This week on Africa Incorporated, the ride began in the Delta shadows of the blues and traveled all the way to the harmonies of 90s R&B. Episode 27 carried the same spirit of discovery and connection – weaving voices, chords, and memories into a single cultural thread.

We opened with the blues masters who shaped the sound: Junior Parker, Otis Rush, Little Walter, and Jimmy Rogers. Their guitar bends and harmonica wails reminded us that the blues isn’t just music – it’s testimony, a survival code that later fed directly into every style of Black music.

The transition into soul was natural, almost inevitable. Peabo Bryson’s “Can You Stop the Rain” set the tone for emotion. James Ingram lifted spirits with “Yah Mo B There,” and the deep harmonies of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes reminded us of the power of collective voices.

From there, the rhythm shifted into the grooves of The Dramatics, The Dells, and Jerry Butler. These voices carried grit, elegance, and storytelling. Each track was like a step forward in the timeline, showing how the blues’ pain transformed into soul’s resilience.

The 90s brought its own flavor of smoothness, and we celebrated that era with Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, and Blackstreet. This was the music that blended tradition with modern polish – songs that defined a generation but still echoed the lessons of the past.

The closing note was both timeless and grounding: The O’Jays, a family sound that continues to remind us about unity, struggle, and love.

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