2018 in African music

2018 in music
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List of albums released

Overview of the events of 2018 in African music

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The following is a list of events and releases that have happened or are expected to happen in 2018 in African music.

Events

January 10 – The Premium Times lists Squeeze Tarela and Bella Alubo among its "Nigerian artistes to look out for in 2018".^[1]
January 13 – Youssou N'Dour, on tour in the Gambia, praises the Gambian people and expresses optimism for the country's future.^[2]
January 28 – At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, Ladysmith Black Mambazo win the award for Best World Music Album with Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration and are nominated for the Best Children's Album award for Songs of Peace & Love for Kids & Parents Around the World.^[3]
March 30 – Announcement of the winner of the AfriMusic Song Contest 2018, the first pan-African song contest. Eswatini win the contest, represented by the song "Sengikhona", performed by Symphony (Zanele Cele).^[4]
June 2 – Rita Ray presents a major new series on BBC television: Africa: A Journey Into Music.^[5]
August 10 – The Minnesota Orchestra becomes the first American orchestra ever to perform in South Africa when it gives the first concert of its South African tour, at City Hall, Cape Town.^[6]

Albums released in 2018

Release date	Artist	Album	Genre	Label	Ref
January 26	Burna Boy	Outside	Afrobeats, hip-hop, dancehall	Atlantic Records	^[7]
January 26	Professor	Composed by Jesus Christ	Kwaito, dance	Kalawa Jazmee Records	^[8]
January 31	Zaki Ibrahim	The Secret Life of Planets	R&B, soul	Indie	^[9]
February 9	M.I Abaga	Rendezvous: The Playlist	Hip-hop	Chocolate City	^[10]
February 23	Femi Kuti	One People One World	Afrobeat	Knitting Factory Records	^[11]
February 23	Hailu Mergia	Lala Belu	Jazz	Awesome Tapes from Africa	^[12]
March ?	Pape Diouf	Enjoy!	Mbalax, World		^[13]
March 2	Seun Kuti	Black Times	Afrobeat, World	Strut Records	^[14]
March 27	Brymo	Oṣó	Alternative folk, Yoruba music	Indie	^[15]
May 21	Allah Thérèse & N'Goran Laloi	Bé gnanssou moayé			^[16]
May 14	Ike Moriz	Millennium Hits 2002 - 2018	Pop, Rock, Jazz	Mosquito Records London	^[17]
May 25	DJ Neptune	Greatness	Afrobeats, hip-hop	Neptune Records	^[18]
May 25	Adekunle Gold	About 30	World, highlife	Afro Urban Records, Empire	^[19]
June 15	Zonke	L.O.V.E	Afro-soul	Sony	^[20]
August 24	M.I Abaga	A Study On Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl	Hip-hop	Chocolate City	^[21]
September 11	Steve Kekana	Ubuntu	Sold Out Music
October 19	Razia	The Road	Razia Said Music		^[22]
November 9	Mr Eazi	Life Is Eazi, Vol. 2 - Lagos to London	Afrobeats	Banku Music	^[23]
November 16	Mayorkun	The Mayor of Lagos	Afropop	Davido Music Worldwide	^[24]

Classical

Michael Blake – Lovedale Harmony (in memory of Siya Betana) (2017) for saxophone quartet^[25]

Deaths

January 3 – Lara Kruger, 30, South African DJ (Motsweding FM) and transgender rights activist^[26]
January 4 – Joseph Gunduza Magigwani, 37, Zimbabwean actor and gospel singer (traffic collision)^[27]
January 23 – Hugh Masekela, 78, South African jazz instrumentalist, composer and singer^[28]
February 1 – Mowzey Radio, 33, Ugandan musician (head injuries from a fight)^[29]
February 8 - Ebony Reigns, 20, Ghanaian singer (traffic collision)^[30]
March 19 – Shavey, Kenyan dancehall singer (traffic collision)^[31]
April 2 – Ahmed Janka Nabay, Sierra Leonean musician, 54^[32]
May 20 – N'Goran La Loi, Ivorian accordionist, husband and partner of Allah Thérèse, 87^[16]
June 10 – Ras Kimono, Nigerian reggae musician, 60^[33]
September 12 – Rachid Taha, Algerian singer (Carte de Séjour), 59 (heart attack)^[34]
October 3 – Joseph Kamaru, Kenyan benga musician and political activist, 79 (complications from Parkinson's disease)^[35]
October 24 – Hip Hop Pantsula, South African rapper, 38^[36]
November 13 – Brian Rusike, Zimbabwean songwriter and keyboardist, 62^[37]

References

^ Idoko Salihu. "Top 10 Nigerian artistes to look out for in 2018". Premium Times. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
^ Bakary Ceesay (22 January 2018). "Youssou N'Dour: Gambia has huge potential". Music-Africa. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
^ "LadySmith Black Mambazo wins fifth Grammy award". CNN. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
^ Fowell, Ian (30 March 2018). "Swaziland Win The First AfriMusic Song Contest". ESCCovers.
^ Sam Wollaston (1 June 2018). "Africa: A Journey Into Music review – Nigeria's rich musical history is examined". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
^ Euan Kerr (2018-08-16). "Minnesota Orchestra Honors Nelson Mandela By Bringing Music To South Africar". All Things Considered. National Public Radio. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
^ "ALBUM REVIEW: 'OUTSIDE' — Burna Boy is a jerk, who is also a Genius". Medium. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ Sabelo Mkhabelo (7 February 2018). "Professor Proves Jesus Is a Great Kwaito Composer In His Latest Album". Okay Africa. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ Anupa Mistry (15 February 2018). "Zaki Ibrahim The Secret Life of Planets Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ "REVIEW: M.I Abaga's "Rendezvous" Is a Decent Crossroad Of Musical Diversity". Nigerian Entertainment Today. 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
^ Adriane Pontecorvo (27 February 2018). "Femi Kuti Wants to Unite the World on 'One People One World'". Pop Matters. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ Kate Hutchinson (February 23, 2018). "Hailu Mergia: Lala Belu review – African accordion star still an original". The Guardian. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
^ "Pape Diouf & La Generation Consciente". Womex. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
^ Phillip Mlynar (6 March 2018). "Seun Kuti & Egypt 80: Black Times Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ "Singer releases 6th album "OṢÓ"". Pulse Nigeria. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Après le décès de N'goran la Loi, Allah Thérèse effondrée : "Je ne peux plus continuer sans lui"". abidjan.net. May 27, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
^ Mosquito Records London (May 14, 2018). "Ike Moriz - Millennium Hits 2002 - 2018". Mosquito Records London News. Archived from the original on 2018-09-28. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
^ Alex Ndace (31 May 2018). "Alex Ndace: An Exploration of Sounds and Diversified Genres… A Review of DJ Neptune's "Greatness" Album". BellaNaija. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ Ehis Ohunyon (25 May 2018). "Adekunle Gold's About 30 is about growth, substance and good vibes". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ Nokuthula Zwane (15 June 2018). "Zonke opens herself up with L.O.V.E". IOL. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ "MI Abaga releases long-awaited Yung Denzel album". Music in Africa. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ "Razia Releases New Album "The Road," On October 19, 2018". T4C. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
^ Dennis Peter (13 November 2018). "Review: "Life Is Eazi, Volume 2- Lagos To London" Is A Loose Document Of Mr Eazi's Continued Rise". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ Ohunyon, Ehis (16 November 2018). "First listen take of Mayorkun's debut album, The Mayor of Lagos". Pulse NG. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
^ "Lovedale Harmony (in memory of Siya Betana) (2017)". Michael Blake. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
^ "Motsweding FM DJ Lara Kruger has died". Retrieved 10 January 2018.
^ Former Wenera actor dies in car crash
^ "Family Statement – Hugh Masekela". hughmasekela.co.za. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
^ "Ugandan musician Mowzey Radio dies". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
^ Ebony Reigns Dies In A Gory Motor Crash
^ Dancehall star Shavey of the famed ‘Gyal’ hit song dies after being run over by matatu
^ “Bubu Music” Pioneer Janka Nabay Has Died
^ Nigerian reggae artist, Ras Kimono dies after brief illness
^ France-based Algerian singer Rachid Taha dies at 59
^ Musician Joseph Kamaru, 79, dies at MP Shah Hospital
^ "Hip Hop veteran HHP has passed away". Archived from the original on 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
^ Zim’s original Pied Pipers member dies