Rolling Afrobeats / Afropop 2016

btw, I tried to make a Young John playlist in spotify - if you see anything that's missing but available in spotify, please let me know.

Good idea! I've been actually keeping one myself. It has a handful more tracks (or is that a country-specific issue?), hard to see which ones they are at the moment (I only have access to Spotify mobile right now). Guess I should have made it public earlier, would have saved you the trouble, but here it is now: eez the other YOUNG JOHN d wicked producer playlist.

A lot of them were greyed out but I found a few I'd missed, so thanks!

It does look like it's gonna be a Young John 2016 too!

A star-studded remix for the 2015 hit that never was (#20 on my tracks ballot):
Sexy Steel ft. Olamide & Tekno "Sisi (Remix)"
http://tooxclusive.com/downloadmp3/sexy-steel-sisi-remix-ft-tekno-olamide/

But really it's all about this one - that bubbly bass! DJ Kentalky ft. Lil Kesh "Blessings":
https://soundcloud.com/olaniyiericson/dj-kentalky-officialjfkblogspotcom-ft-lil-kesh-blessings

you guys hear davido apparently just signed some huge deal w/ sony

Yeah I saw that -hope something good will come out of it.

This - Dj Maphorisa's Soweto Baby, was posted in late 2015 but since it just now got an official release and is available in Spotify I'm posting it again in here so forks can include it in this year's playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaYJbNkIrNk

Guessing it will become a hit somewhere in Africa this year.

Even more Young John - who even got to be in the video for this: Stringz' Grace feat Buckwylla. Love those harmonies!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR1KMN4oRv0

damn this thread is awesome. i wasn't expecting afrobeats / afropop to soundtrack my snowstorm 2016

been listening to these two from the tail end of 2015 a lot

SPHEctacula and DJ Naves ft Professor - KOTW ANTHEM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28XsElSWQxE

L'vovo Derrango ft. Mampintsha - Next Better Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtVUhSz9wCY

feel like kwaito got heavier in December 2015, and it sounds damn great to me.

also - breastcrawl that DJ Kentalky track you posted upthread is sick

Yeah the KOTW Anthem was posted in the last thread but it's such a fantastic track I'm glad it made it into this one as well. "Ya-y dis-co liiiiiiiights!" is just about the only thing I understand in there, but honestly, it's more than enough.

E.L UPDATE:

My actual favourite on the ELOM album is this glitterball of a track with Efya: "On And On":

YouTube link
Spotify link

…and a big Woof! to the L'vovo!

'soweto bb' was on my year end list

4 x New Naija, pt. 1:

Skuki promised us a Young John joint, but okay, Masterkraft will do for now: "Zero Competition":
https://soundcloud.com/skukiofficial/skuki-zero-competition

4 x New Naija, pt. 2:

Understated party track by Kiss Daniel label mate Sugarboy, "Hola Hola":
https://soundcloud.com/gworldwideent/sugarboy-hola-hola

4 x New Naija, pt. 3:

Is Naija's no 1 female rapper finally blowing up? Eva (Alordiah) ft. Phyno & Reminisce "Kanayo"…

…& her dog (track starts at 1:38):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTyWwNDjZ3o

full track: https://soundcloud.com/eva-alordiah/kanayo-eva-alordiah-ft-phyno-x-reminisce

4 x New Naija, pt. 4:

2Baba (=2Face Idibia) ft. Phyno & Chief Obi "Coded Tinz":
https://soundcloud.com/hypertek-digital/2baba-coded-tinz-ft-phyno-x-chief-obi

3 x Francophonique, part 1:

New Reniss: "La Sauce".
https://soundcloud.com/new-bell-music/reniss-la-sauce-prod-by-le-monstre

3 x Francophonique, part 2:

Los Grumos "Baa W33". Are they French-Ghanian?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKs4fuXDPzc

3 x Francophonique, part 3:

From last year's thread, now an actual hit in La France: Franko's "Coller la petite".

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

This is where Naija soaks up the Ghanian alkayida beat and starts doing its own things with it:

Phyno "Ezege (Wickedest)", as produced by Del B:
https://soundcloud.com/dj_kbs/phyno-ezege-wickedest-prod-delb

and, holy fuck!,...

Yemi Alade "Koffi Anan", as produced by PhilKeyz:
https://soundcloud.com/dj_kbs/yemi-alade-koffi-anan-prod-phil-keyz

Yeah! Been having Koffi Anan on repeat all day!

Fucking loved this last yr, just got a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vSXgEQ-ou8

Pretty wild stuff:

Zoro ft. Flavour "Ogene" (produced by KezyKlef & Major Bangz):

https://soundcloud.com/freemedigital/zoro-ogene-ft-flavourv

Really wild stuff!

Serge Beynaud "Mawa Naya":

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

the full dance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0INE56HQewg

Yemi Alade's "Johnny" is truly a joy! I feel that with the right push it could be an international hit, it's got the video for it too.

― breastcrawl, vrijdag 4 april 2014 23:10 (2 months ago)

I guess Yemi got that idea too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op6te9u2IFU

Not sure if Google Translate-ing your lyrics and not having anyone checking your pronunciation (I mean, "fakon" for "façon"?) is the way to go though…

― breastcrawl, Saturday, 7 June 2014 20:10 (1 year ago)

She's just released a Swahili version of "Na Gode" with a video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_7fy-UiHfM

Found via http://www.chickabouttown.com/kenya-gets-hat-tip-in-swahili-version-of-yemi-alade-na-gode/ , after I'd been mildly obsessed with Franko's "Coller la Petite" (heard it a bunch in Xiaobei clubs last year but never twigged the title) and found Biche's translations/annotations on the Camfranglais lyrics helpful: http://www.chickabouttown.com/franko-coller-la-petite-lyrics-with-english-translation/ ... oh, and despite Yemi's debut being a bit of a disappointment, Mama Africa's a promising title ...

Didier Drogba!

http://www.jewanda-magazine.com/2015/10/video-coller-la-petite-meme-didier-drogba-et-mokobe-ny-resistent-pas/

Sugarboy's vid for "Hola Hola" just dropped. Loving this sly banger more every day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYyk98g7UKo

Brand new video for Qdot's "Ibere (Question)" as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qndheV038

some definite killer trax on here; i immediately gravitated to 'Koffi Anan' and 'Soweto Baby'

playlist updated, will check back in a month

Rolling Afrobeat & Afropop Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

merci beaucoup, forks!

been loving Soweto Baby as well, great song.

just heard this one yesterday from Tanzanian (via Uganda), very sweet song, I like it a lot already

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

omg "koffi anan"

as an aside, I feel like a lot of new Kwaito is referencing Mandoza over Oskido & TKZee and others, which is a nice if only slightly different direction for the genre, which come to think perhaps is causing the GQOM reaction, but I'm not in Durban and couldn't really say.

but this old Mandoza track feels more current than it would have last year...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqkVq3u4_fY

Yes, it's him again! Eez Young John d wicked producer: Dammy Krane ft. Olamide "Solo":

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

Yes!

Miscellaneous Naija offerings:

Fun track, lots of great sounds in the mix: Skiibii "Sampu"

Real banger, and again, this track just SOUNDS so good: Mella ft. P-Square "Ginger"

New Patoranking "Another Level"

Humblesmith ft. Davido "Osinachi (Remix)". I posted the original (with Phyno) last year. Thanks to this remix it has now blown up big time.

Girl power: DJ Lambo ft. Cynthia Morgan, Seyi Shay & Eva "The Motion"

Indulge me while I post some Ghanaian alkayida variations:

Sherry Rose ft. Liwin & Flint Stone "Tumbin Giiwa"

Kwabena Kwabena "Tuamudaa"

Dobble "Otan Hunu"

Strongman ft. Kesse "Mene Woaa"

Trigmatic ft. Stonebwoy "Gbedu"

I cheated, those last two aren't alkayida, but they're very Ghanian and very good nonetheless.

And you know, feel free to discuss. People seem to think this thread is too quiet for them to participate in it. Then again, don't discuss too much, it might scare off people from participating in it. (my takeaway from the Rolling threads Spotify playlists discussion elsewhere)

Turns out I've been seriously sleeping on Simi's "Open And Close":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hk0MDGH0J8

Just popping in to mention that Tiwa's album is finally on spotify and Tidal. I'm enjoying it.

She's just released a Swahili version of "Na Gode" with a video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_7fy-UiHfM

Found via http://www.chickabouttown.com/kenya-gets-hat-tip-in-swahili-version-of-yemi-alade-na-gode/ , after I'd been mildly obsessed with Franko's "Coller la Petite" (heard it a bunch in Xiaobei clubs last year but never twigged the title) and found Biche's translations/annotations on the Camfranglais lyrics helpful: http://www.chickabouttown.com/franko-coller-la-petite-lyrics-with-english-translation/ ... oh, and despite Yemi's debut being a bit of a disappointment, Mama Africa's a promising title ...

― etc, Sunday, January 31, 2016 7:30 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I was in the room when she shot this video... she's just the coolest fuckin person, extremely humble and down to earth. i was shooting a little minidoc on Afrobeats/Naijapop and got the chance to spend a little time with her. the way she relates with journos is A+ ... very professional and warm. im rooting for her

spent a lot of time with Ice Prince, curious if people here are still interested in checking for dude or not, i wasn't a huge fan of Trash Can but 'mutumina' hits. I shot a great show he put on with the rest of Choc Boys, Timaya, and Sarkodie in Jos, looking forward to putting together a cut

I always felt like Ice Prince was one of the least interesting rappers qua rappers. He does have a few nice songs though.

agreed his pure rapping is not very good, but he's had some strong songs. 'whiskey' and 'gimme dat' are jams, and obv oleku is what it is

Def feel like this deserved more love than it got

http://youtu.be/jPNy1zE99rA

http://www.thefader.com/2016/02/18/davido-cover-story-interview

Wow.

really does feel like 2016s primed for a serious crossover to happen

"Mutumina" is okay, but Ice Prince doesn't do much for me in general. I mean, "Oleku" was one of the first Naija songs I fell in love with, it's a classic, but what makes it special is Brymo's hook. "Gimmie Dat" is a jam, and so is last year's "Boss", but I liked that one for its Tekno-ness first and foremost.
Unkyoka, how do you like Yemi's "Koffi Anan"? Is there a video for it in the works?

I don't disagree with that.

it's funny that the two afropop artists really getting the western push - davido and wizkid - mostly spent 2016 failing to get long-awaited albums out

but something i've always said about genres or scenes is that their health can be measured in how good the b-tier artists are, not the auteurs and stars and a-listers.

I guess the main reason for them not getting albums out is their attempt to breach the western markets and not quite figuring out how. Your point still stands though. .

davido got a project out and it was bad

wizkid spent part of the year appearing on the year's most streamed record. i think they're just being strategic w/ rolling him out, not 'failing'.

Wizkid did try to crossover on his own, though. Remember this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-EUPC7SGaw

It went exactly nowhere.

The weird thing to me is that the crossover moments on Davido's EP, the Tinashe song and the ATL trap joint were the songs I liked the best on it. I had to overcome a bit of initial resistance with regards to the Tinashe joint but it's really pretty good. She overdoes it in the video though.

he released one records where he was a bit player along w/ two singers and a rapper, i don't think that qualifies as an effort to 'cross over.' that wasn't pushed to radio, it didn't get a video

labels monetize 'artist development' now, i'm sure that's all that's happening here

the Davido ep is fine, not bad

the Eva Alordiah album is excellent throughout, dare I say the best afrobeats album of the year that I heard?

Judging from what's been nominated so far we're in for a repeat of no afropop songs placing in the ilx poll because everyone likes different ones; here are mine I guess

1. Mazi Chukz ft. Maleek Berry - Dem Hail
2. Yemi Alade - Koffi Anan
3. Kiss Daniel - Mama
4. Krishane ft. Patoranking - Inconsiderate
5. Tekno - Pana
6. ShiiKane - Loke
7. Kwamz & Flava - Take Over
8. Eva Alordiah ft. Phyno & Reminisce - Kanayo
9. Babes Wodumo ft. Mampintsha - Wololo
10. Young John ft. Lil Kesh - Bend Down Select
11. Mella ft. P-Square - Ginger
12. Serge Beynaud - Remanbélé
13. AY ft. Diamond Platnumz - Zigo (Remix)
14. Stunnah Gee ft. Davido - Dengeme
15. Reniss - La Sauce

yeah, i don't know there was any one song to rally around this year, will probably vote Wololo higher than any other afropop. that said, maybe the Kiss Daniel album in the album poll? I will be voting that one really high, seemed well loved earlier.

kiss daniel is one of my favs this year for sure album wise

kontrol is prob my highest individual song

classixx - whatever I want (young john da wicked producer rmx)

this is so fuckin' good and accesses the actual good song i was certain was buried in the og

i luv "mama," "kontrol," "inconsiderate," "oh yay," sugarboy's "hola hola"

didn't really discuss Uhuru in this thread at all this year, they remained consistent in their appearances though

Jah Prayzah ft Uhuru - Tenge Doro Mdhara Vachauya ---This is a great song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbPpQmfWdmg

Mzee & Rafiki ft Uhuru - Domba ----this is pretty run of the mill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0OtFOI9AIQ

Vee Mampeezy ft Uhuru, DJ Buckz, Mapho ---not amazing but a nice tune, attempts a Y-tjukutja style break at the end, just not as great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir4oXnXl0Bg

also been listening to this non-uhuru song alot over the last week, pretty love song

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

discovered iray mvmt's soundcloud - seems like a good hub for a lot of the afrobeats stuff emerging in the uk

https://soundcloud.com/iraymvmt

also this ep from a year ago is great!

https://soundcloud.com/dj-pmontana/sets/p-montana-loves-afrobeats

"Mama", "Kofi Anan," & Tiwa Savage "If I Start to Talk" are 3 of my faves

http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life/the-review/from-wizkid-to-shiikane-the-gunpowder-mix-of-afrobeats-is-catching-fire

Nice Lex overview

Dope piece, lex! The Shiikane sisters are actually London based. I recently discovered that we have mutual friends.

Nice piece, Lex, a really good introduction/overview indeed. One tiny correction though: Although Tekno is a very able producer, he has never (so far) produced any of his own singles.  He has only produced songs for other artists (and then often guests on vocals as well) - think Victoria Kimani's "Show", Bracket's "Panya" and Rima's "Feeling You". "Pana" was in fact produced by Krizbeatz, "the Drummer Boy". 

On that note, and with high hopes for 2017:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7633323/rb-hip-hop-artists-to-watch-in-2017

(You need to scroll down quite a bit, but it's worth it.)

just seen this thread, glad you guys liked the piece. i haven't written much about afrobeats in general bc i think i'm so far from an authority but i had to really cram artists and tracks into that, and excise a lot of others, so i'm going to try to change this in 2017.

any reason tekno hasn't produced his own stuff?

Not sure why Tekno doesn't produce any of his own stuff. Not confident enough? Label policy (DJ Coublon and Selebobo are his labelmates)? Or is he just being smart by keeping things separate? It's rare enough for Nigerian singers to be producers as well to begin with, but Tekno's position seems pretty much unique. Now that he's made it into the big league and an album is in the works it will be interesting to see if there are any self-produced tracks on it.

Our favourite boy's most recent production job:

Stonebwoy ft. Tekno, "Last Station"
https://soundcloud.com/afro-songz/stonebwoy-last-station-ft-tekno

There's a new thread for 2017: rolling afropop / afrobeats 2017

Late but hopefully welcome: playlist for the thread for the year is finalized and closed.

ILM's Rolling Afrobeat & Afropop Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

It's always welcome, forks. Thanks for the good work!

http://media.giphy.com/media/gFwZfXIqD0eNW/giphy.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5rMfLJKwIE

Although many locals refer to all the new pop in Nigeria as “hip-hop”—even though much of it is not really hip-hop as we know it—the term the local industry folks prefer is “Naija pop.” “Afrobeats” is also used by some, but Ade judges it a term imposed from the outside—a kind of appropriation—and also far too general to have much meaning. Seun Kuti sees a different appropriation here, the adding of an “s” to his father’s genre coinage of the 1970s, and in that, Seun senses a certain “insecurity” among those producing and marketing the new music; he predicts the term Afrobeats will not last long.

http://www.afropop.org/34229/dispatch-from-nigeria-3/

With your permission, let me re-post this on the 2017 thread:
rolling afropop / afrobeats 2017