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Best of the Nu-Whirled Blogs
NU -WHIRLED MUSIC
On this week’s episode of Afropop Worldwide, we examine the idea of Nu-Whirled Music or World Music 2.0 – the new(ish) strains of global pop music coming out of places like Rio De Janeiro and Luanda, made on cheap computers and passed around the globe via the internet.
Since we’re talking about music from the tech era, its no surprise that blogs have played a prominent role in the 2.0 scene. As put by Greg Scruggs – a blogger and guest on the program, “Blogs are timely, they stay on top of things, and this music is changing very fast. It’s the right medium for the message.”
Below you’ll find a mini-directory of the top Nu-Whirled music blogs. Following the links is the best way to learn more about the kinds of music featured on this week’s program.
 Ghetto Bassquake
Ghetto Bassquake is one of the best blogs around – It’s run by DJ Vamanos, one of the biggest promoters of World 2.0 music out in England. Chief Boima, a talented DJ and producer who lives in San Francisco, also contributes.
 Wayne & Wax
Wayne & Wax is home to the ongoing musings of ethnomusicologist/DJ Wayne Marshall, a guest on our program and one of the people breaking ground on how to think about global music and technology in the 21st century. His posts are centered around fresh analysis of new musical memes, and often include some helpful musical examples, such as this aural genealogy of the reggaeton beat.
 Mad Decent
Jokingly referred to by one blogger as “global ghettotech’s high-castle,” Mad Decent is the internet residence of Wesley Pentz, aka Diplo. Diplo is the DJ and producer that has perhaps garnered the most success in working with so-called World 2.0. He has turned heads (and ears) with his collaborations with high-profile artists like M.I.A and Vybz Kartel.
 Mudd Up!
Mudd Up! is the blog of Jace Clayton, also known as DJ Rupture, a prominent voice in the international DJ community and a guest on this week’s program. In addition to spinning weird and wonderful music at dance parties around the globe, Jace writes on culture, technology, and music for various publications. Mudd Up will point you where you want to go, with a special emphasis on classic cumbias and mahgrebi music.
 Dutty Artz
Dutty Artz is a music label/DJ collective based in New York City and founded by DJ Rupture and Matt Shadetek. On their blog, Dutty Artz keep us abreast of their happenings and always post interesting things to listen to/watch/absorb.
 Generation Bass
With several posts per day filled with amazing new tracks and mixtapes to download, Generation Bass is a must-know for those in search of bolstering their global electronic music collection. Look out for “Dubstep Mondays” and “Sexxy Cumbia Saturdays.”
 Birdseed’s Tunedown
Giving you an idea of the international nature of the World 2.0 discussion, Tunedown is the blog of Johan Palme, a budding musicologist from Sweden, who gets his hands dirty with some serious thinking about this stuff. Home to a “genre of the week” feature, which spotlights a crazy sub-segment of the collective musical conciousness.
 ZZK Records
ZZK – pronounced Zizek (yes, they’re named after the Slovenian social theorist Slajov Zizek), is a DJ collective and music label from Buenos Aires, Argentina. They’re at the forefront of the digital cumbia phenomenon. Their website, in blog format, is a continous source of tasty musical freebees from their vaults.
 The Fader’s Ghetto Palms
The Fader is one of the few print magazines that reguarly deals with Nu-Whirled music, brining it into the same plane as the hip-hop and indie music that they cover. Ghetto Palms is a blog on their website by Edwin Houghton. Mostly centered on Carribean music.
For the rest of the best, follow the links on these blogs. A wide world of trunk-rattling music awaits!
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