South Africa: Fonko

Urban club music is merging with traditional styles in a new musical form called “fonko” (which means “the thing”), encompassing several sub-genres (including kuduro, azonto, ndombolo, hipline, and others). Armed with computers and digital recording software, fonko artists in South Africa are drawing on the same influences seen in some forms of hip-hop and pop—an unmistakable African imprint that includes melodic, tuned percussion and marimba. Some of this music is fast—with the beats per minute (BPM) of Shangaan electro pushing the limits at 189 BPM (a lot of hip hop is in the 120-130 BPM range). The vocals range from sung melodies to rap, all designed to be exceedingly danceable. The breakneck music serves as backdrop for the lyrical themes that capture the huge political, racial, social, and economic tensions tied to modern life in South Africa, a nation that is still struggling. Music videos often borrow from the swagger of rap videos, but with topics speaking to troubles in Johannesburg. Here, the music is used as a bridge, a challenge, an outlet, and to express solidarity. This is technology-powered music, made in poor areas (as one musician interviewed here notes, some have been using pirated software for years in pursuit of the new musical styles). One of six titles in the Contemporary Africa Through Its Urban Music series, Fonko offers an interesting look at a changing musical landscape in Africa. The other titles in the series are Angola, Burkina Faso, Dakar, Ghana and Nigeria. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Block)