To say that Afrobeats is having a moment would be an understatement.
An often sweetly intoxicating blend of smooth African rhythms, R&B, jazz, hip-hop and electronics, Afrobeats often shimmers like a warm summer’s day. The West African-born style, not to be confused with Nigeria’s more musically aggressive Afrobeat scene of the ’70s that spawned the likes of Fela Kuti, splashed into the American mainstream in 2016 with Drake’s “One Dance,” a track featuring Nigeria’s Wizkid.
SOUTH AFRICA, TOO: Musicians in South Africa have their own take on Afro-pop.
Now, Wizkid is a headlining star in his own right, along with Davido (who headlines the Toyota Center on July 7), Ckay, Fireboy DML, Burna Boy and Rema who headlines Bayou Music Center July 28. Mainstream pop performers, such as Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, have collaborated with Afrobeats performers, and Afro Nation, a global, multi-day Afrobeats festival, has spawned several editions over the last several years, including versions in Miami, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ghana, Portugal (which just wrapped up June 30) and Detroit (Aug. 19-20). (Houston, with its large Nigerian population, needs to have its own Afro Nation, too.)
The soundtrack to “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was dominated by Afrobeats, featuring tracks from Burna Boy, Fireboy DML and more.
HOUSTON AFROBEAT: As Houston’s Nigerian population booms, so does its Afrobeats scene.
While there are some similarities to reggae and reggaeton — each having a tropical, equatorial lilt — Afrobeats is its own vibe. And, unlike other forms of African music, which are usually marketed to more niche world-music audiences in the West, Afrobeats is mainstream pop music.
With all this in mind, here are the six Nigerian Afrobeats performers who you need to know.
Burna Boy: Born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, Burna Boy makes a particularly potent, funky and soulful brand of Afrobeats. Burna Boy is arguably the best singer in the Afrobeats style, even cracking the list of Rolling Stone’s 200 greatest singers of all time. His 2013 album, “L.I.F.E. — Leaving an Impact on Eternity,” with its nods to the conscious music of Fela Kuti and Bob Marley, ranks as one of the best Afrobeats albums of all time.
Davido: This Nigerian American (given name: David Adedeji Adeleke) crafts extremely melodic, soulful music that can be transporting. Take a listen to the gospel-tinged “Stand Strong,” the track he made with the Sunday Service Choir, or the summery, Afro-licious “Feel,” with its rousing African chorus. One of the most followed Afrobeat musicians on social media, he made Time magazine’s Time 100 Next List in 2021. He recently released a new album, “Timeless.”
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: To hear a curated Afrobeats playlist, click here or search for “Best of Afrobeats: The Collection” on Spotify.
CKay: If Chukwuka Ekweani, aka Ckay, had released nothing other than the infectious 2019 single “Love Nwantini (Ah Ah Ah),” his place in the Afrobeats universe would be assured. It became a success in Nigeria, then exploded on TikTok and became a global hit, later becoming the subject of a variety of international remixes. But he has many other, equally worthy tracks, such as the romantic “Emiliana,” with its sparkling African guitar, and the celebratory “Hallelujah.” For anyone who hasn’t heard much Afrobeats and wants to explore, Ckay is a good place to start.
Fireboy DML: This performer (born Adedamola Adefolahan) is known for combining African music with elements of soul and hints of folk, as on his first big hit, “Jealous,” in 2018. He would go on to create two of the most memorable tracks in the genre, “Afro Highlife,” with its nod to more traditional African music, and the propulsive “Bandana.”
Tems: One of the leading female singers in the Afrobeats scene, Tems (Temilade Openiyi) brings a vocal soulfulness to the form. Check out such tracks as the jazzy “Found” and “Replay” as cases in point. She, too, has collaborated with Drake and co-wrote Rihanna’s Oscar-nominated “Life Me Up” for the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack.
Wizkid: If Wizkid (Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun) had not collaborated with Drake in 2016 on “One Dance,” Afrobeats might not be as big in North America as it is today. That song is reportedly the first track to get a billion Spotify streams. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength, including collaborating with Beyoncé on “Brown Skin Girl.”
When: 7 p.m. July 7
Where: Toyota Center, 1510 Polk
Details: $49 and up; 866-446-8849; toyotacenter.com
Credit: Source link