Coming 2 America — Sounds of Zamunda: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

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Coming 2 America — Sounds of Zamunda: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert with tags npr, npr music, national public radio, live, performance, tiny desk, tiny desk concert, tony desk, tiny concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Bobby Carter | March 10, 2021

Over the years, African musicians have elevated expectations at the Tiny Desk. The distinctive vibrations left by artists like Burna Boy, KOKOKO! and the Soweto Gospel Choir have lead to some of the most unforgettable moments in our rich history. This (home) concert feels like the culmination of all of those moments.

To celebrate the new compilation Rhythms of Zamunda: Music Inspired By Coming 2 America, six artists representing four countries in Africa perform a megamix of selections from the project. Each performance from the pan-African project bridges the distance between the countries and cultures, and gets more exhilarating by the minute.

South Africa's Nasty C — who's arguably the biggest rapper on the continent — opens the set and trades verses with Tiny Desk alumni Ari Lennox on "Black and White." He then sends us over to Cameroon for some Afrobeats flavor, courtesy of Locko and his stripped-down version of "Magnet." We then circle back around to South Africa to hear from R&B newcomer Ricky Tyler. From there, we head north to Nigeria to do the "Jiggy Bop" with Alpha P before we take one last trip to South Africa for award-winning dance DJ and producer Prince Kaybee's "Fetch Your Life," featuring Msaki. Finally, Togo duo Toofan dares us not to dance to "Yé Mama."

In addition to the sweeping range of the showings, the look of each set is stunning: vibrant, opulent colors; meticulous Tiny Desk shelf recreations; gorgeous African artifacts; and a few nuggets dedicated to King Akeem of Coming 2 America. This cultural clash is the biggest amplification of African voices we've ever had the pleasure of presenting.

SET LIST

Nasty C (feat. Ari Lennox): "Black and White"

Locko: "Magnet"

Ricky Tyler: "Everything"

Alpha P: "Jiggy Bop"

Prince Kaybee (feat. Msaki): "Fetch Your Life"

Toofan: "Ye Mama"

MUSICIANS

"Black and White"

Nasty C: vocals

Ari Lennox: vocals

Fundile "FD" Dlamini: drums

Christer Kobedi: keys

Vaughan Fourie: keys

"Magnet"

Locko: vocals

Joel Parfait Ondigui: bass

Benjamin Mouangue Bossamo: guitar

Brice Essomba: keys

Marc Nzana: drums

Martien Oyono: violin

"Everything"

Ricky Tyler: vocals

Zādok: keys

Tino "Beatboy" Damba: drums

Tendai "Shoxx" Shoko: bass

Innocent Mzizi: guitar

"Jiggy Bop"

Alpha P: vocals

David Osang: vocals

Agu Chinyere Gift: vocals

Tosin "SDK" Tade: vocals

Femi Jacobs: vocals

Olabiyi Julius: keys

Ayodele Agbabiaka Oluwasegun: bass

Best Amakhian: guitar

Ebenezer Olayinka: drums

"Fetch Your Life"

Msaki: vocals

Prince Kaybee: DJ

Zādok: guitar

Katleho Motlatla: bass

Fundile "FD" Dlamini: keys

"Ye Mama"

Barabas: vocals

Masta Just: vocals

Paul Akakpo: keys

Therence Egue: drums

Martin Lawson: bass

Lionel Adjovi: guitar

Sylvie Akpedjo: vocals

Lamabara Paul: vocals

CREDITS

Nasty C and Ari, Ricky Tyler and Prince Kaybee

Video: Molotovcocktail.tv, Nic Roux, Daniel Tshimowa, Tumelo Mofokeng, Brain Bvumbe, Kyana White, Tyshawn 'Creedlife' Smith, Tony Nava, Jonathan Lora, Emmanuel Nkolo, Tommy4K, Josh Binyard

Audio: Ebenezer Maxwell, Itumeleng Maponyane, Robin Kohl (Jazzworx), Cliff Machingaifa, Caleb James

Locko

Video: Director Chuzih

Audio: One Style One Nation Films

Alpha P

Video: Adetola Films, Mario Vera-Cruz, Clout, Femi Aribisala, Pheabian Miller

Audio: Laughter Oyemada

Toofan

Video: Director Barabas

Audio: Masta Just

TINY DESK TEAM

Producer: Bobby Carter