From early in the 21st century, a new type
of sound, originating in Nigeria, became
increasingly prominent in African popular
music. This name echoes Afrobeat, the 1970s
fusion of jazz and traditional Nigerian and
Ghanaian music which is an important
influence, but Afrobeats is a largely different
style. “Afrobeats is not a style, per se, like
Afrobeat. It simply means the new sound of
Africa, which takes in diverse influences that
take inspiration from its African roots and
is combined with the sounds of rap, reggae/
dancehall, and even R&B. It’s an extremely
eclectic combination that makes for quite the
enjoyable sound.
A
frobeats is most
identifiable by its
signature driving
drum beat rhythms,
whether electronic or
instrumental. These
beats harken to the
stylings of a variety of
traditional African drumbeats across West
Africa as well as the precursory genre of
Afrobeat. The beat in Afrobeats music is not
just a base for the melody, but acts as a major
character of the song, taking a lead role that is
sometimes equal to are of greater importance
than the lyrics and almost always more
central than the other instrumentals. Another
distinction within Afrobeats is the notably west
African, specifically Nigerian or Ghanaian,
accented English] that is often blended with
local slangs, pidgin English, as well as local
Nigerian or Ghanaian languages depending on
the backgrounds of the performers. DJs and
producers like DJ Black, Elom Adablah, and
C-Real (Cyril-Alex Gockel) for example, have
been a crucial part in spreading the popularity
of this form of music. Their artistic mixing of
beats and sounds allow a younger audience to
experience a sound that is somewhat familiar
in its influences and yet uniquely African.
69 | Colossium . September 2019
Their mixing and promotion of popular hits on
the continent is also a tried and true method
for success. Often what the play in clubs,
radio shows, podcasts, etc. are what become
popularized both within Africa and abroad.
Since 2012, Afrobeats have gained mainstream
recognition outside of Africa, especially within
the UK. UK hits have included “Oliver Twist” by
D’banj a Nigerian which reached 9 on the UK
Singles Chart in 2012, and “Million Pound Girl
(Badder Than Bad)” by the Ghanaian British
artist Fuse ODG, which reached 5 on the UK
Singles Chart in 2014. Afrobeats nightclubs
are now primary features of UK’s nightlife
with clubs opening in most major cities. Other
mainstream popularity garnered by Afrobeats
is shown in Canadian artist Drake’s music.
Drake’s 2017 album More Life contains many
Afrobeats and Dancehall influences.
Source: Wikipedia.com
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