Artist in African country beginning to explain travesty (7)
I believe the answer is:
charade
'travesty' is the definition.
('charade' can be a synonym of 'travesty')
'artist in african country beginning to explain' is the wordplay.
'artist' becomes 'ra' (Royal Academician, member of Royal Academy of Arts).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'african country' becomes 'chad' (Chad is an example).
'beginning to' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'explain' is 'e'.
'ra' inserted into 'chad' is 'charad'.
'charad'+'e'='CHARADE'
(Other definitions for charade that I've seen before include "Ridiculous pretence" , "Game in which the puzzle is acted out" , "Pretence; parlour game" , "An absurd pretence, could be a game" , "sham" .)