Music

Don’t miss the launch of Slikour: The Life Story of a Hip-Hop Pioneer at Exclusive Books Rosebank (18 May)

Penguin Random House invite you to the launch of Slikour: The Life Story of a Hip-Hop Pioneer by Siya Metane!

Slikour: The Life Story of a Hip-Hop Pioneer – an all-access pass to the local hip-hop industry

Ready for the ultimate behind-the-scenes peek into the life of a music industry maverick? Slikour: The Life Story of a Hip-Hop Pioneer is out now from Penguin Random House!

The Manifesto Mixtape – listen to the Sound of Jacana, hosted by Charles Leonard

The Sound of Jacana Podcast and Mixtape, hosted by Charles Leonard, is out now!

‘I have never taken a single moment of it for granted’ – Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music is out now

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers. 

Playlist: The Lost Language of the Soul by Mandla Langa

Mandla Langa has shared a music playlist to accompany his latest novel, The Lost Language of the Soul.

Award-winning author Chibundu Onuzo releases single to launch her new novel Sankofa – listen here!

Sankofa – a funny, gripping and surprising story of a mixed-race British woman who goes in search of the West African father she never knew, by award-winning author Chibundu Onuzo.

Billie Eilish by Billie Eilish – a must-have book for any fan

Recording artist and global phenomenon Billie Eilish shares an intimate inside look at her life – both on and off the stage – in this stunning photo-filled book.

Listen to a playlist of music selected by Barack Obama, to accompany his memoir A Promised Land

Barack Obama has shared a playlist of music to accompany his new memoir, A Promised Land.

Listen to the soundtrack to A Family Affair, curated by Sue Nyathi

Sue Nyathi started writing A Family Affair when she was in her 20s, in her first year at university.

Acid for the Children – the autobiography of Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers legend – as raw, entertaining and wildly unpredictable as its author

In Acid for the Children Flea, the iconic bassist and co-founder of the immortal Red Hot Chili Peppers, finally tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter lows you’d expect from an LA street rat turned world-famous rock star.

New book alert! Rodney Trudgeon’s Concert Notes – A Selection of Favourite Orchestral Masterpieces

Rodney Trudgeon’s Concert Notes – A Selection of Favourite Orchestral Masterpieces is out in mid-January 2020 from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

[Video] Eminem, the Spice Girls, Emo, African funk and jazz – Rémy Ngamije shares the music behind his debut novel The Eternal Audience of One

BlackBird Books recently shared a video of Rwandan-born Namibian writer Rémy Ngamije talking about music, pop culture and his debut novel, The Eternal Audience of One.

Godfather of Punk Iggy Pop announces new book ’Til Wrong Feels Right – out this September

Penguin Random House is excited to be publishing Iggy Pop’s ‘Til Wrong Feels Right, arriving this September.

Cover reveal! Elton John’s first and only official autobiography, Me – an unforgettable story by a living legend

Pan Macmillan is excited to reveal the name and cover of Elton John’s first and only official autobiography, Me!

Read an excerpt from Born to Kwaito – ‘Yizo Yizo: The Poetry of Dysfunction’ by Sihle Mthembu

‘Ronnie Nyakale virtually strangled Teboho when he auditioned for the part of Papa Action.’

Born to Kwaito book launch a roaring success

Born to Kwaito: Reflections on the Kwaito Generation, a new BlackBird Books publication by Esinako Ndabeni and Sihle Mthembu, was launched at the SABC in Auckland Park on Thursday, 5 July 2018.

Born To Kwaito: Reflections on the Kwaito Generation – considering the meaning of kwaito music

‘Born To Kwaito is not only an examination of the history of the music genre; it is also a revisit of the relationship we have with the music, its stars and their own relationship with their art and themselves.’ – Thabiso Mahlape, BlackBird Books publisher.