7 Afro-Colombian Music Artists To Check Out
A significant part of Colombian identity and music comes from Africa

Photo: Unsplash/@zvandrei
Totó la Momposina
Joe Arroyo
ChocQuibTown
ChocQuibTown is made up of Gloria “Goyo” Martinez, Carlos “Tostao” Valencia, and Miguel “Slow Mike” Martinez. It’s a hip-hop and alternative music band hailing from Chocó. They formed in 2000; some of their known songs are “De Donde Vengo Yo,” “Cuando Te Veo,” and “El Mar de Sus Ojos.”
Profetas
Profetas—made up of Antombo Langangui and Pablo Fortaleza—is a hip-hop-alternative music duo. Active since 1997, their hits include “Chocolate,” “Tiempo,” and “Me Gustas.”
El CaribeFunk
El Caribefunk, hailing from Cartagena, is a band that blends both Caribbean and funk music. Some of the songs members Funk-cho Salas Lopez and Andres Mordecai have created include “Rumba Del Tiempo,” “La Chamuyera,” and “Mi Burro.”
Mitú
Mitú, with Franklin Tejedor and Julian Salaza, is an electronic music duo from Colombia (one half of who is Afro-Colombian—Tejedor). Their songs include “Solitario,” “Mercedez,” and “Atolon.”
Petrona Martinez
Known as the “Queen of Bullerengue,” Petrona Martinez is an Afro-Latina who has been singing for decades, but received international fame in her 60s. Songs she has sung include “Las penas alegres,” “El Ventarron,” and “Rama de Tamarindo.”