rolling afro 2020

This is the stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NttxgDUYL3k
C Natty • Ojah

(glorious technicolor production by Killertunes)

I wish that had vocals from someone with more presence (he sounds a bit like a watered-down Wizkid to me), but damn that is a behemoth of a track

more Nigerian pop splendour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS61vkU6qLk

Joeboy • Call

(also, Joeboy is beautiful)

This is great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsf3GSgy6EA

FKI 1$t ft. Victoria Kimani & Ferre Gola • Afreaka

(that's US (?), Kenya + DRC)

Still adding all posted tracks (plus relevant African stuff on other threads) to this Spotify playlist:

ILM rolling✳️all-inclusive✳️afro 2020

Professor Xavier Livermon has a new book out called : Kwaito Bodies: Remastering Space and Subjectivity
in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Duke University Press Durham and London 2020

The Native on the new generation of afropop stars, with the focus heavily on Naija:

https://thenativemag.com/music/afropop-on-the-rise-witnessing-new-line-vanguard

(things I learned: Billie Eilish is a fan of Zlatan, and, on further investigation, an even bigger one of Tekno)

And Rihanna a fan of Rema “Dumebi was new to me also ( but less surprising)

Mentioned in that Native piece: Oxlade, next in line after Rema, Fireboy and Joeboy. I actually posted his “Sugar” early last year in the same batch with “Dumebi” and “Jealous”, but his first EP is out now and doing very well, in both West and East Africa. “Away” is the hit, and boy, is he getting lucky:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9410qCyQuJ4

More Nigerian sweetness, with some Ghanaian input:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-YDEyuDxWU
CKay ft. Joeboy & Kuami Eugene • Love Nwantiti (Remix)

The NAI•GHA•PIANO COMPENDIUM:

Juls expands his Mandela Riddim to a Soweto Blues, but even Busiswa’s presence can’t quite win me over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXIoBUXvjZs
(Juls ft. Busiswa & Jaz Karis • Soweto Blues)

Colleague GuiltyBeatz does a good job in the first two and a half minutes of “Uthando” (with Nonso Amadi) from his Different EP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdBl--fg7qA

DJ Tunez remixes another Naija tune into piano, after “Kelegbe Megbe” it’s Omawumi’s “Without You” - it's quite nice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHRQlO9fd5E

Nigerian producer TMXO gives it a shot as well, the title gives it away: “’Yano Oworo”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJE0I0IvYGg

These are all nice five-finger exercises, but here is where it gets really interesting: the new FreshDMV-produced Mayorkun single. When I listened to it the first few times it didn’t sink in, but correct me if I’m wrong: this is amapiano-informed as fuck without being actual amapiano. I think we have the new hybrid here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13IWRJ86weA
Mayorkun • Of Lagos

(and lol, no clues given in the title here, unlike most of the above!)

the new FreshDMVFreshVDM-produced Mayorkun single

Ghana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEI0U55rM-I
Worlasi • Skreentime

that is, as the kids say, "a bop"

was gonna say something about Worlasi, but turns around I already said it upthread:

Worlasi, who's all over "Dzo", is great by the way. His "Pawa" was one of my EOY tracks and he also dropped a very good album last year, Worla (The Man and the God), that maybe I should have nominated also.

― breastcrawl, zondag 16 februari 2020 2:42 bookmarkflaglink

turns *out*

good to see Buju finally scoring a bona fide hit with the Burna-featuring remix of his "L'enu":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMpysHVdAe0

(great beat, great sound, good feature, and of course that wonderful velvety voice, but not enough development in the melody imho)

New Simi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L8hLkg21MQ
Simi • Duduke

Speaking of Simi, here she is being playful with Ladipoe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8oW4R5p5ks
Ladipoe ft. Simi • Know You

I swear, these male/female duets are becoming quite a trend in Naija and Ghana. I think the Burna+1 jams (“Simmer”/“Gum Body”/“Be Honest”) and Eazi+Simi’s “Doyin” may have set the example here.

(NJ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oq9csrBccE
Odunsi (The Engine) ft. Tems • Decided

(GH) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHrZSusNbqA
Efya ft. Mugeez • Prizeless

Sort of related: the remix of Khalid's "Know Your Worth" that dropped just now features Davido and Tems.

Meanwhile, c’est le White Party chez Serge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3KyntSrywE
Serge Beynaud • Prends ton temps

...and who's down for some Angolan attitude and queer vibes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF5dGzxAJ0E
Titica ft. Paulelson, Neide Sofia & Uami Ndongadas • Ta Domina

The extremely welcome return of Reniss:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q14g0hEzL5Q
Reniss • Nyama Nyama

#cameroon

Thanks for keeping the thread alive, breastcrawl. I'll get around to these. And yeah the Mayorkun amapiano connection is really... interesting.

In other news... the Wizkid & Akon song about climbing mountains is not good.

You're welcome, longneck. I'm trying, but wherever people are doing their self-isolating, it's definitely not on any of the Afro threads.

Two from South Africa:

Amapiano, Limpopo Style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KihoTfZiG1E
Airic ft. Nolly M • Gijima

TNS be TNS’ing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdVTp1LOiUU
TNS ft. Luqua • iBhari

Let's throw in two good corona songs:

Eddy Kenzo • 2020 (Tweni Tweni): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o-uZCq3AdA

Teni • Morning (not very specific, but it's my favourite from her The Quarantine Playlist EP with DJ Neptune): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAJAVoVO0V0

why did I never hear this song before?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lRAgAM6Dak

Cina Soul • Adukwei (produced by NiiQuaye)

#ghana

It’s funny, just as I was wondering what had become of Reniss she came out with that wonderful song I posted the other week, and now she has a whole album out (titled Nzo), and it’s fantastic. What a delight (and proof that not only the Jessie Wares and Roisin Murphys of this world are looking to the 80s for inspiration). The video is for “Commando” instead of “Nyama Nyama”:

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

Interesting YT comment – it obviously refers to the makossa era, but I don’t know enough about Afropop history to really assess it:

Pure Cameroonian. This is how we sounded when dominated the African music industry.

While I'm in a Cameroonian mood:

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

Abz ft. Daphne • Ololiyo

I'm spending some time checking out albums, and I'm curious to have recs.
So far the most consistent I've found were Burna Boy (obv.), Fireboy DML, Adekunle Gold, Wizkid, Patoranking. I guess I can already add Yemi Alade.
Also listened to Vanessa Mdee, Mayorkun, Stonebwoy, Santi, Niniola which had some good and bad.
Lined up are Yung L, I guess Davido, Odunsi, Falz...

sounds like you're on the right track Nabozo. I don't know how far into the past you want to go, but I quite liked Kiss Daniel's album from a few years ago. Tiwa Savage, maybe? I don't think Maleek Berry ever put out a full-length, but all his EPs are good.

I've been checking out Terri this morning. He's a Wizkid signee and you might remember him from "Soco".

His newest single, Ojoro, is sweet Naija-reggae (prod. by Sarz) with a genuinely amusing video:

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

Also really liked last year's "On Me":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Mt2HizW78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlc8i9TKNN0

NSG - Porsche. These chaps love a spinning camera angle, which usually ends up making me feel a bit queasy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFLqy5aqfDA

Octavian - Poison ft. Take A Daytrip, Obongjayar, Santi. I think this is Octavian's first afro type tune

Also an afropop first for Nigerian expat Obongjayar, I think.

“Porsche” is very good, I love those drunk-sounding tracks. Didn’t know two members of NSG were brothers of Jae5: https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/pkyeek/nsg-interview-kruddz-mojo-ogd-dope-abz-mxjib

Terri's “Ojoro” is a bop for sure. His Afro Series EP is good as well. He worked with some cool producers – besides Sarz and Killertunes there’s 3 tracks by IamBeatz (of Yemi’s “Mon Lo” and Burna’s “PH City Vibration” fame) and a track each by the wonderful Tuzi (who did Skiibii’s “Sensima” and Reekado’s “Rora”) and BlaiseBeatz (of Soft’s “Naughty”). He might be Wizkid’s truest disciple, for better or for worse.

Nabozo, you should definitely try Davido’s A Good Time, it’s a very strong album. As for Tiwa, I’d go with R.E.D.

Here are some of my favourite/most played Naija albums by other artists from the past few years:
Olamide: Lagos Nawa (a bit of an outlier in his oeuvre album-wise, it’s Young John jams galore, and I love it for that); Skales: Man Of The Year; Lady Donli: Enjoy Your Life; Mr Eazi: Life Is Eazi, Vol. 1 and Life Is Eazi, Vol. 2; Simi: Simisola; Flavour: Ijele – The Traveler; L.A.X: Rasaking.

As for Ghana:
Singers: Bisa Kdei: Highlife Konnect; King Promise: As Promised; Ebony: Bonyfied.
Producers: Kuvie: Gruvie; Juls: Leap Of Faith; you could try Magnom’s stuff as well.
Rappers: Akan: Onipa Akoma (fantastic album imo), Worlasi has several good albums.

Bonus grooves: Serge Beynaud (Côte d’Ivoire): Accelerate; Reniss (Cameroon): Tendon – and her new one Nzo of course!; Eddy Kenzo (Uganda): Roots.

oh yeah those Mr Eazi albums would be on my list too

IamBeatz (of Yemi’s “Mon Lo” and Burna’s “PH City Vibration” fame)

I feel dumb I never put this together--it makes so much sense! Those are both amazing, have they done anything else you rate?

I'm doing some overdue catch-up, and I have to ask breastcrawl what does "These are all nice five-finger exercises" mean? I agree that most of the naija-piano doesn't *really* bring the feeling (and that that Mayorkun track is an intriguing exception)

Lots of great stuff posted as always, but special thanks for Reniss, "Duduke," and "iBhari" + "Gijima." So happy to be living through this remarkable Golden Age for South African music; the amapiano & sun-el threads are pretty much "actually, I am tired of winning" at this point

Re: Cameroon, I just picked up this comp a few days ago: https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/pop-makossa-the-invasive-dance-beat-of-cameroon-1976-1984
I haven't had time to absorb it yet, but it was lots of fun on first blush

I have to ask breastcrawl what does "These are all nice five-finger exercises" mean? I agree that most of the naija-piano doesn't *really* bring the feeling (and that that Mayorkun track is an intriguing exception)

lol, that's basically what I meant. It was the English translation I found for the common Dutch term “vingeroefening” – (*piano* terminology!) for trying your hand at something, trying to get the hang of it, but yeah, I don’t remember ever encountering it in English – in French it’s “exercice de doigté” apparently.

the amapiano & sun-el threads are pretty much "actually, I am tired of winning" at this point

Hope you’re including the Emcimbini thread in that – lots of great stuff in there as well!

Anyway, I’m happy to proclaim NaijaPiano is officially a thing now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj873iCY4aQ
Shizzi ft. Davido & Wale* • Won Le Ba

(*yeah, that Wale)

Davido rides this groove just as smoothly as he did “The (Uhuru) Sound” back in the day.
And man, those early 90s R&B backing vocals that come out of nothing towards the end of Wale’s rap!

By all means, let’s have more remixes of Afropop tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brRlkp9m2PY
Alpha P • Paloma (DJ Tunez & D3AN Remix)

Really feeling this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PunmVUajwkg
Mugeez • Six In Da Morning

(Mugeez is half of R2Bees, for those who don’t know)

And especially this one, from (the reunited) DRB Lasgidi's comeback album Pioneers.
It's all about guest vocalist Tems' great hook and Adey's glorious beat and production:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kr1kILaWgo

DRB Lasgidi ft. Tems • Trouble

Tems has a new song out herself too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfuupoRHh3E
Tems • These Days

And so does Lady Donli:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0xQmpUAWOo
Lady Donli ft. Darkovibes • Wonda Wonda

Oh, and Reekado keeps bringing it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G12XzzLEF8
Reekado Banks ft. Parker Ighile • Options

Those are both amazing, have they done anything else you rate?

Fireboy DML’s “Vibration” was produced by him! T-Classic’s “Nobody Fine Pass You” is another one.

Billboard profile on Tiwa, Davido and Eazi:

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/9387009/tiwa-savage-davido-mr-eazi-billboard-cover-story-interview-2020

Tiwa quote:

I think labels still don’t quite understand how to sell Afrobeats. And they haven’t really put their machinery behind the genre yet. A lot of times when we drop a record, it’s put on playlists like [Spotify’s] African Heat. We already come with huge followings. I look forward to when we’ll be on the same playlists as Billie Eilish or Justin Bieber. Give us that kind of global campaign — treat Afrobeats like a pop record and not a tastemaker record or something that cool urban kids in the diaspora listen to. How often do you see an American artist get signed and he or she already has 5 million followers on their own? Even 1 million? And you don’t want to give them the same push as Bieber? If [African artists] even had 25% of that push, Davido and Eazi would be billionaires. That’s the vision I want for Afrobeats. They haven’t even begun to scratch the surface. But when they do, it’s going to explode.

RIP Mory Kanté. If there had been a Rolling Afropop thread in 1988, we would have been all over this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJNiMNUSrw8
Mory Kanté • Yéké yéké

(the first African song ever to top the Dutch charts!)