The Special AKA—"Free Nelson Mandela" Video -- National Geographic

The Special AKA—"Free Nelson Mandela" Video Few groups combined politics and dancing as well as England's The Special AKA, as this prophetic 1984 classic attests. Ten years later, Mandela would be elected president of South Africa and the racist apartheid system dismantled.Welcome to the National Geographic video player.Video Sections

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- Afro Celt—"Release" - The UK's Afro-Celt Sound System combined stately Malian kora with ethereal Irish vocals and a strictly London drum & bass sensibility on this title track to their 1999 album.
- Asa—"Fire on the Mountain" - Nigerian sensation Asa combines R&B, jazz, and African pop in a soulful original fusion.
- Baba Zula—"Abbas Aga Parki" - Baba Zula is a Turkish group that draws on traditional Turkish music, electronica, and rock to create a sound they call "Oriental Dub." The music captures a unique vision of their hometown of Istanbul.
- Balkan Beat Box—"Hermetico (Live)" - With a group of musicians rotating around the Israel-born New Yorkers Ori Kaplan and Tamir Muskat, Balkan Beat Box plays Mediterranean-influenced music that incorporates traditions from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and New York electronica.
- Beethova Obas—"Rasamble" - Currently based in France, singer/songwriter Beethova Obas was part of a new wave of Haitian roots singers that emerged in Haiti in the late '80s. This track is taken from his 2003 album Ke'm Poze.
- Bibi Tanga—"It's The Earth That Moves" - Direct from Paris, Bibi Tanga & The Selenites team up with producer Professeur Inlassable to map out the future of funk on their international debut.
- Bombay Dub Orchestra—"Mumtaz" - Bombay Dub Orchestra is the U.K.-based duo of Garry Hughes and Andrew T. Mackay. Together, the two create lush, orchestral arrangements of Bollywood and Indian pop sounds.
- Camille—"Au Port" - Camille began her music career in the ultra-hip French group Nouvelle Vague. "Au Port" comes from her solo record Le Fil, on which she employs an interesting musical device: a consistent drone that links songs throughout the album.
- Camille—"Ta Douleur" - Camille began her music career in the ultra-hip French group Nouvelle Vague. "Ta Douleur" comes from her solo record Le Fil, in which she employs an interesting musical device: a consistent drone that links songs throughout the album.
- Chango Spasiuk—"Mi Pueblo, Mi Casa, La Soleda" - Born in Argentina's wild west, accordionist and singer Chango Spasiuk spearheads the revival of the region's chamamé folk music.
- Cheb Mami—"Meli Meli" - Born in Algeria, today Cheb Mami is one of the biggest stars of France's émigré community, and the face of contemporary rai music.
- Dengue Fever—"Seeing Hands" - L.A. group Dengue Fever revive the '60s golden era of Cambodian psychedelic pop with this track from their album 2008 Venus on Earth.
- Dengue Fever—"Sni Bong" - L.A. group Dengue Fever revive the '60s golden era of Cambodian psychedelic pop with this track from their 2007 debut Escape From Dragon House.
- Dis L'heure de Zouk—"Time 2 Zouk" - Zouk is an popular form of dance music from the French Antilles, and this song spent time on the pop charts in both France and the Caribbean in 2005.
- Eugenio Bennato—"Grande Sud" - Eugenio Bennato is an Italian musician from Naples who has championed his region's unique music style, tarantella. "Grande Sud" is the title song from his 2008 album.
- Faudel—"Dis Moi" - Born in France, Faudel is a pop singer of Algerian descent who's known as "the prince of Rai."
- Feel Good Productions—"The Feel Good Vibe" - Feel Good Productions began spinning eclectic DJ mixes at parties on their farm in northern Italy. "The Feel Good Vibe" is their first single, released in 2003.
- Fiorella Mannoia—"Cravo e Canela" - Fiorella Mannoia began her career as a stuntwoman for Italian films, but soon shifted her focus to music. She recorded this song, written by Milton Nascimento, who is also featured in the video, in homage to Brazilian music.
- Flogging Molly—"Float" - Los Angeles-based band mixes traditional Irish music and punk rock. Irish frontman Dave King draws on his experience growing up in a strife-ridden period in Ireland's history. The band also features former pro skateboarder Matt Hensley on accordion.
- Geo Sessions: Carmen Consoli Pt. 1 - A singer-songwriter-guitarist from Catania, Sicily, Carmen Consoli performs an intimate concert at National Geographic headquarters alongside her band, which includes a percussionist, violinist, bassist, and banjo-mandolin player.
- Geo Sessions: Carmen Consoli Pt. 2 - A singer-songwriter-guitarist from Catania, Sicily, Carmen Consoli performs an intimate concert at National Geographic headquarters alongside her band, which includes a percussionist, violinist, bassist, and banjo-mandolin player.
- Geo Sessions: Global Drum Project Pt. 1 - Global Drum Project, featuring ex-Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and tabla legend Zakir Hussain, mesmerize viewers with intricate patterns of rhythm and stories about how each drummer followed a different path to becoming a musician.
- Geo Sessions: Global Drum Project Pt. 2 - In the second part of the show Global Drum Project percussion masters performs the song "Wood" on two giant tree roots, one a grapevine and the other a redwood.
- Gnawa Diffusion—"Ombre Elle" - Gnawa Diffusion is based in Grenoble, France, and plays a funked-up version of traditional North African gnawa music. Led by second-generation Algerian immigrants, the band addresses the immigrant experience in France head on.
- Henri Salvador—"Jardin D'Hiver" - Originally born in Guyana, Henri Salvador was an institution in France from the 1930s until his death in 2008. This song is taken from his 2000 comeback album, Chambre Avec Vue, which he made at the age of 83.
- Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara—"Kele Kele" - London-born Justin Adams and Gambia's Juldeh Camara mix bouisterous rock and African music. Think Bruce Springsteen filtered through West Africa.
- K'Naan—"Soobax" - Rapper K'Naan hails from Somalia by way of Canada. Known as the "Dusty-Foot Philosopher," his poetic rhymes embrace both the personal and the political.
- Kerekes Band—"Ethno Funk" - Featuring a virtuoso flautist, different stringed instruments, and DJ beats, Kerekes Band creates an eclectic and dance-friendly interpretation of traditional Hungarian music.
- Keziah Jones—"Beautiful Emilie" - Son of a prominent businessman in Nigeria, Keziah Jones was educated in England. As a teenager he learned the guitar and in his music combined rock, blues, funk, and African styles. His popularity peaked in Europe in the late '90s.
- Keziah Jones—"Rhythm Is Love" - Son of a prominent businessman in Nigeria, Keziah Jones was educated in England. As a teenager he learned the guitar and in his music combined rock, blues, funk, and African styles. His popularity peaked in Europe in the late '90s.
- Keziah Jones—"Where's Life?" - Son of a prominent businessman in Nigeria, Keziah Jones was educated in England. As a teenager he learned the guitar and in his music combined rock, blues, funk, and African styles. His popularity peaked in Europe in the late '90s.
- Khaled—"Serbi Serbi" - Khaled is one of Algeria's most famous musicians, unofficially known as "the king of rai". This video is from his 1993 album N'ssi N'ssi.
- Kiran Ahluwalia—"Teray Darsan" - Born in India and raised in Canada, Kiran Ahluwalia mixes ghazals and Punjabi folks songs with sounds from throughout the world, including Portuguese fado, Celtic fiddle, Pakistani qawwali vocals, and Afghan rhubab.
- L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio—"Ena Andi" - L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio grew from a 2004 film by an Italian filmmaker who wanted to form a group with musicians living in a multi-ethnic neighborhood of Rome.
- L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio—"Vagabundo Soy" - L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio grew from a 2004 film by an Italian filmmaker who wanted to form a group with musicians living in a multi-ethnic neighborhood of Rome.
- Lenine Ft. Julieta Venegas—"Miedo" - Brazilian musician and songwriter Lenine teams up with one of Latin America's biggest pop stars, Julieta Venegas, in this live duet.
- Les Nubians—"Makeba" - Sisters Hélène and Célia Faussart hail from Bordeaux, France, and, as R&B duo Les Nubians, pioneered a smooth new "Afropean" sound in the 1990s.
- Manak E—"Punjab" - Manak E is an Punjabi singer based in the UK.
- Manu Chao—"Clandestino" - Manu Chao was the leader of legendary French punk band Mano Negro in the 1980s. Today he is a globetrotting, genre-bending solo star who fuses world music with indie rock.
- Manu Chao—"Desaparecido" - Manu Chao was the leader of legendary French punk band Mano Negro in the 1980s. Today he is a globetrotting, genre-bending solo star who fuses world music with indie rock.
- Manu Chao—"Rainin In Paradize" - Manu Chao was the leader of legendary French punk band Mano Negro in the 1980s. Today he is a globetrotting, genre-bending solo star who fuses world music with indie rock.
- Michael Franti & Spearhead—"Hello Bonjour" - Since 1994 American poet and musician Michael Franti has fronted Spearhead, a loose ensemble that combines jazz, hip-hop, and international sounds with politically charged lyrics.
- Michael Franti—"I Know I'm Not Alone" - Since 1994 American poet and musician Michael Franti has fronted Spearhead, a loose ensemble that combines jazz, hip-hop, and international sounds with politically charged lyrics. This track is from his 2006 release Yell Fire!
- Midival Punditz—"Ali" - Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj are also known as MIDIval Punditz, a Delhi, India-based duo who combines drum-n-bass and electronica with an array of North Indian musical styles.
- N.A.S.A.—"Money" - N.A.S.A. consists of musicians Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon, whose music draws from Brazilian funk. "Money" features David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge, and Z-Trip, and art from Shepard Fairey, who designed Obama's famous campaign poster.
- Natacha Atlas—"Yalla Chant" - Natacha Atlas is a Belgium-based singer who fuses Arabic and North African sounds with electronica and pop.
- Nitin Sawhney—"Sunset" - Nitin Sawhney emerged in the 1990s as one of the leaders of the UK's Asian underground movement, which combines Indian sounds with contemporary electronic and pop music.
- Nneka—"Africans" - Nneka was born in Nigeria and relocated to Germany at the age of nineteen to pursue a degree in Anthropology and a career in music. She cites her primary influences as Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and Lauryn Hill.
- Nneka—"Heartbeat" - Nneka was born in Nigeria and relocated to Germany at the age of nineteen to pursue a degree in Anthropology and a career in music. "Heartbeat", released in 2008, was her first single to reach the German charts.
- Nortec Collective—"Tijuana Bass" - Nortec Collective is a loose group of DJs and producers from Tijuana, Mexico, who combine norteño and techno music. Their unique fusion captured the world's attention with their 2001 debut.
- Oi Va Voi—"Yuri" - Oi Va Voi is a British ensemble that combines different Jewish musical traditions—klezmer and Ladino—with other Eastern European influences and electronic elements.
- Ojos De Brujo—"Get Up, Stand Up" - Spain's hip-hop flamenco Ojos de Brujo showcase their commitment to human rights with this cover of a Bob Marley classic.
- Ojos De Brujo—"Piedras vs. Tanques" - Spanish group Ojos de Brujo combines flamenco and Catalan rumba with hip-hop into a sound they call "flamenkillo." This song was taken from their 2006 album Techari.
- Ojos De Brujo—"Quien Engana No Gana" - Spanish group Ojos de Brujo combines flamenco and Catalan rumba with hip-hop into a sound they call "flamenkillo." This song was taken from their 2002 album, Barí.
- Ojos De Brujo—"Tiempo de Solea" - Spanish group Ojos de Brujo combines flamenco and Catalan rumba with hip-hop into a sound they call "flamenkillo." This song was taken from their 2002 album, Barí.
- Ojos De Brujo—"Todo Tiende" - Barcelona, Spain's favorite hip-hop flamenco collective Ojos De Brujo explore the connections between flamenco and Indian music in this animated masterpiece.
- Pacifika—"Me Cai" - Pacifika is a Canadian group that shows how much musicians are crossing cultural and geographic borders to make music. In this video the group, led by Peruvian-born singer Silvana Kane, showcases their Latin fusion sound.
- Panjabi MC—"Jogi" - Panjabi MC is a London-based bhangra musician from the Punjab region of India. His music fuses hip-hop and dance with traditional Indian instruments like the dhol (drum) and tumbi (one-stringed guitar).
- Panjabi MC—"Mundian To Bach Ke" - Coming from Coventry, England, Panjabi MC combines Indian bhangra music with the theme from the TV series Knight Rider for an unforgettable, cross-cultural ride.
- Paolo Conte--"Via Con Me (Live)" - Italian legend Paolo Conte performs one of his "wonderful" classics live.
- Rabbi Shergill—"Bilqis" - Rabbi Shergill is an Indian musician whose music draws on guitar rock as well as Sufi and Punjabi folk music. His father was a Sikh preacher and his mother a college principal and Punjabi poet.
- Rachid Taha—"Rock El Casbah" - Algerian-born rocker Rachid Taha plays a unique blend of alternative rock and Algerian raï that reflects his experiences as a first generation immigrant in Paris. This homage to punk icons the Clash is from his 2005 album, Tékitoi.
- Rachid Taha—"Tekitoi" - Algerian-born rocker Rachid Taha plays a unique blend of alternative rock and Algerian raï that reflects his experiences as a first-generation immigrant in Paris. This is the title track from his 2005 album.
- Raul Paz—"Mama" - Cuban musician Raul Paz relocated to Paris in the late 1990s. Growing up in communist Cuba he remembers listening to American radio stations for music by groups like Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, and Deep Purple.
- Raul Paz—"Mua Mua Mua" - Cuban musician Raul Paz relocated to Paris in the late 1990s. Growing up in communist Cuba he remembers listening to American radio stations for music by groups like Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, and Deep Purple.
- Rodrigo Y Gabriela—"Diablo Rojo" - Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero met while playing in a thrash metal band in Mexico. They moved together to Dublin, Ireland and have achieved international success playing blistering guitar licks on Spanish guitars.
- Rokia Traore—"Dounia" - Rokia Traore grew up the daughter of a Malian diplomat, which exposed her to diverse cultural influences, but as a member of the upper-class also made it difficult for her family to accept her choice of a career in music.
- Roy Paci & Aretuska Ft. Pau—"Giramundo" - Italian trumpet player and composer Roy Paci teams up with Pau, lead singer of one of Italy's most successul pop groups, Negrita, in this video shot on location in Sicily.
- Sa Ding Ding—"Alive" - Sa Ding Ding is a Chinese pop star known for exploring the folk music of Tibet and Mongolia.
- Sa Ding Ding--"Mama Tian Na" - Chinese pop star Sa Ding Ding wowed the world with her special concert at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
- Sara Tavares—"Balance" - Cape Verdean singer Sara Tavares performs in a combination of Portuguese, English, and African languages. This song, about her disquieting travels in Zimbabwe, is the title track to her 2006 release.
- Sergent Garcia—"Revolucion" - French singer Sergent Garcia combines Jamaican reggae with Cuban sounds on this homage to The Clash.
- Sergio Mendes, Black Eyed Peas—"Mas Que Nada" - Brazilian composer Sergio Mendes has been making international hits since the 1960s. In 2006 he teamed up with the Black Eyed Peas to record a new version of one of his bossa nova classics.
- Shukar Collective—"Malademna" - Romanian group Shukar Collective takes the music of Romania's Ursari—Roma (Gypsy) bear trainers—and gives it a dance floor makeover. This song is taken from the 2005 album, Urban Gypsy.
- Soha—"Tourbillon" - This 2007 video from French-Algerian singer Soha was filmed in Cuba.
- Souad Massi—"Bab el Madhi" - Algerian-born singer Souad Massi brings a fresh new sensibility to French pop with deceptively breezy songs that pack a powerful lyrical punch.
- Sting Feat. Cheb Mami—"Desert Rose" - Cheb Mami is one of the biggest stars in Algerian raï music. He teamed up with Sting in 2000 to score this international hit.
- Tarkan—"Hepsi Senin Mi" - Born in Germany, singer Tarkan Tevetoglu is known as the "Prince of Pop" in Turkey and has scored hits on both sides of the Bosporus.
- The Idan Raichel Project—"If You Go" - Israeli musician Idan Raichel fused Hebrew texts with the music of Ethiopian Jews on his 2002 breakthrough album.
- The Pogues—"A Pair of Brown Eyes" - In the 1980s the Pogues combined the lyricism of traditional Irish music with the energy of punk. This classic comes from their second album, 1985's Rum, Sodomy and The Lash.
- The Special AKA—"Free Nelson Mandela" - Few groups combined politics and dancing as well as England's The Special AKA, as this prophetic 1984 classic attests. Ten years later, Mandela would be elected president of South Africa and the racist apartheid system dismantled.
- Thievery Corporation—"Shadows Of Ourselves" - Washington, DC duo Thievery Corporation team up with chanteuse Lou Lou on this dubby electronica classic from 2000's The Mirror Conspiracy.
- Thievery Corporation—"Warning Shots" - Washington, DC duo Thievery Corporation team up with rapper Sleepy Wonder and Jamaican deejay Gunjan on this trippy, dubby track from their 2005 release Cosmic Game.
- Tinariwen—"Chet Boghassa" - Tinariwen are a Malian ensemble made up of former Tuareg rebels who put down their guns and picked up guitars. This hypnotic, desert rock scorcher is from their 2004 release Amassakoul.
- Traband—"Cernej Pasajer" - Czech band Traband plays a whimsical fusion of pop, folk-rock, and Bohemian and Moravian folk influences. The band plays raucously, with the signature sound of Jana Modràckovà's trumpet at the fore.
- Vinicio Capossela—"Il Ballo Di San Vito" - Vinicio Capossela has been called "The Italian Tom Waits" for his scruffy style and quirky, off-kilter songs.
- Vinicio Capossela—"Maraja'" - Vinicio Capossela rose to the top of the Italian underground music scene in the 1990s. In his music he has sought inspiration from American musician Tom Waits as well as diverse forms of Italian folk music.
- Vinicio Capossela--"E Allora Mambo" - Italy's Vinicio Capossela is part Tom Waits, part Tom Ze, part P.T. Barnum and 100% original.
- Vinicio Capossela--"La Regina Del Florida" - Italy's Vinicio Capossela is part Tom Waits, part Tom Ze, part P.T. Barnum and 100% original.
- Vinicio Capossela--"Non E' L'amore Che Va Via" - Italy's Vinicio Capossela is part Tom Waits, part Tom Ze, part P.T. Barnum and 100% original.
- Vinicio Capossela--"Si E' Spento Il Sole" - Italy's Vinicio Capossela is part Tom Waits, part Tom Ze, part P.T. Barnum and 100% original.
- Wasis Diop—"Automobile Mobile" - In the 1970s Wasis Diop moved from Senegal to Paris to study engineering. Once there he changed course to form a West African music group and launched his solo career in 1979. In "Automobile Mobile" he laments the crowding and pollution in cities.
- Youssou N'Dour Feat. Neneh Cherry—"7 Seconds" - Youssou N'Dour is Senegal's greatest star. In 1994 he teamed up with Swedish pop star Neneh Cherry to score the biggest hit of his career.
- Youssou N'Dour Ft. Peter Gabriel—"Shakin The Tree" - Youssou N'Dour, one of the biggest musicians in Africa, and in the world, recorded this track with Peter Gabriel in 1989.
- Yungchen Lhamo—"Happiness" - Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo preserves her country's cultural heritage by presenting Buddhist prayers and chants with contemporary musical settings.
- Zap Mama—"Bandy Bandy" - Led by singer Marie Daulne, Belgian group Zap Mama combine hip-hop, R&B, and African pop with a global sensibility.
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