MIDEM, the worldwide music community event held at Cannes each January, has announced that South Africa will be the guest of honour, following Russia last year. South Africa is musically a pretty cool place. For one thing, it is the tip of the vast African continent, and has connections to the east and west coasts, as well as the centre. This gives powerful influences, which are combined with the strong western (for want of a better word) influences and the many sounds from the Indian Ocean. South Africa also boasts a strong jazz scene. Football fans will already know that FIFA 2010 will be held there.
But I’ll take this opportunity to point visitors in the direction of one of the world’s coolest labels, African Dope, home to some of the most distinctive Hip-Hop and club sounds on the planet.