Afrobeat is a West African music genre, fusing influences from Nigerian and Ghanaian music, with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion, the style was pioneered in the 1960s by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who popularised it both within and outside Nigeria. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers."
African popular music, can be defined as any African music, regardless of genre, that uses Western pop musical instruments, such as the guitar, piano, trumpet, etc. Afropop is a genre of music that combines elements from both African traditional music with Western pop music, characterized by the use of African rhythms and melodies, as well as western instrumentation and production techniques. Like African traditional music, Afropop is vast and varied. Most contemporary genres of western popular music build on cross-pollination with traditional African American and African popular music. Many genres in popular music of rock, metal, pop, blues, jazz, salsa, zouk, and rumba derive, of varying degrees, musical traditions from Africa cultured to the Americas, by enslaved Africans. These rhythms and sounds have subsequently been adapted by newer genres like hip-hop, and R&B. Likewise, African popular music have adopted Western music industry recording studio techniques. The term does not refer to a specific style or sound but is used as a general term for African popular music.
Alain Mabanckou is a novelist, journalist, poet, and academic, a French citizen born in the Republic of the Congo, he is currently a Professor of Literature at UCLA. He is best known for his novels and non-fiction writing depicting the experience of contemporary Africa and the African diaspora in France, including Broken Glass (2005) and the Prix Renaudot-winning Memoirs of a Porcupine (2006). He is among the best known and most successful writers in the French language, and one of the best known African writers in France. In some circles in Paris he is known as "the Samuel Beckett of Africa".
David Adedeji AdelekeOON, known professionally as Davido, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most important Afrobeats artists of the 21st century and helped popularize the genre globally.
The Gidi Culture Festival is an annual one-day music and arts festival that takes place in Lagos, Nigeria. Co-founded by Chinedu Okeke and Oriteme Banigo, it was created in response to a demand from the local youth culture for live, affordable, and accessible entertainment in Africa. The festival provides a venue for live bands, DJs, and musical acts to perform. It also features outdoor activities, local vendors, and artisans. The main show features a line-up of African acts from numerous countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Congo, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. The goal of the festival is to encourage the development of African talent and promote artists both within the continent and into overseas markets.
Douglas Jack Agu, better known by his stage name Runtown, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer. His music is a blend of Afrobeats, hip-hop, R&B, and reggae. He gained initial recognition with his song "Gallardo (2014)" featuring Davido. He achieved international recognition with his 2016 single "Mad Over You", The song's success led to a remix by Nigerian-Bajan artist Mr Eazi, further expanding its reach.
Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and UK-trained economist and information technology expert. She is the founder and executive director of Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), a non-profit organisation that empowers women and girls socially and economically through education in Information technology. W.TEC was established in the year 2008. She is a fellow of Ashoka and a recipient of the Anita Borg Institute (ABIE) Change Agent Award.
Gqom, gqom tech, sgubhu, 3-step or G.Q.O.M) is an African electronic dance music genre and subgenre of house music, that emerged in the early 2010s from Durban, South Africa, pioneered and innovated by music producers Naked Boyz, Rudeboyz, Sbucardo, Griffit Vigo, Nasty Boyz, DJ Lag, Menzi Shabane, Distruction Boyz and Citizen Boy.
Sanelisiwe Twisha, known professionally as Moonchild Sanelly is a South African musician and dancer. She is known for her signature blue-coloured hair and her self-created music genre called "Future ghetto funk". Originally from Port Elizabeth, the singer first came into limelight in the Durban poetry and music scene before relocating to Johannesburg, where she has continued her musical career.
Amarachi Nwosu is a Nigerian-American photographer, visual artist, and filmmaker currently based in New York City. She is also the founder of Melanin Unscripted, a creative platform and agency which aims to dismantle stereotypes and blur cultural lines by exposing complex identities and cultures around the world. Her debut documentary "Black in Tokyo" premiered at the International Center of Photography at the ICP Museum in New York City in 2017. She also screened the film in Tokyo, Japan at Ultra Super New Gallery in Harajuku.
Afrobeats, not to be confused with Afrobeat or Afroswing, is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Afrobeats is less of a style per se, and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing out of Nigeria and Ghana. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife, azonto music, and naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the "Afrobeats" umbrella.
A Good Time is the second studio album by Nigerian singer Davido. It was released on November 22, 2019, through Davido Music Worldwide, RCA Records and Sony Music. The album features guest appearances from Chris Brown, Summer Walker, Gunna, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Dremo, Peruzzi, Popcaan, Zlatan, Yonda, Wurld and Naira Marley. Its production was handled by Speroach Beatz, Tekno, Shizzi, Kiddominant, P2J, London on da Track, and Fresh VDM, among others. In December 2019, Davido announced a North American tour in support of the album; the tour was scheduled to begin in the winter and end in spring 2020. In March 2020, Davido postponed the tour due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Julian Nii Ayitey Adjin Nicco-Annan, better known by his stage name Juls, is a British-Ghanaian record producer, disc jockey, and musician. He is known for his music contributions, particularly in Afrobeats circles, and for the production of songs such as: "Bankulize" and "Skin Tight" by Mr Eazi; "Feel Alright" by Show Dem Camp; Rudebwoi Love by Stonebwoy; and Gwarn by Burna Boy. He has collaborated with the label BBnz Live, and has worked on A&R for Mr.Eazi's Life is Eazi album.
Iziegbe (Izzy) Odigie is a New York born Nigerian afrobeats choreographer. In 2019, she was one of OkayAfrica's "100 women".
Teboho Lechaoa, known commonly by his stage name Morena Leraba is a Lesotho-born singer and rapper. He mainly uses traditional sesotho lyrics and combines them with electro, afro house and Hip hop. His lyrics are deeply rooted in Lesotho's traditional music, poetry, and its sub-genre, Afro.
Our Homecoming, is an annual three-days music, fashion, sport, and arts festival in Lagos, Nigeria. It has been founded by Grace Ladoja, as a community under Metallic Inc. The platform was established for cultural exchange, sharing African creativity with the world as a way of connecting international creatives from Africa in the diaspora back to the motherland. The festival provides a venue for workshops, football pitch, art museum, live bands, DJs, and musicians.
"Skeletun" is a song recorded by Nigerian singer-songwriter Tekno, it was released on October 8, 2019, by the Cartel Entertainment. It was written by Tekno and produced by Phantom. The song was featured on the soundtrack to Coming 2 America. It debuted at number 19 on the first ever official UK Afrobeats Singles Chart and was nominated for Best Pop Single at The Headies 2020.
Adesegun Adeosun Jnr, popularly known as Smade, is a Nigerian-born British event promoter, creative industry expert and entrepreneur. He is co-founder of Afro Nation, an annual music festival established to bring together the best African artists in afrobeats, hip hop, RnB, dancehall, amapiano and more. He is also the founder of Smade Entertainment, a UK-based entertainment company.
Etins Records is a Nigerian record label founded by Edwin Etinosa Ehiorobo. The label is home to Yarden, Morien and formerly Victor AD. Services within the label includes, artist development and management, branding, audiovisual content and music recording.
Afrobeats: The Backstory is a documentary series that delves into the rise and global influence of Afrobeats, a genre of music that originated in Nigeria. Directed by Nigerian filmmaker Ayo Shonaiya, the series premiered on Netflix on 29 June 2022, offering an in-depth look at the cultural, political, and social landscape that shaped the Afrobeats sound, as well as its growth.
