• View all from Yola Araujo
  Artistes Yola Araújo
  Album Um pouco diferente
  Year 2005
  Writer Yola Katiana Moreira de Araújo Bravo da Costa
  Language Portuguese

• View all from Abby Surya
  Artistes Abby Surya
  Album Bokila
  Year 2006
  Writer Abby Surya Djai
  Track # 4
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzMTFDBSDkk

The Pan-African KORA All-Africa Music Awards returns this year with a bang. Various nominations were sent by country to a panel representing the Kora Music Awards (also referred to as the African Grammy's). You can see the list of nominees for non-regional categories (many of whom are in the running for the best African artiste or group by region). Unlike some of the other awards ceremonies this year, the nominees consist of groups from all over Africa, irregardless of genre, style, language, popularity, reputation or country.

Here are the nominees for Best African Artiste/group for Central, East, Southern and West Africa.

Nominee name (artiste/group) - name of song - name of country

The Pan-African KORA All-Africa Music Awards returns this year with a bang. There is even a US$1 million cash prize. The Kora Awards is in some legal wranglings with the Cross River State government over their chosen venue, which initially was in Calabar but CEO Ernest Adjovi and the organizers want to organize the event in Lagos instead. I hope these cases are settled amicably and the KORA awards take place in December this year. After all, the nominees are out. You can see the nominees for the non-regional categories below and those for regional categories here. I am excited about the nominees, because I hadn't heard of half of them before, and it truely encompasses groups from all over Africa, irregardless of genre, style, language, popularitygenre, style, language, popularity, reputation or country.

Nominee name (artiste/group) - name of song - name of country

Best Traditional Artiste or Group
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba - Segu blue - Mali
Freres Guedehoungue - Danger public - Benin
Mamou Sidibe - Mary - Mali
Nicole Amogho - Mbila - Gabon
Santy Dorim - Africa foga - Togo
Teriba - Gan na ho - Benin

Museke.com caught Hiplife legend Reggie Rockstone at the tail end of his trip to America and asked him a few questions. Below is the transcript of the interview.

Museke.com: How be Chale?
Rockstone: I’m fine.

Museke.com: How have you liked your trip to the US so far?
Rockstone: (It’s been) interesting. I have been privileged to travel and meet people all over the world, especially Ghanaians. The reaction from my people is always interesting. I document almost all of my travels, I will eventually turn them into a documentary. I have footage from everywhere in the world; conversations, reactions, etc. I carry a camcorder almost everywhere. I’ve eaten different kinds of food, it’s a different kind of environment.

Museke.com: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Rockstone: My father, who I call one of my best friends, was Ricky (Ricci) Osei, a legendary fashion designer. I grew up in a very artistic background. I was in a musical house and was not discouraged from the arts. I was known for my break dance skills, and I went to drama school for acting. I was a two-time junior taekwondo champion in Ghana. I have about four faces of Reggie – Ricky’s son, the martial artist, the dancer, the musician. I grew up all over the world, and am still growing up. I was born in England, grew up in New York, Accra, Little Rock (Arkansas), Kumasi, etc.

• View all from Bongi Dube
  Artistes Bongi Dube
  Album Ngifuna Wena
  Year 2008
  Writer Sibongile Dube
  Language Zulu
  Track # 1
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIYFAIdvh4

As you may have heard, the flamboyant Cinderella Sanyu recently left the Ugandan group, Blu3. We caught up with her to ask her about life after Blu3. She drives a manual car, and there's more to find out about her in this interview. I believe she should also blog or write, she has quite an interesting personality and I say it in a good way.

Museke.com: How are you?
Cindy: Am good thanks

Museke.com: Can you tell us about your background and family?
I was born in Masindi to the late Mr. Muyonjo and Mrs. Angela Muyonjo on the 28th of August, 1985. Am the 4th born in a family of 7. I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers.

Museke.com: How did you get into music and what was your first break?
Cindy: I’ve been singing since I was six, in church and school. My first break came when I joined the Blu3 in 2005 after we won the Coca Cola Pop Stars competition in Uganda. Before that I’d participated in a local competition called the Coca Cola Real Stars but I didn’t win. I was the 3rd placed and the best among the gals.

Museke.com: How did the 3 Black ladies come together?
Cindy: The judges in the Coca Cola Pop Stars put us together, they thought the 3 of us could make a great group and they were right after all.

• View all from Teddy Afro
  Artistes Teddy Afro
  Album Bob Marley
  Writer Tewodros Kasahun
  Language Amharic
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIvNNgtDpYY

• View all from Khadja Nin
  Artistes Khadja Nin
  Album Ya
  Year 1998
  Writer Khadja Nin
  Language Kirundi
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RSJs7TUh-8

• View all from Lady Felicia
  Artistes Lady Felicia
  Album Song for Mama
  Year 2008
  Writer Felicia Grant
  Language English
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIpJFa3l6KI