Entertainment & Arts

The Influence of Ethiopian Music on JID and Other American Hip-Hop Artists

JID knows the rap game is watching. Fresh off the success of his Grammy-nominated projects and a standout verse on Dreamville’s compilation, the Atlanta rapper has been everywhere—from festival stages to features with the biggest names in hip-hop. But beyond the co-signs, one track in particular has fans and critics taking a closer listen: “Ambassel.”

August 27, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Entertainment & Arts

Fekreaddis Nekatebeb Announces First Album in Nine Years

For nearly a decade, one of Ethiopia’s most soulful voices has been absent from the stage. Now, the silence is finally over. Fekreaddis Nekatebeb, the powerhouse diva whose haunting vocals and emotional ballads once dominated airwaves, is preparing to release her long-anticipated comeback album, Dehna Sow (“Good Person”). The Voice of a Generation Fekreaddis first

August 21, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Entertainment & Arts

Addis Legese to Release Debut Album Mastawesha with 14 Songs

Addis Legese’s long-awaited debut music album, Mastawesha (“Memoir”), will be officially presented to audiences on Saturday, August 23, 2025. Addis, widely admired for his hit singles Enjori, Enje, Ewedsheleh, and most recently Etu, has already captured the hearts of fans with his soulful voice and vibrant stage performances. His singles have collectively gained more than

August 20, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Diaspora

Samra’s Son: How a Mother’s Legacy Brewed The Weeknd’s Homage to Ethiopia

Part I: A Ceremony of Connection – The Launch of Samra Origins A Rare Public Appearance When Samra Origins debuted, it wasn’t rolled out like a typical celebrity product—it felt like a cultural moment. Abel Tesfaye, known to the world as The Weeknd, stood alongside the woman who shaped his life: his mother, Samrawit Hailu.

August 9, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Entertainment & Arts

The Weeknd and His Mother Bring Ethiopian Coffee Culture to the World

The Weeknd and His Mother Bring Ethiopian Coffee Culture to the World with Nespresso’s Samra Origins Blend In a rare and deeply personal collaboration, global music icon Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, has teamed up with Nespresso to launch a coffee collection that pays tribute to his Ethiopian heritage—and the woman who shaped

August 7, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Meet Ethiopian-American Dr. Aminé: A Rapper Reimagining Diaspora, Academia, and Home

When Adam Aminé Daniel—better known simply as Aminé—returned to Portland State University this June, he did so not as a student or guest performer, but as an honoree. Nine years after he left the university to pursue music full-time, the institution awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. In that moment, as the applause

June 18, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Entertainment & Arts

Memory, Melody, and Modernity: Teshome Mitiku and the Jazz Echoes of Ethiopian Soul

In a sunlit rehearsal room far from the bustling streets of Addis Ababa, an unlikely fusion pulses to life. The stage is shared by Teshome Mitiku — one of the golden-era legends of Ethiopian music — and Either/Orchestra, a Boston-based ensemble with a penchant for bending jazz into new geographies. Together, they weave an intricate

June 12, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Entertainment & Arts

The Voice That Crossed Borders: How Milen Hailu Is Singing Eritrea and Ethiopia Closer Together

🎤 The Voice That Crossed Borders: How Milen Hailu Is Singing Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia Closer Together When Milen Hailu took the stage in Addis Ababa, she wasn’t just stepping into a music scene—she was stepping across a once-closed border, into a fragile peace, and into the hearts of millions. Originally from Eritrea, she arrived

June 4, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopia’s Digital Creator Economy Gets a Boost as JAMI and Arifpay Launch Country’s First Multi-Currency Tipping Platform

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — May 29, 2025 Ethiopia’s fast-growing digital economy just got a major shot in the arm. JAMI, a newly launched content monetization platform founded by local tech entrepreneur Nathan Damtew, has officially partnered with leading fintech company Arifpay to debut the country’s first multi-currency digital tipping service for creators. The platform, unveiled

May 29, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Entertainment & Arts

“Yasteseryal” at 20: The Album that Revolutionized Ethiopian Music and Consciousness

In 2005, a voice rose from the heart of Ethiopia that cut through political silence, generational apathy, and cultural amnesia. That voice belonged to Tewodros Kassahun—better known as Teddy Afro—and the message was Yasteseryal. Today, two decades later, we commemorate this landmark album not just as a musical achievement but as a cultural reckoning and

May 10, 2025 • By Addis Insight