Afro Soul Stories, hosted by Sewor Okudzeto, shines a spotlight on artists of African heritage across the diaspora. Through the podcast, he explores the journeys, music, and cultural connections of these creators, celebrating their artistry and resilience. With a deep love for Afro Fusion Music, Sewor brings their stories to life, bridging African roots with a global audience.
Full Video Episodes available on YouTube
E32: Akadi Sankofa — What Does Afrofuturism Really Mean?
Artist Akadi Sankofa, who records as Trees with Roots, joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to talk Afrofuturism, hip-hop, funk and his new EP, Black to the Future.
Akadi breaks down what Afrofuturism means to him and takes us inside the world of the new record: Gabriel Rose, Dark Matter, the melanin aliens and a journey through "space and rhyme". He traces his inspirations from Nas and hip-hop back through funk, blues and the spirituals, and shares how his family traced their roots to the Ewe people of Ghana, Togo and Benin. He also speaks openly about his mental health and how art became his therapy. Plus: why his music lives on Bandcamp, Sankofa Smoothies, and what nature and community have taught him.
This episode includes frank discussion of mental health crisis and hospital admission.
Hear Akadi Sankofa's music as Trees with Roots
Bandcamp: https://treeswithroots.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treeswithroots
Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-VQ8FltuZiY
About Afro Soul Stories
Afro Soul Stories, hosted by Sewor Okudzeto, explores the roots, rhythms and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists — where music meets memory and culture meets innovation.
Follow the show so you don't miss the next conversation, and leave a rating if this one moved you.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afrosoulstories
Website: https://www.afrosoulstories.com
Contact: admin@afrosoulstories.com
30 Sept 2026
E31: Obase-Aboli — Where Is Home for a Diaspora Musician?
What does home mean when your music has carried you across three continents? Cameroonian balafonist, composer and music educator Obase-Aboli joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to talk highlife, belonging and the business of music.
Obase-Aboli's journey runs from Cameroon to Abu Dhabi, Ghana and now the UK. He explains how he plays two balafons side by side — one tuned for the "white keys", one for the "black keys" — so he can play every note with a full band. He talks about why four years in Ghana and its highlife tradition reshaped his sound, how Cameroon holds nearly every form of balafon found across the continent, and why musicians need to understand that music is a business with a brand behind it.
We also talk about his band Ban'tikar – The African Spy Band and the question at the heart of their new project: what happens when you're not fully home here, and no longer fully home there?
📺 See the balafon in action — watch the full video episode on YouTube: [ADD YOUTUBE LINK]
🎵 Follow Obase-Aboli
Instagram: @obaseaboliofficial
Website: https://abolimusic.com
🎧 Follow Afro Soul Stories so you never miss an episode, and leave a rating — it helps new listeners find conversations with artists shaping the sound of the African diaspora worldwide.
🎙️ About Afro Soul Stories
Afro Soul Stories, hosted by Sewor Okudzeto, explores the roots, rhythms and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists — where music meets memory and culture meets innovation.
📺 YouTube: @Afro-Soul-Stories
📸 Instagram: @afrosoulstories | @sewor_music
🌍 https://www.afrosoulstories.com | https://www.seworokudzeto.com
✉️ admin@afrosoulstories.com | sewor@seworokudzeto.com
23 Sept 2026
E30 Damoi Morgan
Steelpan artist, composer and educator Damoi Morgan joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to explore the remarkable history and evolution of the steel pan.
Born in Brooklyn with Trinidadian and Jamaican roots, Damoi reflects on his journey from school music rooms in New York to research and performance across Senegal, South Africa and London.
We discuss the steel pan’s transformation from an instrument shaped by colonial suppression into a global symbol of Caribbean creativity, alongside Damoi’s own artistic development, his album Reflections Abroad, and the experiences that continue to shape the way he composes, performs and teaches.
A conversation about music, migration, heritage and the continuing evolution of one of the world’s youngest instruments.
Contact Afro Soul Stories
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