Towards a Global 21^st Century African Popular Music: ASSATA Band as a Case Study

Abstract

The world is increasingly becoming a global village, due mainly to the technological advancements of the 21^st century and increased interactions and collaborations between peoples of the earth. Consequently, compartmentalization of cultures is fast giving way to the emergence of a 'global mass culture' with increasing cultural exchanges and adaptations. Musically, this has translated to increasing collaboration between African and Western musicians as seen in ASSATA; a French-Nigerian band. This paper seeks to identify the implications of this development for African music and musicians, with a view to reposition African music and musicians for the global challenges of the 21^st century.