Hip hop music has been popular in Africa since the early 1980s due to widespread African American influence. In 1985, hip hop reached Senegal, a French-speaking country in West Africa. Some of the first Senegalese rappers were M.C. Lida, M.C. Solaar, and Positive Black Soul.
Music of Malawi has historically been influenced through its triple cultural heritage of British, African, and American music. Malawians have long been travelers and migrant workers, and as a result, their music has spread across the African continent and blended with other music forms. One of the prime historical causes of the Malawian musical melting pot was World War II, when soldiers both brought music to distant lands and also brought them back. By the end of the war, guitar and banjo duos were the most popular type of dance bands. Both instruments were imported. Malawians working in the mines in South Africa and Mozambique also led to fusion and blending in music styles, giving rise to music styles like Kwela.
Australian hip hop traces its origins to the early 1980s and is largely inspired by hip hop and other urban musical genres from the United States. As the form matured, Australian hip hop has become a commercially viable style of music that is no longer restricted to the creative underground, with artists such as The Kid Laroi, Manu Crooks, Onefour, Iggy Azalea, Hilltop Hoods, Bliss n Eso and Youngn Lipz, having achieved notable fame. Australian hip hop is still primarily released through independent record labels, which are often owned and operated by the artists themselves. Despite its genesis as an offshoot of American hip-hop, Australian hip hop has developed a distinct personality that reflects its evolution as an Australian musical style.
The music of Namibia includes a number of folk styles, as well as pop, rock, reggae, jazz, house and hip hop.
Hechichamunorwa Mount Zion Kwenda, better known as Mizchif, was a South African based Zimbabwean rapper. He was allegedly 'the first to independently release a solo hip hop album in South Africa,' and the first person in South Africa to perform hip hop with a live band.
Winky D is a Zimbabwean reggae-dancehall artist known popularly as "The Big Man". He is also known as Dancehall Igwe, Gaffa, Ninja President, Proffessor, and Extraterrestrial. Winky D is often considered the Zimdancehall pioneer and one of the most accomplished modern Zimbabwean music artists. His music provides social commentary about Zimbabwean society.
Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, once known as Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards, are Pan-African music awards organised by South Africa -based Channel O television channel. The awards were first held in 2003 under the name Reel Music Video Awards. Since 2005 the awards have been held annually. The winners are voted by Channel O's viewers across the continent.
Richie Mensah, better known by his stage name Richie, is a Ghanaian singer-songwriter and record producer. After producing records for several artists, Richie set up Lynx Entertainment record label and released his debut album All of Me on the label in 2008. He has since then gone on to win several awards both as a singer and record producer and is fast establishing himself as one of the biggest names in the Ghanaian music industry.
Soundcity TV is a 24-hour Nigerian lifestyle and music channel based in Lagos from Consolidated Media Associates Limited. Soundcity TV describes itself as a "pan-African urban music TV channel."
Refiloe Maele Phoolo, professionally known as Cassper Nyovest, is a South African rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, record producer and amateur boxer. Born and raised in Mahikeng, North West, he is regarded as one of the most successful artists in South Africa. In 2014, he established his own record label, Family Tree Records. Nyovest rose to fame with the release of his debut studio album, Tsholofelo (2014) which produced the hit singles "Gusheshe" and "Doc Shebeleza".
Vera Hamenoo-Kpeda(born 23 June 1992), better known by her stage name MzVee, is a Ghanaian singer, afropop, dancehall and R&B artiste. Her debut solo album features several hit singles including 'Borkor Borkor', 'Natural Girl' and 'Dancehall Queen'. MzVee was signed to the record label Lynx Entertainment and was the winner of the New Artiste of the Year award at the 2015 Ghana Music Awards. She parted ways with Lynx Entertainment in the year 2019. She is currently a solo artist.
Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo, known professionally as Nasty C, is a South African rapper, songwriter, actor, and record producer.
Mukudzeyi Mukombe, better known as Jah Prayzah, is a Zimbabwean contemporary musician and lead member of the band Third Generation. He is popularly referred to by fans and media as "Musoja", the Shona word for "soldier", a name he earned mostly because of his signature band uniform of military regalia. The name "Jah Prayzah" comes from his name, "Mukudzeyi", which means "Praise Him".
Leo Siwale, known professionally by his stage name Tsar Leo, is a Malawian rapper, singer and songwriter. He was nominated as Malawi's Best New Artist of the Year for 2015. He is currently competing for the Independent Music Awards, adding to contemporary musicians from Malawi that are making international headway.
Benn Gilbert Kamoto, better known by his stage name Gemini Major, is a Malawian-born South African record producer and singer-songwriter. He was signed to Family Tree Records, a South African independent record label found by Cassper Nyovest.
Andile Sibabalwe Fiphaza, professionally known as Zoocci Coke Dope is a South African record producer, rapper, singer, and audio engineer. Almost all of his productions begin with the tag "Zoocci Coke Dope! He's the dealer". Zoocci's debut album, Anxiety, was released on 25 November 2019. The follow-up album, Anxiety+ was released on 25 February 2022. He won the Producer of the Year award at the South African Hip Hop Awards 2021.
Clive 'Mono' Mukundu is a Zimbabwean music producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist largely known as a guitarist. He is also an author. Mukundu has featured on more than 1000 albums and over 200 singles from 1988 to date.
Urbano music or Latin urban is a transnational umbrella category including many different genres and styles. As an umbrella term it includes latin pop, reggaeton, dancehall, dembow, urban champeta, funk carioca and Latin hip hop. The commercial breakthrough of this music took place in 2017. Artists in the style collaborate transnationally, and may originate from the United States, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela or other Spanish-speaking nations, as well as Portuguese-speaking Brazil.
The South African Hip Hop Awards are an annual hip hop award ceremony, that celebrates achievements within the South African hip hop culture, established in 2012. The awards are presented annually, and are broadcast live on SABC. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by artists, and some of the awards of more popular interest are presented in a televised ceremony.
Ngonidzashe Dondo, better known as King98, is a Zimbabwean Hip Hop artist based in South Africa.
