• Frank L'Opez

Stories by Frank L'Opez

Peter One country folk ivory coast come back to me
Music

Peter One Blends West African Folk With Nashville Country in 'Come Back To Me'

In Come Back To Me, the veteran musician mixes influences from his classic Côte d'Ivoire country-folk albums and his new home of Nashville, Tennessee.

Zamrock band WITCH
Music

Zamrock Legends WITCH Are Back With a Force

Jagari, of the 1970s Zambian psych rock band WITCH, talks to us about life, destiny and the group's first album in forty years.

Babsy Konate Tounga ​1990s Microsoft-inspired album cover.
Music

Babsy Konate Is Pioneering Auto-Tuned Malian Music

Dive into the Northern Malian producer's hypnotizing album, Tounga, out via Sahel Sounds.

Kengol DJ from cameroon stands and poses
Music

Get to Know Kengol DJ’s Cameroonian Drill Music

The 32-year-old is blending drill and coupé-décalé—all from a prison in Cameroon.

A Sudanese woman, flanked by other woman, shakes her finger at a mobile phone camera.
News

The Cultural Aftermath of the Sudanese Revolution

Women artists continue to create their work in a country where their cries for freedom and justice for all have still gone unheard.

Ratigan Era smoking a cigarette.
Music

Exploring the Streets of Kampala with Ratigan Era

OkayAfrica spent some time with rising Uganda dancehall star Ratigan Era as he explored all his favorite places to eat.

dj cora cruise nigeria
Music

Get to Know Nigeria's New 'Cruise' Sound

A new, hyper dance style is bubbling out of Nigeria thanks to TikTok.

​Vieux Farka Toure and Khruangbin.
Music

Vieux Farka Touré On His Collaborative Album With Khruangbin

We talk to the Malian legend about Ali, his collaborative album alongside Texas' Khruangbin.

Sélébéyone Is at the Intersection of Experimental Hip-Hop, Jazz & Wolof
Music

Sélébéyone Is at the Intersection of Experimental Hip-Hop, Jazz & Wolof

The international 'avant-rap collective' deliver a new album packed with impressive rhymes from Senegal's Gaston Bandimic.

​Vieux Farka Toure
Music

Vieux Farka Touré Finds Truth In His Roots In 'Les Racines'

The legendary Malian guitarist's new album is a journey that has taken him home, bursting with love.

mdou moctar
Music

Mdou Moctar Treads Lightly On 'Afrique Refait' Remix Album

The Niger guitarist and songwriter gets remixed by many of Africa's cutting-edge electronic producers in Afrique Refait.

The Punk Rock Electronica of Uganda's Ecko Bazz
Music

The Punk Rock Electronica of Uganda's Ecko Bazz

We talk to the Kampala-based rapper about his debut album Mmaso and its forward-thinking sound.

An image of rapper Big Yasa standing in front of a food stall in Kibera.
Music

A Day in Kibera with Rising Drill Rapper Big Yasa

The drill rapper takes us on a tour of his favorite food spots in the place he calls home.

The Breakneck Electronic Sound of DJ Travella
Music

The Breakneck Electronic Sound of DJ Travella

The 19-year-old Tanzanian DJ and producer talks to us about his hyper-speed Singeli beats and reaching a global audience.

An image of a woman in a hijab taken by photographer Mous Lamrabat.
Arts + Culture

Meet the Moroccan Photographers Looking to Redefine Fashion

Artists from the top of Africa are helping transform the fashion industry with their unique lens on the world.

Lil Maina Kenya Kishash
Arts + Culture

Meet Kenya's Viral Sensation Lil Maina

We caught up with the 18-year-old content creator, who suddenly shot to fame with a viral rap song.

An image of artists standing in front of the Lamu Space Station art gallery in Kenya
Arts + Culture

Meet the Artists of Lamu Space Station

The unique gallery on Kenya's Lamu Island is home to an array of artists who, through their work, are imploring visitors to take better care of the planet.

An image of two male models wearing Ikeno fashion
Fashion + Beauty

The Kenyan Fashion Brand Inspired By Island Life

Slow fashion menswear range Ikeno, founded by Jemima Bornman in October 2019, takes its cue from Kenya's Lamu Island.