By Ado Nkemka

This Black History Month it is imperative that the stories of diverse communities continue to be told—particularly as we enter a socially and culturally challenging 2025—by highlighting artists of the Black diaspora who enrich their communities. Read about Black artists who contribute through poetry, rap, and Afrobeats, in Alberta magazines.

Read about the power of spoken word poetry

In 2023, author David Silverberg wrote a beautiful feature in Avenue magazine about Calgary force-of-a-poet Wakefield Brewster. The article’s opening words immediately immerse you in the world of a supporter with an opportunity to write about an artist they’ve known and respected from early in their career. 

Wakefield was Calgary’s sixth Poet Laureate (from 2022–2024). He released his first full-length poetry book WAKEWord, published by Frontenac House, in 2024. If you’ve seen him perform, you can hear his voice while reading punchy wordplay throughout the book. WAKEWord was supported by a book release event that brought together a room full of excited Calgary lovers of poetry and literature. 

Among the many other ways that Wakefield is involved in the community, he also curates February in August, a showcase of Black Calgary poets with a self-evident goal. 

Listen to Rap/Hip Hop

In May 2022, Calgary rapper KTheChosen began curating Ship Hop, a showcase of rappers with diverse skill levels. The night involves an open mic, the showcase of “three up-and-coming or more established performers.” And then there’s Rap Games, an interactive, fun, and humorous part of the night.

As covered inThe Scene, KTheChosen’s EP “IRL” was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year alongside two other Ship Hop alum Tea Fannie and K-Riz at the 2024 YYC Awards. Standouts from the record include the title track “IRL,” with a catchy hook and “Be (Heartache Interlude)” with an arresting laidback groove. 

As far as his hope for Alberta’s Hip Hop landscape, KTheChosen, a leader in the Calgary music scene, says that increased collaboration among artists will lead to Alberta developing a “distinctive sound similar to the way that people associate Drake and The Weeknd with the Toronto sound.”

Read about the Afrobeats scene

The Telus Storyhive funded documentary “Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies” captures the growth of a vibrant community in Alberta. The genre has gained so much popularity across the globe in recent years that it prompted the creation of the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart in 2022.

In his 2022 piece for the Edmonton Community Foundation magazine Legacy in Action (now Thrive Magazine), Michael Ganley shared that La Connexional founder Ivan Touko came up with the idea for the Storyhive documentary. The idea is in line with the work of his organization to promote “the development, growth and multicultural understanding between African, Caribbean, Latinx and Canadian communities by being a source of historical and cultural education, multicultural networking and entrepreneurial events.”

This documentary beautifully showcases the joyful and high-energy music scene, sharing how many—including dance artist Mpoe Mogale—have found community through Afrobeats. 

Through documentation, culture can be shared and can build bridges. Through documentation, culture can be preserved and celebrated. 

Ado Nkemka is a Calgary, Alberta-based pop-rock musician and multidisciplinary writer (theatre, poetry, journalism) with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Her writing credits include the CBC, Avenue Magazine, artsUnite, Best Health, and Mount Royal University. Through her role as New Works Calgary’s Marketing coordinator, she covers Alberta’s (and beyond) experimental and/or classical music scene. Ado is interested in arts and culture – particularly artist profiles, identity development, and neurodivergence.