#UK Afrobeats | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

afrobeatsindacity · 7 months

Text

Rema, The Prince Of Nigerian music

Rema and Selena Gomez's "Calm Down" continues to shatter worldwide records as it advances its claim for 2023's Song Of The Summer, and indeed for every other season—it has in fact completed a year on the Billboard Top 100 chart, and even now continues to chart in the Top 20. And as its impact has been far reaching, so also have the accolades. The most recent of these came only a few days ago, when the song officially crossed 1 billion streams on Spotify, crowning it the first African song to reach this feat, and also one of the 500 most streamed music tracks of all time. Before this was the MTV Video Music Award ceremony, where a charismatic Rema received an award for the maiden 'Best Afrobeats Song' category. Before calling on his co-creator to say a few words of thanks, he paid homage to Nigerian music icons that paved his way to the world's biggest stages—names like Fela, pioneer of Afrobeat (no 's'); D'banj and 2Baba, prominent figures who ruled through the 00s; Don Jazzy and D'Prince, his mentors at Mavin and Jonzing, his record labels; and of course Nigerian music royalty Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido.

It is fitting that he makes such acknowledgements at a time when he too is progressing towards a career of this status. Nigerian music's growth, like he succinctly put, has come slowly but surely off the back of these creators, so that now, "Calm Down"'s worldwide acceptance does not draw the surprise it deserves from the Nigerian audience; exploits of the last two years appear to have numbed its citizens to what is possible. Two years ago, Essence, the Wizkid-Tems sultry collaboration that got a Justin Beiber touch for its remix, was having its moment in the sun with each new step applauded by the country, and it is important for context that Rema’s song has already amassed five times as many Spotify streams as its predecessor.

For many, this moment was always going to arrive for Nigerian music, the day when we would no longer need tags like "For an African artist" to qualify a new win; we would compete with parity against music from anywhere in the world. And for a tiny subset of these believers, it was always going to be Rema at the forefront of the vanguard effecting this cultural revolution for Nigeria. For the artist, born Divine Ikubor, has always borne a mark of divinity.

After catching the eye of D’prince, CEO of Jonzing record label, via a cover of his song, "Gucci Gang" that he posted on Instagram, the Benin-based singer got an invite to come to Lagos for a proper audition, after which he was signed to Jonzing, a Mavin record affiliate. At the age of 19 he made his entry via a self-named EP, a Mavin tradition, that highlighted in only four songs what Rema was set to bring to the industry. His euphonious vocals were for many the biggest and most prognostic highlight, but they masked other crucial aspects of his artistry—the depth of emotion he channels on "Why", and his dexterity in balancing this beside the fast-spinning Afropop bangers, "Dumebi" and "Iron Man".

A few months later, he made his reprisal, but in a new apparel—Trap music. His Rema Freestyle EP projected speedy delivery, snappy trap beats and rhymes about money, as Rema displayed another aspect of his artistry. Most noticeable was his sparsity of romantic themes on the new project, the substance with which he propped up his earlier effort. His third project, Bad Commando, found the balance between these two extremes, placing confident statements of self-aggrandisation (Dem know say I be bad commando”, he sings on Bad Commando) side by side with affecting professions of infatuation (The moment I see you na up NEPA, he begins on “Lady”), while he switches between Trap and Pop on the production side of things.

Releasing this project meant it was a very busy debut year for the singer, and at the 13th edition of the Headies he was awarded the Next Rated award—earmarking him as the next big star. In January he picked up a similar plaque at the Soundcity MVP Awards, and together with his City People Award for Revelation Of The Year, these plaques underscored how outstanding his debut year was. In 2020, though, it was time for the next stage of music release strategy, and this time he worked by releasing singles, as he tried to establish his sound as a balance of his Afropop, Trap and Arabian music origins. His first effort of the year was the two single pack of "Rainbow" and "Beamer", and the latter was the significantly more successful song, featuring Jamaican producer Rvssian who incorporated traces of the Dancehall genre.

These songs, along with his June release, "Alien", were drawn chiefly from the Trap corner of his artistry, but to properly dominate a country like Nigerian, he would need to create for a dance-loving audience, and with his next two singles, the melodious, groovy "Ginger Me" and the explosive "Woman", he sought to do exactly that. With the latter, Rema’s material also took on a sultry turn—“I too like woman, me I no dey gboran”—that he reprised with his next single, the Don Jazzy–produced "Bounce". Already Rema’s profile was growing exponentially on a national level as he sought inroads into the global market.

2022, for Rema, was the time to crystallise this three-year dominance in Nigeria's industry into a recognisable global profile. He released "Calm Down" in February, melding Afropop, Arabian and Dancehall influences for a track that was still authentically Nigerian—"Girl you sweet like Fanta", he says, reworking a popular Nigerian children's rhyme into a missive of playful adulation—and yet lent itself to foreign acceptance. To advance its entry into foreign markets, a stroke of collaborative genius brought a Selena Gomez remix, pouring fuel into the fire of the song's momentum so that it sauntered into the next gear of its worldwide ascent. With this remix has come multiple broken records, a couple of awards (including one for Rema as Headies Best Male Artist), and certifications that continue to roll in by the day.

As Rema continues to break new grounds both historically and geographically,—as in his recently-completed Indian tour—the next sets of doubts will centre around whether he can extend this fame beyond "Calm Down", and insert himself properly in world stardom. But that should be no problem. A combination of his astute singing talent, evocative writing and undeniable star power should ensure Rema fulfils his promise as prince of Nigerian music.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

Afrobeats City doesn’t own the right to the images - image source: Instagram - @Scrdofme

#Afrobeats #AfrobeatsCity #Afrobeats article #Rema #Africa #African music #Afrobeats UK #UK Afrobeats #Afropop #Afrofusion #Calm Down #Selena Gomez

9 notes · View notes

haveyouheardthisband · 16 days

Text

#contemporary r&b #neo-soul #alternative r&b #pop soul #trip hop #afrobeats #2010s #2020s #uk #poll #Spotify

54 notes · View notes

haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll · 6 days

Text

Tracklist:

Yesman • Elevator • Weedkiller • Straylight • More Of You • Sticks • Easy • No Other • Face Up • Frustratin

Bandcamp

#hyltta-polls #polls #artist: seiji #language: instrumental #decade: 2010s #Bassline #Bass House #2 Step #UK Garage #Bassline Garage #Footwork #Juke #Afrobeat #Broken Beat #Electronic #UK Funky

10 notes · View notes

burlveneer-music · 2 months

Text

London Afrobeat Collective - Esengo

Taking inspiration from afrobeat father Fela Kuti as well as artists including Ebo Taylor, Parliament, Funkadelic and Havana d’Primera, London Afrobeat Collective’s music and multi-lingual performances in English, Spanish, Lingala, and French have won them admirers across the UK and Europe. On the 14th February, they are set to release their new album ‘Esengo’ via Canopy Records. This eight-strong multi-cultural collective from England, Italy, France, Congo, Argentina, and New Zealand, combine traditional afrobeat and hi life with funk, jazz, Latin, and dub to deliver party music born of their truly global DNA. With recent knock out performances stretching from opening the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival (Scotland) to Bardentreffen (Germany), Tempo Latino (France), Couleur Café (Brussels), Cully Jazz (Switzerland), Earth Garden (Malta), Kala (Albania), Jazz in the Park (Romania) and many more venues across Europe, the band have also been busy in the studio, working on their fourth studio album. The resulting ‘Esengo’, produced by Sonny Johns (Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela, Oumou Sangare, Ali Farke Toure, Polar Bear), showcases London Afrobeat Collective’s love and respect for the traditions of afrobeat. With acclaimed Congolese singer Juanita Euka on vocals once more, ‘Esengo’ channels the spirit of Fela Kuti but with a willingness to create original music that crosses genres. The players: Juanita Euka (vocals), Alex Farrell (rhythm guitar), Alex Szyjanowicz (lead guitar), John Mathews (bass), Luigi Casanova (bass), Giuliano Osella (drums), Richie Sweet (percussion), Klibens Michelet (Baritone Saxophone) and Andy Watts (Trumpet).

#Bandcamp #afrobeat #london #uk #soul #funk #jazz #2024 #canopy records #female vocal #juanita euka

8 notes · View notes

wondergirlmoliy · 18 days

Text

Wondergirl in Paris

#moliy #afrobeats #afrofusion #music #wondergang #wondergirl #ghana girl #ghana #UK #USA #PARIS #MOLIYINPARIS #MOLIYMUSICINPARIS #original character #nyc #MOLIYMUSIC #Danitsa #Girl gang

3 notes · View notes

pisentertainment · 7 months

Text

"Kick-start your senses with PIS Entertainment! Brace yourself for a burst of excitement, dazzling performances, and unforgettable moments that will leave you craving for more. Join us on this electrifying journey where entertainment meets perfection. #PISentertainment #UnleashTheThrills"

8 notes · View notes

newleasemusic · 2 months

Text

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by New Lease Music Charts (@newleasemusic)

instagram

@705beats claims the #musicvideooftheweek title for brand new video for track, GOOD FEELING, featuring Dj Skid & DorDor. Why not check it out…

#music #indie music #unsigned music #indie artist #uk talent #london #unsigned artist #new music video 2024 #music video #afrobeats #rnb #Instagram

3 notes · View notes

11oh1 · 1 year

Text

17 notes · View notes

teck-zilla · 3 months

Text

Got an awesome schedule for the first quarter of 2024. We kick off with K*Ners and Huntizzy’s ‘King Him”

next is the upbeat aptly titled “Slap! (Woozah)” from Fyve Shinobi. and we close it with my first beat tape in years titled ‘I’m Pretty Sure It’s Afrobeats’. That is it, 3 different sounds that encapsulate my versatility behind the boards. . Remember to Pre save “King Him” here : https://bfan.link/king-him and add to your playlist

#hiphop #rap #producer #uk #afrobeats #emcee #southafrica #lagos #bristol #newmusic #hiphopmusic #afropop #afrofusion #instrumental #beat tapes

3 notes · View notes

isthespiceoflife · 5 months

Text

youtube

NEW video, NEW cameo (feat. Davido) -- 'OLD' song and well, how old is Teejay, btw?

Anyway, that's if you consider this pass summer's smash "Drift", an 'old' one. Consider this remix like adding some new charms & decorations to your 'old' Christmas tree -- don't front, you know u bring out the same one year after year. .Merry Xmas!🎄

Teejay Tour Dates: 12/16 - Lil Wayne & Friends Performance @ CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD 12/19 - Sandals Grande St. Lucian Performance in St. Lucia 12/30 - Hot 97 Winter Jam Performance @ Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY 12/31 - Glamour The Ultimate New Years Eve Gala Performance in Negril, JA.

#drift remix #davido #nigeria #teejay #youtube #music #art #nyc #los angeles #uk #brooklyn #caribbean #jamaica #dancehall #afrobeats #chune #Youtube

4 notes · View notes

afrobeatsindacity · 1 year

Text

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: THE WOMEN IN NIGERIAN MUSIC

Nigerian music’s history is beautifully storied, and like every great story has had heroes pop up at different times, each handing the baton of Nigerian culture from one generation to the next and laying a small piece of the success it enjoys today. When magnifying glasses are placed on Nigeria's music with the intention of highlighting its most significant contributors, it is very common for our women to get left out. The reasons for this oversight—the relative scarcity of female acts in comparison to male counterparts—is no excuse. If anything, the women who have made their fair share of efforts to shape our music deserve a bigger spotlight, for they had to overcome the more prominent barriers to get there, barriers placed by a patriarchal society and increase the further back you go in our history. Barriers that have not been completely cleared even today.

With today's women breaking and setting records across gender lines, the International Women's Day of 2023 presents a poignant opportunity to document the strides our women make in modern music, while highlighting in retrospect the talented, underreported women who came before.

While Fuji music and its lesser-known affiliate, Apala, were dominating the local scene in the '70s and bringing to their creators like Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, Ayinde Barrister and Ayinde Kollington national fame, another Yoruba-Islamic genre, Waka, was traditionally performed by female artists. It was drawn from Alasatu, a Yoruba genre with strong Islamic and Arabic influences, and Alhaja Batile Alake fashioned Waka out of it, allowing the genre to escape the confines of religion and tribe. Another prominent female singer, Alhaja Salawa Abeni, built on this, bringing Waka to national platforms and beyond.

The Ladiju sisters (or twins) are a pair of female artists whose contributions to Nigerian music remain timeless. Their debut album, Iya Mi Jowo, was released in 1969, and they went on to release 5 more albums that were ahead of their time in content and sound, as they drew from a wide pool of influences that included foreign sounds like Jazz and Rock as well as the indigenous like Waka and Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat.

Across the Niger, the women of South Eastern Nigeria were making similarly impressive strides of their own. Nelly Uchendu is most famous for her Love Nwantiti album of 1976, especially the eponymous lead single. She was not the only Igbo songstress to be renowned for her singing prowess. The “Elegant Stallion”, Onyeka Onwenu excelled even beyond writing and performing music, as she took up roles as an actress, worked as a broadcaster and even delved into politics as part of a storied career, putting to bed question marks placed over a woman’s capability. Christy Essien-Igbokwe chose to put her inspiring messages of woman empowerment and Nigerian advocacy into song, and these female artists performing at the top level helped imprint in the next generation that chauvinistic gender roles were a thing of the past.

Modern Nigerian (Pop) music, or Afrobeats, has featured a larger share of women at the highest echelons at every stage, and it must be acknowledged that they have all but caught up in terms of individual star power.

Weird MC was one of a few artists to first nationalise American hip-hop spirit. Her 1996 album, Simply Weird, and its standout track, "Allen Avenue", helped dress up rap music in the Nigerian clothing it decks today. 2006's "Ijoya" took her popularity a lot further, and it remains a timeless classic to this day. Asa's musical inclination was similarly unconventional, but it lay at the other end of the spectrum, as her R&B/Soul-powered eponymous debut album announced the entry of a new star. With it she strengthened her image abroad, ensuring that she enjoys today an audience beyond the shores of Nigeria. Thankfully her talent came with longevity, and her most recent album, released in 2022, still serenades Nigerians like her first effort did 15 years before.

Subsequent acts would hone in on conventional Nigerian pop, which they coloured with their honeyed vocals. Omawunmi made her debut with 2009's Wonder Woman, fresh off becoming a runner-up on Nigerian Idol where she had launched a prototype of her career. With singles like "In The Music", "Bottom Belle" and "If You Ask Me", her star appeal was never in doubt, and with her most recent album Love Deep High Life only two years old, her diminished popularity should not be taken for hibernation. Waje, another singer blessed with incredible vocals, emerged around the same time, first making a guest appearance on Psquare's "Do Me" in 2008 before songs like "So Inspired" and "For A Minute" served as a proper entry into the scene. Just like Omawunmi, she remains an active member of Nigerian music's ranks, as her latest album, "The Misfit", debuted last year.

At the turn of the decade, Tiwa Savage moved in from the UK, pitching her tent with Don Jazzy's Mavins Music after she had spent the last few years providing back up vocals to icons like George Michael and Mary J. Blige. Her adaptation did not take long, as her superb debut album, Once Upon A Time,—with songs like "Kele Kele Love", "Eminado" and "Without My Heart"—showcased equally her supple songwriting and her silky, yet powerful delivery. She is one of a few acts in Nigerian music, across gender lines, who have ruled the last decade in near-constant influence, and with her ability to tie effortlessly into new and trendy music (see: "Loaded" with Asake and " Who's your guy" remix with Spyro), there is still a lot more to come from the songstress.

Seyi Shay is another act that shares a common history of finding her feet in music in the United Kingdom. She moved to Nigeria at about the same time, and her first steps here—"Irawo" and its Vector-assisted remix; the Loving Your Way EP; and her debut album, Seyi Or Shay—were very well received by the Nigerian audience. Her most recent release, 2021's Big Girl, came with positive acclaim, especially its titular lead single. Yemi Alade's "Johnny" brought with it an impact that every artist desires for their breakout single, and to this day its video continues to accumulate astronomical numbers as more and more people from around the world discover the self-styled Mama Africa. To strengthen her claim to this title, she has released music in a variety of African languages, allowing her to tap into diverse cultures and strengthen her continental profile.

Simi, the woman with the voice that soothes sometimes and strikes other times, also made her debut in the half decade between 2010 and 2014, a time period that supplied female acts in buckets, some of whom still enjoy a continued presence at Nigeria's top flight. She debuted in 2014 with "Tiff", doubling down on this entrance with "Jamb Question" in 2015 as she checked 'playful storytelling' as part of her skillset. With each album since then she has gone on to provide an inspiration to any female acts entering the industry. Sisters Niniola and Teni share little more than a surname, but their varied musical paths have individually brought them to the top flight of Nigerian music's roster. Niniola was one of Nigeria's first adopters of House music, though some articles on the subject will disrespectfully leave her out altogether. Her accolades speak for her though, and she earned a Grammy songwriting certificate via 2017's Maradona, which Beyoncé sampled for her Lion King: The Gift album. Her most recent EP, Lagos to Jozi, builds on her vibrancy and innovation, weaving Nigerian slang into South African beats for a dance-ready project.

Her sister, Teni, is the more exuberant artist off-stage, and her music is a more straightforward affair involving Nigerian Pop rhythms and love-strung writing. Clearly a vigorous romantic, 2018's "Case" outlined the lengths she was willing to go to for love, while 2019's "Power Rangers" imagined herself as a superhero coming to her lover's rescue. She also has an inspiring side, as revealed by "Uyo Meyo", and a balance of these two has driven her to recognition in Nigerian music.

The biggest strides taken for Nigerian women in music, especially on the international stage, would come on the wings of one of its newest entrants. 27 year old Tems has achieved in four short years what would be an impressive resumé for an artist's entire career—a Grammy win, an Oscar nomination and collaborations with some of the biggest artists in the world. All this is made that much more impressive by the fact that she is still yet to release a debut album, and when it arrives later this year it is expected to push her career to unprecedented heights.

Behind Tems are a band of other female acts. Young, talented and eager to break down what is left of Nigerian music's gender tilt and level rhe playing field. Ayra Starr's exploits in Mavin records have produced an EP and an album, and with them she's made a name for females and teenagers in Nigerian music. While this is only a summary of the very many women that have graced Nigerian music for years, it is hoped that with other young acts like Fave, Liya, Guchi and Bloody Civilian making their way up the ladder, next years International Women's Day will feature an even lengthier list than this.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

Afrobeats City doesn’t own the right to the images - image source: Instagram

#afrobeats #afrobeats city #afrobeats london #african music #uk afrobeats #nigeria #nigerian music #iwd #iwd23 #music #tiwa savage #international women's month #article #music article

22 notes · View notes

nuevocleo · 8 months

Text

Absolutely gorgeous album

Highly highly reccomend sitting with this for a while

#jazz #r&b #afrobeats #cinematic jazz #contempory jazz #dance hall #hip hop instrumental #uk jazz #Bandcamp

3 notes · View notes

haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll · 12 days

Text

Tracklist:

O bosso • Kwele • Mawakanda • New Breed • Kusema • Stay Humble • High Level • No Unga Bunga • Jungle go dumb • Pana Njia

Spotify ♪ YouTube

#hyltta-polls #polls #artist: james bks #language: swahili #language: english #decade: 2020s #Pop Rap #Afrobeats #Hip Hop #UK Hip Hop #eyestrain #if anyone has more information about the languages #please let us know!

2 notes · View notes

burlveneer-music · 8 months

Text

Eparapo - Take to The Streets - Afrobeat band led by Suman Joshi and featuring Dele Sosimi and Tamar Osborn, among others

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the full debut album from Afrobeat supergroup Eparapo. Having come together during the unprecedented events of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, and despite being a project born from the privations of lockdown, their music is ultimately an expression of hope, resilience & resurgence. The word “eparapo” means “join forces” in Yoruba, the language of Afrobeat. It’s also the title of a track by the late, great Tony Allen - drummer for Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti and lifelong friend and mentor of our very own “Afrobeat Ambassador”, Dele Sosimi. Not only did Tony help to invent Afrobeat, he always looked for ways to push the boundaries, never content with recreating what had gone before but constantly expanding and developing the genre. This project hopes to pay homage to his legacy, and that of Fela Kuti himself. Its aim is to innovate, fuse and diversify while still retaining the essence of the music. The force behind Eparapo is bassist, composer & producer Suman Joshi. He has been a member of Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Orchestra for nearly a decade and has performed on stage with the likes of Tony Allen, Seun Kuti, Ginger Baker & Laura Mvula. He is also bassist with UK jazz ensemble Collocutor and fusion project Cubafrobeat. The rest of the group comprises of highly rated UK jazz vocalist Sahra Gure; saxophonist, composer, producer and bandleader of the renowned forward thinking jazz outfit Collocutor, Tamar Osborn; keyboard player, producer and front man for Lokkhi Terra and Cubafrobeat, Kishon Khan; one of the UK’s finest and most in demand trumpeters, Graeme Flowers, who has played with Quincy Jones, Gregory Porter and many more; trombonist for Bellowhead and mainstay of Dele’s Afrobeat Orchestra, Justin Thurgur; and finally drummer for Steamdown and Sons of Kemet, as well as the man behind the Nache project, Eddie Wakili Hick.

#Eparapo #afrobeat #funk #uk #2023 #wah wah 45s #Bandcamp

7 notes · View notes