In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya News, Moroccan singer Ahmed Soultan discusses his own musical genre which he had dubbed “Afrobian,” a merger of African and Arabian musical traditions.  Soultan believes that the merging of African musical instruments and Arabian melodies allow him to carve out his own musical identity and that “Afrobian,” like other forms of music, can transcend physical and cultural boundaries. 

What could bring together the biggest names in the Korean pop industry? A visit by the Pope will do it.  As Pope Francis tours South Korea through August 18, some 20 Korean household names got together to record a video for a song titled "Koinonia," which means camaraderie and communion in Greek.

From “Gangnam Style” and competitive electronic sports to kimchi-flavoured pot noodles, South Korea’s cultural exports are eagerly consumed around the world.  Filipinos are hooked on its dramas. The French love its pop music and its films. Last year South Korea raked in $5 billion from its pop-culture exports.

The Next Level program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in association with the University of North Carolina's Department of Music, uses hip-hop as a tool to foster cross-cultural creative expression and exchange in diverse communities around the world.