Finding a Voice Between Tradition and Contemporary

Artists share approaches to preserving their craft while honoring traditional heritage and creating space for innovation in an ever changing world. Join this diverse and innovative panel: Grammy-nominated, Afro-Cuban rock star Cimafunk; the acclaimed King of Trobby Music, celebrated musician, and award-winning DJ Abosahar; the vibrant duo from Aïta Mon Amour - Widad Mjama and Khalil EPI, along with the experimental electronic music collective from the DRC, KOKOKO!

Cimafunk (Cuba)

Cimafunk is a Grammy-nominated, Afro-Cuban rock star, whose live show is a celebration of groove and an unforgettable sonic and bodily experience. His name refers to his heritage as a “cimarrón,” Cubans of African descent who resisted and escaped slavery, as well as to the essence of his music that aims to subvert classical Cuban rhythms with innovative mixes of funk, afrobeat and hip hop. Cimafunk has received overwhelming praise as one of today’s great showmen, performing an electric live show with La Tribu, his 9-member band from Havana, redefining contemporary Cuban music as well as Afro-Latin identity and the fusion of Black cultures. His latest album, El Alimento, was nominated at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

KOKOKO! (Congo)

KOKOKO! exploded onto the electronic music scene in 2018 and quickly rewrote the usual Western narrative of what electronic music is and, more importantly, what “world music” isn't. The band's colorful approach through wild, uncontrollable sounds and instruments, rapidly tore through any perception, pre-condition, and performance of African bands of the past. KOKOKO! created the DIY instrument spectacle that has since forged a path for other bands to follow. Meanwhile, KOKOKO! have become more electronic and percussive, focusing on the nighttime atmospheres of Kinshasa - filled with energy and pushing everything from the equipment to the sound system to their limits. With amps smoking, wires melting, and the crowd losing it, this is the new KOKOKO! Sound.

Abosahar (Egypt)

Listen to the electrifying beats and soul-stirring melodies of Abosahar, the acclaimed King of Trobby Music, celebrated musician, and award-winning DJ. He shares his passion, creativity, and cultural heritage through a fusion of electro shaabi (mahraganat) and personalized soundscapes. From the heart of Upper Egypt to international stages in Europe and beyond, Abosahar's music resonates with raw authenticity, drawing inspiration from his upbringing in El Minya. Embedded in Egyptian DIY culture, Abosahar's pioneering approach led him to utilize unconventional methods, such as an outdated computer and cracked software, to pioneer Trobby Music, establishing him as a leading innovator in Arab music.

Aïta Mon Amour (Morocco)

Composed of Widad Mjama, a pioneer of female rap in Morocco and a member of the duo N3rdistan, and Khalil Epi, a major figure in the electronic and contemporary Arab music scene, Aïta Mon Amour offer a new interpretation of an ancestral Moroccan popular music. Aïta is rooted in the country’s rural areas, sung by women singers who are the custodians of a centuries-old tradition. Aïta Mon Amour highlights the political, social, and mystical dimensions of the lyrics while striving to build bridges between the past and present.