Afrobeats 2013

Someone (curmudgeon) posted a link to the so-called Afribiz Charts over on the Rolling World Music Thread 2013 a month ago. It's of more interest to this tread, I think, since it features the current African hits, "African electronic dance music mostly", as curmudgeon put it. The chart started out in December 2011 as a Top 50 and as of this year has become a weekly Top 100 chart, published on the Afribizcharts site, which is being operated from South Africa. It's inspired by Billboard and aims to establish itself as the first and ultimate pan-African chart, "the uniting platform for all its 53 countries". Only artists "who reside in the continent of Africa" are eligible. The chart is compiled from "radio & TV airplay, record sales, radio & TV charts, YouTube views and electronic & print media appearances" - no specifics are given. How accurate it is (or even could be) is anyone's guess, I suppose, but it's a very ambitious and interesting project nonetheless (certainly if you're a chart buff like me).

When you look at the actual Hot 100, however, it doesn't appear to be a truly intercontinental chart. Large parts of Africa have not been represented at all in the weeks that I've been following it. No entries from Northern Africa, for example, and, most strikingly, nothing from the "francophone" parts of Africa, not even DR Congo. It's basically the "anglophone" countries, plus "lusophone (former Portuguese)" Angola and Mozambique. I'm not sure if this is due to some kind of cultural bias, or simply a reflection of the stronger economies of these countries, resulting in bigger music markets. As it is, the chart is heavily dominated by acts from powerhouses South Africa and Nigeria, together making up no less than 75-80% of all the entries (Lagos to Soweto indeed), with Ghana as a distant third with about 10%; and then there's Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique and Botswana with just one or a few entries each week.

So, what about the music? As for the Naija hits, it's big names like P-Square, D'banj, Wizkid, DaVido, Flavour, and in general a lot in the style of what rob up in the thread unflatteringly, but somehow still lovingly, described as "Wizkid's autotuned whine". The South African ones are predominantly kwaito, but Die Antwoord is in the top 10 as well. But with azonto having been my gateway into current African music last year, I've been focusing mainly on Ghanaian artists, and they seem to be doing well for such a relatively small country. The current #1 song is actually Ghanaian: it's thread fave "Antenna" by Fuse ODG, but in the version featuring Wyclef Jean (so much for the 'artists residing in Africa' rule, in both cases, lol); in December "Vera" by D-Black (produced by Krynkman!) became the first-ever Ghanaian track to top this chart, so azonto fever seems to be spreading outside of Ghana too. Half of the charting Ghanaian hits I've come across are azonto: apart from "Antenna" and "Vera" there's D-Black's new one "Change Your Life" (featuring EL), Sarkodie's "You Go Kill Me"" and "Azonto Fiesta", Gasmilla's "Innit (Azonto)" and Guru's "Karaoke" (both Ball J Beats!), and Dr. Slim's "Ole Seke" (featuring Dobble) - none of those strangers to these threads, apart from "Change Your Life". The other half are hip hop/hiplife tracks by Sarkodie and D-Black (them again), and M.anifest and Edem - more often than not with vocal hooks by female singers like Efya, Vivian Chidid, Sherifa and Mo Chedda.

But enough of the chart talk, time for some hits…

From Ghana:

azonto:
D-Black / "Change Your Life (Ha Ma Kyake Min)" (#44 last week):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmPn6Au5c8w

and definitely not azonto:
M.anifest / "Asa" (featuring Efya) (#11 last week):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj7C1-CV_w8

Two recent Naija #1's:

P-Square / "Alingo":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWaNr5fNm84

Burna Boy / "Like to Party":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZzDOygmE_I

And South Africa:

Professor / "Fingerprints" (featuring Oskido and Character) (currently top 5):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgl_XRqEPiQ

which led me to Character and his fantastic 2011 album The Marathon, which features tracks like "Ex":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqJL9s0V6iQ

and my favourite "Night Rider" (no video, but the album is on Spotify).

wow thats my listening sorted for the night! Cheers.

Here's a brand new Ball J production complete with ace video

Kente Praye Tintin Kportor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG6nMNJ6_9E&feature=youtu.be

or rather, here

http://youtu.be/aG6nMNJ6_9E

Re: RTC's share price thing, I wonder if that's at least partly down to D'Banj just not following up Oliver Twist at all, even by re-releasing Mr Endowed. I mean he's theoretically still on his way to becoming an international star, although the route to that appears to be just hanging around with Kanye occasionally while waiting on those crucial Wale and Rick Ross verses for the album.

Actually, D'banj has released a couple of followups for the African market (he has signed a megadeal with Sony Music Entertainment Africa, this is separate from his deal with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music apparently), but they haven't been too well received, from what I understand.
This is his latest, also a recent #1 on the Afribiz Chart, called "Cashflow". Warning: Don't expect another "Oliver Twist" or "Mo Gbono Feli Feli", you will be disappointed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af9_E6H7b_c

Few new things I've been feeling...

Swag Society - I'm too hot (prod. by Ball J)
http://youtu.be/QG3M3KbmWPY

Sena Dagadu - Extra Large
http://youtu.be/EvZgsjDtUNc

MoBlack - MeKa (Original Mix) ft. King Ayisoba
http://youtu.be/oaHAaAFZY4w

and finally a great 'official dance' video for R2Bees/Sarkodie's massive 'Bayla Trap' single - body poppin' Accra style. This is produced by Killbeatz and I've to think of it as the Ghanaian equivalent of Tinie Tempah's 'Pass out'. Maybe the biggest tune I've heard this year and its not even azonto.
http://youtu.be/laRsCw12dyg

official video here. I posted it before but it bears repeating.
http://youtu.be/5XzmbY8i7sc

R2bees album is out March 29th

Some naija tracks I've been feeling lately:

Ajebutter22 - Omo Pastor (video is so dope!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89_m06oRbMM
Maleek Berry ft. Wizkid - The Matter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrhyYcSrQkY
TBoy feat. Boj - Talkin Drum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaMCn5WW0HQ

And this azonto tune & video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jnJ5BHL-ho

do any of the afro-heads here live in London?

Where's the best place to go to actually hear this stuff these days? There must be a load of nights across London but they fly under the radar a bit.

A Ball J Beat reviewed on the Singles Jukebox.

And a brand new Ball J Beat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNb7QpDt9-s

Better President / Ankaa (feat. Oboi P)

Ball J doin' it for himself: "Togo Bikini"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADSC0iJFKBM

(but did he save the best beat for himself? hmmm...)

Naija: Strong follow-up from Burna Boy to "Like to Party": "Tonight".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciOwy1RDdeU

More Naija: LNC / "Ko Sere (Tribute to Fela)" - this tribute features Azonto piano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGrXINlsY6Q

niceness, Togo Bikini isn´t the cringey Jay-Z impression I thought it would be.

DJ Neptizzle Ultimate Afrobeats 2013 mix is out today too
http://djneptizzle.com/

I guess he's swallowing his pride, going full-frontal Azonto novelty on this one.

My two recent favorites:

Gemini feat. EL - I'll Do Don't Do
http://youtu.be/05z25pzywpI

Looney - Mempene
https://soundcloud.com/akwaabamusic/lonney-t-k-r-mempene

I'm waiting for this remix of "Antenna" with Sarkodie, R2Bees and Wande Coal:
http://www.ghanandwom.com/news/fuse-odgs-antenna-afrobeats-remix-to-feature-sarkodie-r2bees-and-wande-coal

Btw, there's a UKG remix of Antenna, by TS7.

i realize that "scapegoat" is 2 years old or w/e and is only getting attention now because of kanye but man what a dope song

Very interesting collaboration between Wizkid and Femi Kuti:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfN84WKrUxQ

Very different from Wizkid's usual sound, a much harder beat and Femi Kuti's sax is a wonderful addition.

Blimey, Fuse ODG "Antenna" is at #9 on UK iTunes today - would be great to continue the current fine run with an Azonto UK Number One.

!!!!!

It's been on the 1xtra playlist for ages but I didn't realise it had crossed over to R1 as well.

summer seems like the right time to dive back into this stuff. this Ice Prince is nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfgIGxF1NVQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5WxjV1PUXQ

wish there'd been more of this sort of x-over

http://soundcloud.com/atumpan/the-thing-todd-edwards-remix

HELLO

Is there a bit of a buzz around Atumpan at the moment? The original The Thing is great and he's playing in London soon.

Also Wizkid appears to now be signed to Tinie Tempah's label.

atumpan signed to ministry this year

i think moreso than scrambling for breakout hits labels are probably just cottoning onto the low but solidly reliable level of afro interest. all the big songs have a seemingly endless shelf life really, no one ever minds hearing them again

have a punt on a rerelease, get a few remixes on it, maybe a bob sinclair thing might happen, maybe just a bit of major lazer pleb money, see what happens

Atumpan's been played a lot on 1Xtra in the last week - so, yeah, there must be a buzz.

http://africaindc.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/waiting-for-p-square-we-dont-run-things-things-run-we/

Aww, I missed P-Square's 2 am to 3:30 a.m. D.C. gig

http://www.mtviggy.com/articles/ghanas-new-viral-dance-craze-is-alkayida-yep-meaning-al-qaeda/

I missed Nigeria's Timaya too last night. He's in Chicago at the Shrine tonight

http://africaindc.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/weekend-african-music-in-dc-1-419ed-at-the-timaya-show/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhk52GlkhVA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ILZLgPVkFI

Khona is just astonishing

While Nigerian corporations seem to be currently losing the battle to South African ones for retail domination of the continent, demographics are helping Nigeria win the battle on the entertainment front. In my experience, South African music (like Kwaito) has a very limited following in much of Africa and is not even that strong in the SADC (southern African) region, with Namibia being a notable exception.

Conversely, Nigerian pop stars are massive throughout west Africa and are quickly gaining ground across the continent. The same holds true for Nollywood movies. Accordingly, I was very interested to see this piece in a Zimbabwean state paper about an upcoming performance by D’banj, a Nigerian star with ties to Kanye West.

http://africaindc.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/the-spread-of-africa-in-africa-sa-vs-naija/

"Khona" is one of the best tracks of the year imo. I posted it on the Summer Jams thread in June, hoping for more traction than on this seemingly moribund Afrobeats one, but nothing much happened. Biggest hit out of South Africa this year, a smash across the continent.

"Jaiye Jaiye" was posted upthread (by ahem me too). I'm eagerly awaiting Wizkid's second album. He's probably overtaken D'banj as the biggest star of Naija music, with his deceptively simple but very addictive beats and melodies.

A small tribute:

Starboy feat. L.A.X. & Wizkid "Caro":
(Starboy is the name of his label)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF47kno4Dro

Maleek Berry feat. Wizkid & Phenom "New Bounce":
(Maleek Berry is the producer he signed to his label, their first collaboration "The Matter" was posted upthread)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPpuHY7Ejt4

and this early hit, still my favourite - "Don't Dull":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcJhrOStkl4

This one was posted over on the old thread, but definitely needs to be here: Nigeria's current #1, DaVido "Skelewu":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6zixMk7gnQ

Been loving this jam from Tiwa Savage's album, not a single, but it should be, "Ileke".

Tiwa Savage – Ileke (Spotify link)

Another Naija smash that belongs here, P-Square "Personally":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttdU19Kwce8

And finally a biggie from Ghana, Shatta Wale "Dancehall King":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYiCIyhq01o

here's that Spotify link for Tiwa Savage's "Ileke" again:

http://open.spotify.com/track/7AwIBOQeAE43sCMNgqC64j

"Khona" is great. Thanks

"skelewu" and "caro" are so amazing - can't get enough of the percussion in the former

the mad sax in "jaiye jaiye" >>>

is that tiwa savage album worth buying btw?

Skelewu is fantastic.

My other favourite doing the rounds rn: Lola Rae's Fi Mi Le. It only does one thing but it does it really well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3mXXKc6QXA

*Sarkodie, Ghanaian afrobeats rapper, is doing some US shows. Friday October 25th he's at a Howard U Homecoming Afterparty 9 pm to 3 am at Vita 9 Lounge DC, 1318 9th Street Northwest Washington, DC

street-team promotion

http://carmencham.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/alunguntugui-dont-be-shy/

x-post -Sarkodie missed his flight from Ohio, so DC show got postponed. Maybe it will be this Friday. Not sure

Sneakbo ft. L Marshall - Her Name
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQN_2TuK44Y&feature=c4-overview&list=UUzoRAhSu72f-FkidkvZj-mw

^ thats ILL BLU on producky