The Middle East Honours Black Music

This year, in honour of Black Music Month, we’re exploring the undeniable impact of Black music and musicians around the world. The rich and varied music in this playlist has Arabic influences alongside traditional, rural East African vibes, with one of the most-used East African instruments, the tanbura/kissar, being commonly heard in Sudanese folklore and Nubian and Gnawa music. Popular international genres like western dance music, dancehall, rock, pop and hip-hop have had a profound effect on modern Sudanese music in particular, with hip-hop sounds like trap making their way into the mainstream as artists like MaMan, MazMars, Rotation, TooDope, Alsarah & The Nubatones and Dua Saleh dominate the charts. This collection highlights the newly appointed popular sounds in Sudan and slowly moves towards the conventional and traditional folklore that is similar to the Nubian and Gnawa genres. Dive into our Black Music Month playlist, and if you hear something you like, save it to your library.