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From emotionally revealing R&B and modern jungle to fújì, Afro-Soul, reggae and global pop, this edition of Afros Picks brings together six releases shaping contemporary Black music across borders.
Masego turns inward on Fix Your Face, pairing his signature musicianship with vulnerability and self-reflection. Asake expands his global sound without losing his Nigerian foundations on M$NEY, while Nia Archives makes vulnerable songwriting feel at home alongside exhilarating breakbeats on Emotional Junglist.
Elsewhere, Nigerian Canadian newcomer Osé emerges as an Afro-Soul voice to watch with Feels Like Home. Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 join Kabaka Pyramid on “Problems,” reconnecting Afrobeat and reggae through a shared language of resilience and resistance. Tyla, meanwhile, embraces global pop on A*POP while remaining grounded in the South African identity that first introduced her to the world.
Together, these selections capture artists looking inward, reaching outward and carrying their musical foundations into new territory.
Discover all six Afros Picks at Afros in tha City or in our print publication.
Read MoreIn “Rooted Like a Tree,” Moneka shares how the Arabic Maqam traditions of southern Iraq coexist with jazz, funk, reggae, blues, soul and Afro-diasporic rhythms in his evolving musical language. For the Black Iraqi artist, music is more than performance. It is a sacred ritual connecting past, present and future—and a responsibility to the generations on either side of us.
Read MoreRooted in Nigeria and rebuilding in Calgary, Cris Kester makes music shaped by rhythm, faith, resilience and the determination to keep moving when life refuses to make things easy.
In “Rooted in Nigeria, Rising in Calgary: Cris Kester Is Still Becoming,” Kimberley Dooshima Jev traces how Kester’s upbringing in Cross River State and northern Nigeria continues to live in his storytelling. Through songs including “Can I Speak?,” “Las Las” and “Colourful,” he creates space for pain without surrendering hope, building an emotional bridge between listeners across cultures and borders.
The profile explores the immigrant experience of beginning again, the challenge of introducing yourself to a new city and the faith required to keep creating when life does not yet resemble what you imagined. Standing between the foundation he built in Nigeria and the life he is creating in Canada, Kester is not choosing between two worlds. He is building from both—and he believes his best is still ahead.
Read the full story at Afros in tha City or in our print publication.
Read MoreBy Kimberley Dooshima Jev
Decades after Fela Kuti released “Beasts of No Nation,” its confrontation with power, corruption and political authority remains unfinished.
In “No Nation (Ayakata): Ginton and ODUMODUBLVCK Reach Across Generations to Rework Fela Kuti,” Afros in tha City explores how Amsterdam-based producer and guitarist Ginton and Nigerian rapper ODUMODUBLVCK approach an official contemporary reworking created with the involvement of the Fela Kuti Estate.
The story traces the political weight of Fela’s original recording, Ginton’s history of connecting electronic production with global musical traditions, and ODUMODUBLVCK’s continued commitment to his sound, community and principles. Together, they bring different eras of African music into conversation without attempting to replace the work that came before them.
Fela’s era. Ginton’s interpretation. ODUMODUBLVCK’s generation.
Read the full story at Afros in tha City or in our print publication.
Read MoreLong before Killer Mike stepped onto the Calgary Folk Music Festival stage, the voices of The Mighty Midnight Revival travelled across Prince’s Island Park.
In “Sound Before Sight,” Kimberley Dooshima Jev reflects on encountering an artist whose music has accompanied her life—from OutKast and ATL to Run the Jewels and Michael Render’s evolution as an artist, entrepreneur, community leader and public voice.
Blending personal history with reflections from Calgary artist TeaFannie, the story explores how hip hop, gospel, soul and testimony transformed one festival performance into something larger: a meeting place for memory, legacy and community. It is also a reflection on the stories, songs and cultural touchstones that travel across borders and generations until they meet us where we are.
Read “Sound Before Sight” in full at Afros in tha City or in our print publication.
Read MoreAfro Picks is a curated cultural roundup by Afros in tha City spotlighting the music, artists, and creative moments shaping contemporary culture across the globe.
From emerging voices and underground discoveries to internationally recognized artists, Afro Picks exists as a space for thoughtful cultural observation highlighting the sounds, stories, and creative energy driving music and artistry forward today.
More than recommendations, Afro Picks focuses on evolution, storytelling, experimentation, and creative excellence celebrating artists and projects that leave a lasting impression.
Read MoreBuilt alongside longtime collaborator Mario Caldato Jr. with orchestral arrangements from Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, The Other Side moves through jazz, bossa nova, symphonic arrangements, MPB, and contemplative cinematic textures with remarkable confidence and restraint.
Read MoreAfro Picks is a curated cultural roundup by Afros in tha City spotlighting the music, artists, and creative moments shaping contemporary culture across the globe.
From emerging voices and underground discoveries to internationally recognized artists, Afro Picks exists as a space for thoughtful cultural observation highlighting the sounds, stories, and creative energy driving music and artistry forward today.
More than recommendations, Afro Picks focuses on evolution, storytelling, experimentation, and creative excellence celebrating artists and projects that leave a lasting impression.
Read MoreKindé isn’t trying to prove anything.
With her latest single, “WTF (What You Take Me For)” featuring Bkay Won, the Calgary-based artist steps into hip hop on her own terms. Grounded in the neo soul and R&B foundation that continues to shape her sound.
There’s a familiarity to what she creates. Warm chords. Brushed percussion. A quiet ease that feels reminiscent of late ’90s neo soul. But it never feels borrowed. Instead, Kindé reshapes those elements into something that feels distinctly her own
Read MoreThe Calgary Folk Music Festival returns July 23–26, 2026, bringing its 47th year to Prince’s Island Park. But calling it a festival doesn’t fully capture it. This is where Calgary gathers.
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