Global Hit

Haitian American artist Momma Nikki sings about a complicated father-child relationship — and reconciliation

June 23, 2021

On their most recent album titled “Momma Exposed,” Seattle-based, Haitian American artist Momma Nikki pays tribute to their late father.

Music

Dedicated BTS fans buy tickets to join virtual K-pop concert

The World

June 14, 2021

Even fans in the US tuned in at 5:30 a.m. to watch the live BTS concert online. Culture critic Maria Sherman, author of "Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS," joins us to talk about BTS fandom.

Movement

Forging new space: The multidimensional Afrofuturism of Sammus

The World

June 07, 2021

For Dr. Enongo Lumumba Kasongo, whose stage name is Sammus, Afrofuturism has been a well of inspiration and a living current underneath all her work.

History

A new film explores the stories of 6 men from China who survived the Titanic sinking

The World

June 04, 2021

Some hid their experiences after being scapegoated for surviving the shipwreck.

Movement

The ‘strange grace’ of singer Arooj Aftab

The World

May 04, 2021

In her latest record, “Vulture Prince,” Pakistani composer Arooj Aftab uses words from Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib and 11th-century Persian poet Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, alongside electronic samples and touches of jazz trumpet.

Arts, Culture & Media

Netflix’s big bet on foreign content and international viewers could upend the global mediascape — and change how people see the world

The Conversation

April 16, 2021

An Italian media scholar raised on American TV assesses Netflix's ambitious strategy to create original productions in Italy, Japan, Brazil and beyond — and distribute them globally.

Music

Femi Kuti and Made Kuti continue Afrobeat legacy in two-part album

The World

April 12, 2021

The roots of Afrobeat — not to be confused with the more pop-oriented Afrobeats, which has exploded in popularity in recent years — is socially conscious music, according to Made Kuti, Fela Kuti's grandson.

Music

Genesis Owusu's debut album 'Smiling With No Teeth' doesn't shy away from issues of race

The World

March 03, 2021

Ghanaian Australian artist Genesis Owusu speaks with Marco Werman about his experience growing up in Australia and how Prince inspired him to be true to himself.

Music

Artist Shungudzo feels an urgency to 'use her words' to fight against racism

The World

January 18, 2021

In her music and poetry, Shungudzo tackles the racist experiences she had growing up in Zimbabwe and the US.

Tunes that kept The World spinning in 2020: A playlist

The World

December 15, 2020

Music from artists featured on The World, suggestions from our team and anthems of 2020 — all on our end-of-year playlist.

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