The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

One fine day in 2025, I was in a VIP bus traveling from Accra to Bolgatanga and I thought about music from the Northern sector/zone or Savannah Belt of Ghana. After Barcamp Bolga 2025, I asked some friends and then in #BolgaKonnect, #NavrongoKonnect, #NortheastKonnect, #TamaleKonnect, #SavannahKonnect and #WaKonnect about the top songs ever from these parts of Ghana. I was looking at artistes who were and are largely based in these areas, which means I did not consider the likes of Samini, Mugeez, Rocky Dawuni, and co. I Want To See You My Father - King Ayisoba (2006) Total Cheat - Fancy Gadam (2017) In Heaven, There Is No Beer - Atongo Zimba (2004) Tinambanyi - Wiyaala (2014) Election Time - Sheriff Ghale (2009) Ghana Pogsi - Atimbila (2014) Beautiful - Sherifa Gunu (2010) Wunpini - Don Sigli (2016) Di Kuyuui - Abu Sadiq (2001) Tahama - Kawastone 69 Fans - Maccasio (2016) Thanks to all of those who contributed to this, like: Abraham Jimah, Alhassan Abukari Hamdia, Ecoleap Anuran Cuisi...

 I asked some friends to name their  top 5 songs  ever, from  Uganda . My Ugandan alter-ego,  Richard Nshuti Mayanja , also contributed, thanks to all he has learnt around  Museke . I also asked  Google  Gemini & other AI bots. You know AI is my friend these days right? I also contributed my top 5. My first time in  Uganda   was in 2011, thanks to my work at  Google . Prior to that, I knew some songs from my Museke days, and some East African friends from Rwanda, Uganda, etc. These days dovetailed with my time at  MIT  and then later at  Stanford . When I visited Kampala, I hanged out with a lot of top musicians there, thanks to Museke. A Caucasian Googler friend of mine had told me, Kampala is the party of capital of Africa. I attest. I have a lot of research and evidence to back this. I only went there twice and I bet this has not changed in a decade. I wanted to do a list of top 5, but there are too many songs....

I asked some friends to name their  top 5 songs  ever, from  Tanzania . My Tanzanian alter-ego,  Hamis Ambwene Massawe , also contributed, thanks to all he has learnt around  Museke . I also asked  Google  Gemini & other AI bots. You know AI is my friend these days right? I also contributed my top 5. My first time in  Tanzania   was in 2012, thanks to my work at  Google . Prior to that, I had been learning about Tanzanian music from my  Bongo friends  at  MIT  and then later at  Stanford . When I visited Dar Es Salaam, I hanged out with a lot of top musicians there, thanks to Museke. I had the kind of experiences in Bongo land that would make you say "Bingo". I miss Tanzania dearly! I wanted to do a list of top 5, but there are too many songs. So I have aggregated  11 , to represent  Tanzania  in the World Cup of  #MusicWeDeyFeel .  The starting eleven . Drop your opinions, props, sug...

 I asked some friends to name their  top 5 songs  ever, from  Ivory Coast . I have not outdoored an alter-ego from Cote D'Ivoire. One of these days. I leveraged my knowledge about Ivorian music as well, thanks to all I have learnt around  Museke . I also asked  Google  Gemini (not through Google Sheets this time) & some other competitors of theirs). You know AI is is my friend these days right? I also contributed my top 5. My first time in  Ivory Coast   was in 2015. This was thanks to Nescafe , and I am not even a big fan of coffee. I am a big fan of dancing, and you know Ivorians make serious danceable music, starting from Coupé-décalé. Prior to 2015, I had been listening to a lot of Ivorien music . The funny thing I never really met Ivorians until I returned to Ghana from the US. Prior to 2011 , I had befriended several Ivorians through Twitter, thanks to the Barcamp movement across the continent . Barcamp Abidjan - Barcamp Babi....