International Music News - SHOUTcast Blog

Somalian/Canadian rapper K'Naan has released the official video for his 'Wavin' Flag' track, the Coca-Cola-sponsored song for FIFA's 2010 World Cup in South Africa, directed by Nabil Elderkin. First off, this song is vastly better than Akon's Pepsi-funded 'Oh Africa' track, also funded for the World Cup. Secondly, get used to hearing this in every commercial break in every country fielding a soccer/football team, for the next three months.

It's for a good cause: the proceeds for the single benefit relief efforts in Haiti.

Cue the mutl-culti kids playing soccer after the jump.

In the past few years, a long line of celebrity contributors have marched out collaborations with the Congelese Bazombo folk-by-way-of homemade electrified instruments. The roster includes work with Beck, Björk (on 'Volta'), and Thom Yorke. The band's latest coup is an appearance on Herbie Hancock's upcoming LP 'The Imagine Project.'

In addition to the guest spots, Konono No. 1 will release the followup to 2005's internationally successful debut, 'Congotronics 1' with 'Assume Crash Position,' which promises to be "somehow deeper, more layered and ethereal, without losing any of that signature raw power and driving energy." The collective also has announced plans for a full North American tour to begin in July 2010, though at the moment only the Konono No1 European 2010 tour dates are listed.

Charice's 'Pyramid' will see an official music video release in the coming weeks, as a leaked interview with the Filipina popstress reveals. The singer's swelling fanbase, self-dubbed "Chasters," have been keeping a close eye on the singer, who filmed the official 'Pyramid' video at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles along with British Virgin Islands reggae star Iyaz.

The interview, which can be seen after the jump, took place soon after shooting.

For the first time in four years, Senegalese vocalist and guitar virtuoso Baaba Maal will return to North America for a full, month-long tour that will take him through the Mexico, the U.S., Canada, and back to Mexico. Baaba is touring in support of his new album, 'Television,' a collaboration with vocalist Sabina Sciubba and keyboardist Didi Gutman, both members of New York's Brazilian Girls. He'll be touring with Aliou Diouf on drums, Massamba Diop on talking drum, Mbara Cisse on bass, Ibrahima Cissokho on electric guitar, Hilaire Felicien Chaby Hary on keys, Cire Sall on hoddu and Mouhamadou Lamine Sarr on percussion.

As previously reported, Baaba Maal will also be appearing at Bonnaroo 2010, as well as a handful of other festivals, including Mexico's Zacatecas Fest, in Zacatecas City, the Lake Eden Festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina, the World State Houston International Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Check out Baaba Maal's full tour schedule after the jump.

The South African Music Awards have announced its list of nominees this week. In their 16th year running, the annual awards show have pit old South African legends against newbies in its Album of the Year category, with jazz guitarist Selaelo Selota and traditional singer Busi Mhlongo both vying for the prize alongside newcomers like kwaito duo Big Nuz and BLK JKS' hybrid of traditional music and rock. Overall, the list reflects the vast range of South African musics, with over 50 awards and hundreds of nominees, ranging everywhere from traditional Afrikaans music to kwaito, rap, rock, tsonga, and beyond.

See the full list of nominees after the jump.

Filipina pop star Charice has released her first official Stateside single with 'Pyramid.' Written by Swedish songwriter/producer David Jassy, 'Pyramid' features British Virgin Islands-born reggae star Iyaz.

Charice has already had her share of U.S. promotion, having enjoyed appearances on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' and 'Oprah,' not to mention sharing the stage with Celine Dion at Madison Square Garden. And she's no stranger to the world of pop, with her two highly successful Philippine-released albums, 2009's 'My Inspiration' and her 2008 self-titled release.

Watch the video for the album version of 'Pyramid' after the jump.

Afropop Worldwide, on the vanguard of covering African music in America since it began as a radio show in 1988, began a "series within a series" when it started 'Hip Deep,' a radio special that traces the roots of African music both at home and through its global diaspora. Or in their own words:

"A media project dedicated to the idea that music is a key to understanding everything: History, religion, cultures, political and social realities, science, families, and even human nature itself."

That mission has translated into countless commercial-free segments that delve into a specific artist, genre, culture, whether it be New Orleans jazz, musíca tropical in Colombia, or a brief history in Mali's music. Now, Hip Deep is live and online, with 60 hours of radio programming available for listening, and it's quite pretty. The site stands out as one of the few design-savvy online hubs for African music, and it does so with a caliber that's perhaps unmatched, providing top-notch academic and journalistic looks into music from the African continent, and beyond.