Afrobeat is a Tanzanian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles from mainly Nigeria such as the traditional Yoruba and Igbo music and highlife 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 is most known for popularizing the style 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."
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. 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, who is known professionally as Davido, is a Nigerian-American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most important Afrobeats artists of the 21st century, and is credited alongside Burna Boy and Wizkid for popularizing the genre globally.
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu , known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. Dubbed the "King of Afrofusion", he is credited alongside Davido and Wizkid for popularizing Afrobeats 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.
Oluseye Desmond Sodamola, professionally known as Spinall, is a Nigerian disc jockey, record producer, and songwriter. He was the official DJ to Wande Coal while he was affiliated with Mavin Records. He created a style edge to his outfit known as TheCAP, tracing his roots back to his culture.
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.
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, filmmaker, writer and speaker currently based in New York City. She is also the founder of Melanin Unscripted, a creative platform and agency aimed 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, New York City in 2017 and she has also screened the film in Tokyo, Japan at Ultra Super New Gallery in Harajuku.
Afrobeats 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 majorly out of Nigeria. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife and naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the "Afrobeats" umbrella.
Adama Delphine Fawundu is a Sierra Leonean-American multi-disciplinary photographer and visual artist promoting African culture and heritage, a co-founder and author of MFON: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora – a journal and book representing female photographers of African descent. Her works have been presented in numerous exhibitions worldwide. She uses multiple mediums to create works with themes about identity, utopia, decolonization, and stories of the past, present and future. She is a Professor of Visual Arts at Columbia University.
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. Davido enlisted Speroach Beatz, Tekno, Shizzi, Kiddominant, P2J, London on da Track, Fresh VDM, Seyi, Teekay Witty, Ray Keys and Vstix to produce the album. 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.
Iziegbe (Izzy) Odigie is a New York born Nigerian afrobeats choreographer. In 2019, she was one of OkayAfrica's "100 women".
Michael Babatunde Adeyinka, also known as DJ Tunez is a Nigerian-American disc jockey. In 2015, DJ Tunez was asked by Wizkid to join Starboy Entertainment, as the official label DJ, DJ Tunez first production was in 2016's Iskaba, a contagious hit song with Wande Coal. He has collaborated with other acts such as Wizkid, Sarz, Burna Boy, Busiswa, Reekado Banks, Damibliz, Omah Lay and many more.
Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi, known professionally as Bella Shmurda, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in 2019 with the release of the song "Vision 2020", and a follow-up remix which featured Olamide. He is also the leader of Dangbana Republik; a collective of creatives in Lagos providing community and humanitarian contributions.
Teboho Mochaoa, 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, famo.
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 and CEO 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.
