couple of weeks ago and I have really enjoyed the experience. The album is a masterpiece that has a focus on Ghana, Diasporean issues, Ghanaians abroad, etc. I remember hearing his first single 'Kokonsa' and I immediately realised a fresh new sound then. It has taken Wanlov the Kuborlor about 5 years to work on his LP and it was well worth it. It is a great album for Africans abroad to have.