Today we have a short list of six varied videos for the year’s shortest month. From African pageantry to Brazilian avant-garde and social commentary, it’s a spicy collection.
Check out the full Afropop Top Videos playlist for all our recent selections. And remember, if you have suggestions of videos our fans would love, send them to info@afropop.org with the subject line “Top Videos 2026.” Enjoy!
Flavour & Baaba Maal: “AFROCULTURE”
We learned about this spectacular, boisterous celebration of pan-African culture from Baaba Maal himself, during our recent visit to Senegal. The music is a full-on barrage of brass, drums and more and the images include references to just about every African culture you can think of. This is one for the ages, worth many viewings for the details and the irresistible vibe.
Yilian Cañizares: “Vitamina Y”
This is a rising Afro-Cuban artist with classical training, jazz chops, a crystal clear voice and charisma to spare. Here, we get an inspiring parable on the healing power of music. Sad-faced elderly folks put on headphones and come to vibrant life listening to Yilian’s sound. Before long, they’re smiling radiantly, dancing and playing music and video games. Her music sells the idea: rootsy, percussion-rich, everything we expect from top-shelf Afro-Cuban boogie.
Jorge Drexler: “Toco madera”
With Oscar and Grammy awards to his credit, Jorge Drexler is arguably the leading Uruguayan popular musician of our time. On his long awaited album Taracá (his first album recorded in Urugay in 20 years; he now lives in Spain), Drexler digs into the Afro-Uruguayan candombe tradition. Here on a track that translates “knock on wood,” he unfolds the layers of that tradition from a simple, clavé-like pulse to a full-blown polyrhythmic weave with an unforgettable vocal hook. We particularly appreciate the way this video reimagines nylon-string Drexler’s guitar as a drum.
King Promise x Mr Eazi: “That Way”
Nigeria’s Mr Eazi and Ghana’s King Promise are both young stars at the top of their game. They continue their successful collaboration on a forthcoming album called Look What We’ve Done. What they’ve done here is delightfully unexpected, an Afrobeats (afropop, as they present it) reimagining of the Backstreet Boys’ 1999 hit “I Want it That Way.” Silky smooth vocals, catchy melodies and all the production prowess one would expect from these heavy-hitters propel a dynamic dance video.
Arthur de Faria & Tum Toin Foin e Orquestra do Theatro São Pedro: “Fagoteira”
Hailing from the more adventurous and alternative side of Brazil’s kaleidoscopic music scene, this project pairs Brazilian composer and bandleader Arthur de Faria and his chamber-pop collective Tum Toin Foin, with the Theater Orchestra of São Pedro. This live performance comes from a recently released concert album named for the two ensembles. Genres from jazz to tango and contemporary classical collide with a high-spirited and utterly unique result. Reflecting the track title, which translates “bassoon,” this performance showcases some evocative and rather tricky bassoon artistry.
James BKS - Milli Vanity
Cameroonian-French artist/producer James BKS showcases original Milli Vanilli member Fab Morvan in a song and video that “interrogates the moment fame turns predatory, exploring naive youth, a voracious industry, enforced deception, public collapse, and then the only thing that matters, a choice.” Here’s background on the 1990 scandal and 2023 film that inspired this song. The video is spare and minimalist, putting the focus on lyrics, and on imagery of a burning pile of cash.
Related Audio Programs
