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DJ Edu catches up with the biggest names in music from across Africa, and meets the stars of afrobeats, amapiano, afrohouse and more. Tyla and Black Coffee from South Africa, Davido, Burna Boy, Rema and Tems from Nigeria, Sarkodie from Ghana and Diamond Platnumz from Tanzania are now international superstars selling out at major venues around the world. One of the most respected club DJs from Africa, Edu has been there from the beginning of the afrobeats journey, bringing Africa's music to the world. This is Africa podcast brings you unmissable interviews and reveals the personalities behind the music, as well as the resilience, determination - and sometimes luck – they need for success. It is about all of Africa: artists from francophone and lusophone Africa, from Somalia to Sao Tome, from Niger to Namibia, making music in genres ranging from kizomba to genge, afro soul and afro pop to hip hop and electro, through to coupe de cale, rumba, soukous and afro dancehall. And every episode DJ Edu brings his “10 in 10” playlist, mashing up ten hot new tracks from ten different countries in Africa. You can contact the show via WhatsApp +44 8000 321721 or on the socials @iamdjedu, #BBCthisisafrica You can also listen to a music rich version of This Is Africa on BBC World Service radio. Broadcast times for your corner of the world can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct72fb Previous guests on This Is Africa include Bien, Nasty C, Lojay, Inez, Guchi, Fuse ODG, Emma’a, Miss Jobizz, Theodora, Milton Kizzy, Lydia Jazmine, Oxlade, Dystinct, Wendy Shay, Jay Cash, Yo Maps, Ruger, Gyakie, Rophnan, Ckay, DJ Maphorisa, Magic System, BNXN, Tiwa Savage, Black Sherif, Ayra Starr, Sauti Sol, Joshua Baraka, Sampa the Great, Awilo Longomba, Santrinos Raphael, Moliy, Moonchild Sanelly, Victoria Kimani, Joe Boy, Qing Madi, John Frog, Stonebwoy, Shasha, Adekunle Gold, Simi, Libianca, Onesimus, Angelique Kidjo, Yemi Alade, Shatta Wale, Fally Ipupa, Dizzy Dros, Mr Eazi…

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Saint Realest

2026/11/06

Saint Realest is one of Malawi’s most popular musicians and he’s back with a new album, Saintrified. It has been top of Malawi’s charts, and as Saint Realest tells DJ Edu, he feels it is his most mature, most realised work to date. Saint Realest has previously addressed social concerns in his songs, and he says that roughly half of the songs in this album do this, but that Malawians prefer love songs these days, so he provides these in the remaining songs. Saint Realest also discusses the progress Malawi’s music industry has made, not least thanks to better and cheaper access to data. Malawian musicians are now able to get revenue from streaming and, as Saint Realest has done, get a million streams for a record in just days. DJ Edu’s 10in10 tracklisting: Oh No - Rema (Nigeria) Temarkialew - Biruk Jane (Ethiopia) Astahfirlah - Raa Da Vr (Gambia) Love Code - INCREDIBLE JJ (Sierra Leone) To Night - Anatal (Madagascar) Cheeta – Anitram ft Nuchie Meek (Liberia) ZOMBIE - LAZARO (Morocco) Designer - Billnass (Tanzania) Sin Ti (Special Version) - Djily Ngom (Senegal) Ipepete [Remix] - Masauti ft Iyanii (Kenya) Presenter: DJ Edu Producer: Catherine Fellows

MC Caro

2026/10/23

Some say she is Liberia’s greatest female artist ever, and she’s certainly breaking down barriers for women: MC Caro, aka King Caro is a rapper who released her first song Bring Back Our Moni in 2018. She now has four albums to her name and has received a string of awards. In 2024 she swept the boards at Liberia’s MTV music awards, winning best album, best female artist and best Hipco/Tripco artist. Bring Back Our Moni tackles corruption, and MC Caro is not afraid to get political and talk about problems Liberians face in everyday life. She’s also not afraid to be a female rapper in a male-dominated world, or to rock an image that does not conform to female music industry stereotypes. In her conversation with DJ Edu, MC Caro talks about how her latest EP Feed My People is inspired by her passionate belief that Liberians are facing an identity crisis, a lack of self belief and self love, which needs to be fixed before anything else can. DJ Edu's 10in10 Tracklisting: Top Shatta - Rejoh (Malawi) Pobreza - Anderson Mário & Teo No Beat (Angola) Frustration - An2 Adi Sparky (Gambia) I'll Be Okay - Bien (Kenya) Shame Pa Me - Famous (Sierra Leone) Godzilla - Kenny Sol (Rwanda) Welaylan - Saifond & AK (Guinea) Stress Killer - Sheebah (Uganda) Manteau - Yvuti (Cameroon) Nimelewa - Big Fizzo (Burundi) Presenter - DJ Edu Producer - Catherine Fellows

Fola

2026/10/16

Fola is one of a new generation of Nigerian artists who are taking the sound in a fresh direction. Along with the likes of Taves and Llona, Fola is creating a smoother, slower, more soulful Afro RnB vibe. His debut album, Catharsis, was released in 2025 and has achieved extraordinary success, with over a billion streams at the time of writing. His stand-out songs include Alone, Who Does That, Lost and Paparazzi. His list of collaborators includes BNXN, Bella Schmurda, Zlatan and Kizz Daniel, and he’s a protégé of Davido. This summer, he released Treat You Right with Ayra Starr and Attention. In this interview, Fola reflects on his success and shares his excitement about his second album, 9, which dropped on October 9th. DJ Edu’s 10in10 Tracklisting: Pegou - Black Spygo, 3 Finer & Black Vision ft T-Djay (Angola) Mamy - Ljo (Madagascar) Passada - Garry (Cabo Verde) Basara - Zuba Ray (Rwanda) PM - Willy Paul & Otile Brown (Kenya) Bironica - Veronica Adane & Rayvanny (Ethiopia/Tanzania) Number 1 - Mus B (Sierra Leone) See Thru - KiDi (Ghana) Komsa - SIJI. (Burundi) No Limi - Yvuti (Cameroon) Presenter – DJ Edu Producer – Catherine Fellows

Harmonize

2026/10/09

Harmonize is one of Tanzania’s biggest stars. He has millions of fans in Tanzania and across East and Central Africa, and he’s determined that his name will be known worldwide. He has collaborated with Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Stonebwoy, Ya Levis and many others, and he’s been in London recently to promote his latest album 31, which is topping charts in East Africa. Harmonize is no stranger to controversy. The video for his song Kudos was banned by Tanzania’s censors and he was fined, as well as being prevented from performing in the country. On the other hand, Harmonize has faced criticism for being too close to the government. He has lent his support to president Samia and even wrote an album of songs in her honour. He has not distanced himself from her after the country’s recent elections, when protests were violently suppressed. DJ Edu’s 10in10 Tracklist Nor Touch Am - Salone Cool J (Sierra Leone) Somakalan Den - Lima Stonne ft Boubacar Samake (Mali) Isondeze - Harmonize & Qing Madi (Tanzania/Nigeria) 40 Ng'ombe - 76 Drums ft Chanda na Kay & SHANGA love (Zambia) Hallelujah - Kwesi Dain & Medikal (Ghana) Inshallah - The Ben (Rwanda) Mufa$aa - ELKEY (Equatorial Guinea) Hold Somebody - Young Jonn (Nigeria) Karaté - Anatal (Madagascar) Kondoko - Gaz Mawete, Chily, Werrason & Suintement (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Kadeux and Kaezy

2026/10/02

Under the TIA spotlight this episode are two fresh talents from Chad. Kadeux and Kaezy are both winning young fans by singing to them in Chadian Arabic as well as French, and talking in their songs about everyday experiences young Chadians can relate to. It all started when Kadeux used a popular Chadian Arabic expression – Ayéhan – in his song of the same name. Ayéhan means yes, or yeah, and it’s something young Chadians say all the time, and Kadeux thinks his use of this word was one of the reasons the song became a hit. DJ Edu's 10in10 tracklisting: Love You - Criss Calisto & 3 Finer (Angola) Umurundi - Big Fizzo (Burundi) Ntaribi - Juno Kizigenza (Rwanda) Comfort - Mr Eazi ft Moliy (Nigeria) Money - Tina Selemani & B Quan Phamaika (Zambia) Mebho - King Alfa aka Kadiki (Zimbabwe) Mwamuona - Shano Index (Malawi) Bi Lima - KODONGKLAN (Kenya) Gangster Lover - Lady Kola ft Jzyno (South Sudan) Presenter - DJ Edu Producer - Catherine Fellows Reporter - Sasha Gankin Voiceovers - Hygin Ndjoli & Kieran Mensah

Illbliss

2026/09/25

Illbliss - who is also known as the Oga Boss - is one of Nigeria’s most influential rappers. He first made a name for himself back in 2008 and pioneered the use of indigenous languages in hip-hop, which led to the birth of the so-called Eastern-Igbo Boy Movement. Illbliss has collaborated with global stars such as WizKid on Many Men, Odumodublvck on Full Chest, and Runtown on Alhaji (Can’t Hear you) - which is one of his most streamed songs ever. In this episode, he shares his insights with old-time friend DJ Edu on the state of Nigeria’s music industry – including whether the streaming numbers add up to financial security for artists, the role of social media and how he’s kept relevant in the ever-changing Afrobeats scene. Illbliss also talks about the influence of his wife and his daughters on his song-writing, and gives a shout to DJ Edu for the role he played in helping bring to life the song that changed the course of his career: OMG with Mr Eazi and Reekado Banks. DJ Edu’s 10in10 tracklist: Angelina - Masauti (Kenya) Ndanzwa Mhere - Nisha Ts ft Daruler HKD (Zimbabwe) Uleke - Driemo (Malawi) B4 B4 - Davido, FOLA & Mayorkun (Nigeria) Tayari - Xouh & Barnaba (Tanzania) Katchoupiano - Pheno Ambro (Togo) Mpinzira - Natacha Burundi (Burundi) Yo Aweh - DJ Spuzza (Namibia) Phusha iPhupho - Nicole Elocin & Shino Kikai ft Amahle Gasa (South Africa) Some Tem - DRAMA 07 (Sierra Leone) Presenter: DJ Edu Producers: Penny Dale & Catherine Fellows

Gemma Griffiths

2026/07/10

Gemma Griffiths has become a much-loved star in her native Zimbabwe, and has collaborated with many of the country’s most successful artists, including reggae dancehall musician Winky D. She grabbed the attention of music fans with her soulful cover of his song Musarova, leading to their collaboration on Mu Garden, which broke Zimbabwean records by reaching 1 million views on YouTube in just 13 days. A formally trained jazz musician, Gemma Griffiths draws on a wide variety of influences to inform her Afro-fusion sound. She released her debut album, Gemma, in 2025. It was ten years in the making. In this interview DJ Edu and Gemma discuss how being a white musician in Zimbabwe has affected her career, trade favourite songs, and have fun with the Shona language. DJ Edu's 10in10 tracklisting: Mil Ano - Tarrafal & Ruben Teixeira (Cabo Verde) Pass Katouts (Anguii) - Helix Dynasty, Bombo & So'Fresh (Mauritius) Mamá Epet - Fistong Boy (Equatorial Guinea) Mad Over Me - Lali X Lola & Rappidd (Ghana) Mi Corazon ft. Alva, King Luca & Yvuti - Elisha k X JZyNo (Cameroon) My Sweetie - Salone Cool J (Sierra Leone) WARDA ft. Manal - Inkonnu (Morocco) YBTM - Joeboy (Nigeria) !Nō - Kalux (Namibia) Bendeka ft. Nutty O & Saint Realest - Onesimus (Malawi) Presenter: DJ Edu Producer: Catherine Fellows

Introducing...This Is Africa

2026/06/12