Rolling Afropop / Afrobeats 2021

Nigerian singer Lojay just dropped a fantastic EP with brilliant production by Sarz.

"Tonongo" is the first single/video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PohRx1zSIm4

...but the other four tracks might be even better: "Park O X3"! naijapiano jam "Monalisa"! "Panty!"!!! (especially "Panty!"!!!)

...and I posted the Wizkid-featuring title track "LV N ATTN" on the Made In Lagos thread.

...OK, I'm posting it here too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IEaUhIuCs

"Tonongo" is the first single/video:

This is so great! That bassline!

Rema keeps it coming:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrTkERuwdCc
Rema • Soundgasm

(seems like a shoe-in for the imminent album's title as well)

re the video: another way he's modelling himself after Wizkid is his dress sense, man's got serious drip

omgasms

Two new additions to my playlist from 2020. Couldn't find them on the previous thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov6mUj8HjkI
Dunnie - Overdose Remix feat. Oxlade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWrbnvXgzSQ
Oluwa Kuwait - Loke Loke feat. Teni (shame to shoot a low quality video in front of the twelve Apostles, Teni is on fire though)

KiDi has an album out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22rCt078QDw
KiDi feat. Kuami Eugene & Patoranking - Spiritual

Still feeling Bella Shmurda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0G03824rMc
Terri feat. Bella Shmurda & MohBad - Money

Minor but sweet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y44KfNt4Y0g
Savage & Buju ‐ Confident

A few more vibes from Omah Lay. Falls a bit in the category of Nigerian songs that lack conviction but are otherwise pleasant. Kinda floating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7N7ZJf1res
Omah Lay - Understand

Anyone know anything about Mudra D Viral? Can't find much except that he's Ugandan and has written hits for other people. I like this track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUjPv94LOWo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP_LpUoNx-I
Fireboy DML - Peru

This video just in for the season, a breezy Nigerian-South African duo dating back to Olakira's EP in May and that was maybe a little overlooked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjZ-SjMnx1g
Olakira feat. Moonchild Sanelly - Summer Time

People here are bound to like this lovely romantic joint. And what's not to love, it's been growing on me too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIcsU494u8M
Adekunle Gold & Lucky Daye - Sinner

I like the almost Joe Hisaishi style instrumentation on 'Sinner' - the intro bars reel me in, but sadly the song itself doesn't grab me.

^ha Hisaishi is really otm (as is the rest of your assessment)

Lady Donli's previous project didn't quite grab me, but I'm liking her new EP WILD

lead single "Searching":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU22CmI_LYc

The Tems EP is amazing. I'm so in love with Vibe Out atm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_-n_RHDyuA

Cheers for this. I feel a bit out the loop when it comes to afrobeats/african music in general (actually ne wmusic in general) at the moment.

The Lojay & Sarz ep is giving me 2019 Rema feels. Panty in particular stays on repeat.

CKay's "love nwantiti" charted this week at #23 in Australia, I presume for TikTok-related reasons

Celebrating achievements, light strings and trap music for Burna Boy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0FE2Hjn30E
Burna Boy - Want it all feat. Polo G

Chuq - knack am ft kelvyn boy & Teflon Flexx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3a1Srhj26Y

Heard on Instagram, heh. TMI?

the new juls album is pretty incredible front to back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Flxj-hVmc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y62zJCwFfqY

Any idea of the ID for this song plz?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-o2Y1lpsJ4

I was going to say some gqom song but all the songs are listed viborg :)
Omunye is sort of the peak hit for these guys (Distruction Boyz). Dlala Thukzin is the slim Dlala. This year he did Phuze.
Since we haven't posted the full version of the remix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpqgLgZvCmA
Dlala Thukzin - Phuze Remix Featuring Zaba , Sir Trill , Mpura Mpura & Rascoe Kaos

A friend named her child Naledi. I love that name (means star in Pedi).

That is a beautiful name.

But thank you, that was stupid of me. I listened to it live and failed to check the description afterwards. It wouldn’t be a normal week for me on ILM unless I posted something really dumb. (Also realized after posting it might be more suited to the S.A. thread sorry.)

That remix is strong stuff for sure!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIqbvsSXyWU
Timaya - Cold Outside feat. Buju

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pqX9MDgPQ
Wande Coal - Come my way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcR0PWGfUhs
Ayra Starr - Bloody Samaritan

thank you nabozo!

Bloody Samaritan is one of the songs of the year

otm

Sweet naijapiano, another twist on the sound, wonder if it leads anywhere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bovm6-15Ooo
Reekado Banks - Ozumba Mbadiwe

Not that it has to

Wow, check out this cover of Bloody Samaritan. Shame it's not longer:

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

that's great. "bloody samaritan" is def a soty candidate

yah

Not seeing anything discussed here in any critics ballots/ lists that have started coming out

It's been a pretty weak year for afrobeats to be honest, petering out from the fireworks from the two last years with Wizkid and Burna Boy as giants, the South African connection, first-class newcomers (Fireboy, Rema, Omah Lay). It just seemed there were more releases. Also breastcrawl has gone missing. The fact that Love Nwantiti is the biggest hit this year and spawned 8 remixes is a little worrying for the competition.

I'd agree, with a bunch of caveats about my subjectivity: I'm def paying less attention than in past years and haven't warmed to many of those newcomers the way I did the previous cohort. Plus I more or less burned out on amapiano by the middle of the year, so naija turning to that sound doesn't exactly thrill me. But I do think there's been something a bit bland & empty about most of the afrobeats I heard this year; not necessarily bad, just forgettable & a little too vibey for its own good.

Sort of the exception that proves the rule(?): Tems' EP is one of the highlights of the year imo...all 18 minutes of it.

This mixtape from DJ ICHE of Kenyan club/drill/kuduro styles is pretty sick.
https://hakunakulala.bandcamp.com/album/nai-yetu-mixtape

Tema EP is my AOTY.
I also love the Lojay EP and have played the new Wizkid tunes a lot. Rema’s output has been scarce but strong. And amapiano has had a GREAT year.
.

Rema lol

Sorry, meant TEMS lol

i liked the joeboy and laycon albums a lot

some great songs too, like bankulli’s “foreign,” “bloody samaritan,” that amaarae collab from the tiwa ep, and yeah, “replay” and “found” from the tems ep

That Lojay EP is good yeah. voodoo, I'm not sure I've ever heard Laycon, any track recs?

a lowkey fave: Okyeame Kwame & Kuami Eugene's "Yeeko" posted somewhere waaay upthread

I heard Amaarae blasting out of someone's car in Montreal the other day, which made me very happy

“wagwan” is the laycon track I usually turn to

Digging Niniola's new EP, "Lagos to Jozi", particularly the first track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4JJCbNl5js

“wagwan” is the laycon track I usually turn to

― grove street (party) direction (voodoo chili), Friday, December 3, 2021 9:11 PM (three days ago)

uh this is dope, thanking you

i think i got that rec from dog latin, so thanks go to him!

alright that almost makes up for him trying to kill my alabaster deplume thread ;)

Naira Marley has had a great year - while Coming is still my favorite, First Time In America is pretty undeniable too. It now has a video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fX2Tw7sPC8

"wagwan" rules, thanks

I love that whole Laycon mini album from earlier in the year. Some real gems on it