2017 in African music

Events

• January 2 - The annual Kaapse Klopse minstrel festival takes place in Cape Town.
• February 24-25 - "Ultra South Africa" festival is held in Cape Town and Johannesburg, headlined by Dash Berlin, David Guetta and KSHMR.
• March 13 - The 30th anniversary of the death of Nigerian organist and composer Fela Sowande is marked by an article by Godwin Sadoh.
• July 5 - The grave of George Wilberforce Kakoma, composer of the Ugandan National anthem, is reported to have been vandalised and the composer's body stolen.
• September 5 - Mauritanian singer and politician Malouma Mint El Meidah is placed under house arrest by the government, following an investigation into "economic crimes".

  Albums

• D'banj - King Don Come
• Fally Ipupa - Tokooos
• Johnny Clegg - King of Time
• Spoek Mathambo - Mzansi Beat Code
• Maurice Louca, Maryam Saleh & Tamer Abu Ghazaleh - Lekhfa
• Youssou N'Dour - Seeni Valeurs
• Orchestra Baobab - Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng

  Classical

• Amr Okba - "Lonely, I Am Lonely"

  Musical films

• Lotanna, starring Liz Benson and Jide Kosoko

  Deaths

• January 16 - William Onyeabor, 70, Nigerian musician and businessman
• August 11 - Segun Bucknor, 71, Nigerian musician
• September 2 - Halim El-Dabh, 96, Egyptian composer and ethnomusicologist
• December 1 -, 59, Equatorial Guinean singer