rolling Afropop / Afrobeats / Afrodance 2019

On that note, Zlatan’s “Zanku (LegWork)” now does have a fun official video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tupb4xV-15w

And, since the phrase “ijo ope” was mentioned in that piece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCA4fQNA2k

Rahman Jago ft Zlatan, Chinko Ekun & Junior Boy • Ijo Ope

(So many great bangers in this vein. It’s the continuation of shaku shaku that’s NOT taking its cues from gqom.)

Sometimes it's also the problem of the privileged class taking the traditional sphere as artistic subject, with the usual risk of caricature, projections, unwelcome commentary etc. I'm just talking in general here, I haven't followed the controversy.

I'm just reminded of the controversy around the film Inxeba (which I haven't seen; translated as The Wound, 2017), that deals with Xhosa rites of passage, homosexuality etc. It struck a nerve too.

I'm guessing the whole pop artist as cultural anti-hero thing never really caught on in Nigeria.

No “Popcaan”s, “Masicka”s or “Bounty Killer”s in Naija music, as far as I can tell, no.

Sometimes it's also the problem of the privileged class taking the traditional sphere as artistic subject, with the usual risk of caricature, projections, unwelcome commentary etc. I'm just talking in general here, I haven't followed the controversy.

Maybe I'm about to embarrass myself here, but I cannot figure out why you included Popcaan in that list.

Just that in dancehall (not just there obviously) the stage names of artists quite often refer to crime and violence.

I got that, I just wasn’t aware Popcaan refers to those things

Like does it mean something other than popcorn?

Oh dear... I just always assumed it was patois for (a) “pop gun”, so I guess you’re not the one embarrassing yourself here!

I did just now find this on Urban Dictionary (I know) though:

Popcaan is the Jamaican Patois spelling for the English word Popcorn. Popcaan means that you pop a corn caan, in other words Popcaan really means you pop or fire gunshots or bullets. A Caan is the Jamaican Patois word for corn, caan another word for bullet or shots.

“I use my brand new gun to popcaan or fire bullets when i am in danger.”

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Popcaan

So maybe we can split the difference (please)?

Ha that’s interesting! Popcorn is definitely a weird nickname so I could see that definition being true

Okay, people. So which songs have you been voting for this time around? I'll enter my ballot soon but thought I'd probe for some minimal consensus first.

I will probably compile my ballot at the very last minute (Friday night), like always.

Sure shots are “Soco”, “Fake Love”, “Akwaaba”, “Banomoya” (and “Club Controller” too, probably), “Logba Logba”, and either “Gbona” or “On The Low”, or maybe both.

No Ye?

I was asking myself that very same question. Still haven’t made my mind up about “Ye” - I think I prefer the other two, but...

(and thanks for reminding me of Ne-Yo. Queuing up “Miss Independent” now!)

"ubala" and "on the low" are definitely on my ballot as well as the sun-el musician, mlindo, and busiswa albums

Not the Simmy album? Will probably my number one.

it's definitely in contention but i'm not sure if it'll make my ballot, this year's been too good

I think I entered something like 8 African pop songs. I also left out Ye. Two each for Wizzie, Burna and Kaybee, one each for Nini and Teni. Also two danceall songs, including a late exchange of Juggernaut for Stay So. I was surprised that no one nominated Black Hypocrisy.

I should have nominated the whole Spice album/mixtape. Def one of the stronger releases of 2019.

I had Outside so high on my albums ballot, I decided to just vote for Gbona. Narrowing down the Wizkid noms was extremely hard--so much so that I voted for Fever, Fake Love, Kana, and Soco. Plus Macala, Drogba, and Akwaaba.

Narrowing down the Wizkid noms was extremely hard

...and “Commando”, “Master Groove”, “Lagos Vibes” (and “Immediately”, and, and...) weren’t even nominated.

(Also, I ultimately decided against nomming “Manya” again - I was the only voter for it last year. It was probably to fresh then (late-Nov release), and now it also misses the 2018 EOY. Shame really, because it’s the song that heralded Wizzy’s Golden Year)

Listening to ILX Listen: 2019
respect to your own playlist; will be adding music on here into the big ol' everything in the hopper one as well

Ghanian Hausa rapper Kiryani Ayat (f/k/a “AYAT”) is on a track-dropping spree right now. I looove “Memuna”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6ouZ2yh7wg

That’s just the audio - hope there will be a video for it, and that it will be as stunning as the one he did last year for “Guda”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMVa8BS_SrQ

Sorry, his name is Kirani Ayat, not Kiryani.

At once very 80s housey and very recognisably 2018-19 SA clubby, I love it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ge_zyYIn6U

Kwiish SA ft. C’Buda, Macfowlen & Vukani • Iskhathi

(This is the vocal mix, the instrumental ‘Main’ mix seems unexplicably to be more popular in South Africa)

A great song from a year ago I had completely forgotten about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zivT9GVayPc

Zirra ft. Koker • Agbada

The kind of track that doesn’t fit in current trends, even though Zirra’s singing style is unthinkable without Wizkid’s example. (Is that guitar riff a “Going Back To My Roots” sample?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4_xrzuPgDU
Danish remix (by Nandu) of a South Sudanese song (by Nyaruach) on the inevitable MIDH afro-house label. One day I'll just check all their catalogue.

Was just looking at the Shazam charts for Atlanta and fall by davido is currently at number 2?

Very interesting. More here:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/davido-fall-us-radio-shazam-780079/

Seems consistent with someone (here? I forgot) mentioning hearing Davido blaring from cars in New York all the time these days.

After a disappointing 2018, “Cette Année” things might be looking up for Serge Beynaud:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TObwKz8RjvM

(I am a bit shocked by the fact that he seems to have lost his dance crew though)

The new Vanessa Mdee is interesting in that it’s the first time Distruction Boyz venture across the border (apart from a Mr Eazi remix) and also the first time they’re doing a pop production:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI3SlwH_dXc

Vanessa Mdee ft. Distruction Boyz, DJ Tira & Prince Bulo • That’s For Me

Naija Dance Special, Vol. 1

“Change your style, another style”:

Things are moving really fast - DMW and Davido have traded in the FreshVDM sound for that brand new Rexxie + Zlatan thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBs9vrPS9oc

DMW feat. Davido & Zlatan • Bum Bum

I like Rexxie (and hey, there’s Zlatan again) better on stuff like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2jLq7aKxqk

Akintunde feat. Zlatan • Capable

I can see this sound burning out real fast with all the exposure it’s getting. Better enjoy it while it lasts!

The wonderful thing is that there are all kinds of crazy dance tunes coming out of Naija right now. Check this one with an almost Ghanian feel (compare it with Eddie Khae’s “Speak In Tongues” upthread, for instance).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h_B8liZdEQ

DJ Wizziano ft. BaseOne, Mr. Real & CeeBoi • Malokako

I love that skittery hi-hat or whatever it is, and what’s that brass thing doing there?

Those Rexxie tracks sound to me a lot like the circa 2012 "afrobeats" that kicked off ilm's interest in this stuff: Lapaz Toyota, Skelewu, etc. Things got so lush last summer, I'm not surprised if there's a swerve back toward these lower-fi, dancier sounds

61: Wizkid (Starboy) – “Soco” – 180 points – 6 votes – 1 first place vote in ILX 2018 top 77 tracks vote

Cause for celebration, for sure.

But still: Too fucking low!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMuFO9nhtfA

this is from last year but just discovered it and i love it, chill nigerian rap

Yeah, nice one, and alté at that!

(for searching purposes, that’s “Rapid Fire” by Santi ft. Shane Eagle & Amaarae)

I like this Ghanaian rap track, “Pawa” by Worlasi:

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

Naija Love & Blessings Special:

• Teni is going from strength to strength. Here she is helping out Boj on “Obe”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao5yjF_qZoQ

• Adekunle Gold and Simi celebrating their marriage on “Promise”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXZBrx_H-yA

• Simi solo, produced by Legendury Beatz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3dymeqbtOU

• Tekno low-key celebrating gender equality on “Woman”. It’s a good look for him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obadozWVeCo

ok I think that's the first Teni song I've really liked, was really wondering what I was missing with her

(btw, the title of the Simi is “Ayo”)

BREAKING NEWS:

The Sun-El Musician - Africa to the World thread has been repurposed. From now on, and with immediate effect, it will be known as THE HOUSE OF SUN-EL: Sun-El Musician, Simmy, Mlindo The Vocalist, and other related artists, I repeat: “THE HOUSE OF SUN-EL: Sun-El Musician, Simmy, Mlindo The Vocalist, and other related artists”. And if you don’t know, now you know.

Nice.

Interesting P Sherburne piece on "Township Funk": https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/the-strange-story-of-township-funk-the-unlikely-hit-that-helped-south-african-dance-music-go-global/.

I had no idea about Dissensus's role in its popularity, that is wild

This was playing in a sneakers shop here in Oslo today:

https://youtu.be/K3zRmjY6Vcg

It’s nothing special but I was delighted to hear the Spellz drop while I was trying on shoes.

Ha, did you get bored during the rollout too, longneck?

Narrator: longneck posted Bils ft. Kida Kudz & WavyTheCreator • DND

Lol, yeah. I’m afraid the best part of the poll is over now.

lol hence my reviving the soca thread yesterday

Okay, Lorch is mindblowingly great, almost on the level of Akulaleki. This is becoming like when DJ Mustard was in his prime.

Happy holidays everybody!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCZVL_8D048
Master KG ft. Nomcebo • Jerusalem

Don’t forget to nominate all your goodies (tracks + albums) for the EOY!

Nothing says Christmas like Angolan KudurAfro House. It’s the most wonderful sound in the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV2RAmMIfQA
Pink 2 Toques • Puxa a Calça

(check here if you’d like to see them pulling up their pants live)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV9yrBWRURI
Noite & Dia • Kapota

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18OXY3lBo-Y
Nerú Americano ft. Scró Q Cuia • Tic Taa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMl057tB1Iw
Scró Q Cuia ft. Os Moikanos • Oiii Mana (a/k/a “Ai Meu Deus”)

...and this one, have mercy on me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rraVVk7iDq4
Os Pilukas ft. ED-Sangria • Tá Tremer

(the last three of these are produced by the magnificent DJ Vado Pôster)

...or you could just watch this, which features most of the above:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxhqRR0R2vg

(between these and “Jerusalema” I think I’ve got the festive spirit covered)

(and it’s “Tá Treme”, apologies)

Still loving Rema “Dumebi “ . A track of the year

Otm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzzNAMU5eWY

recently discovered "this is love" by lady zamar and it's lovely and quickly becoming one of my favourites this year. gorgeous south african house

the album it's from, monarch, is very good too, just way too long at 20 tracks/90 minutes

Yeah, it’s definitely overly long, and without enough stand-outs imo. Fwiw, the other tracks I saved to my playlist at the time were “ICU”, “Delirium” and “Sharp Shooter”.

https://www.jonathanbogart.net/blog/100-songs-2019

He's got Afropop, caribbean sounds, Latinx reggaeton, US & UK and more

1. Seyi Shay ft. Runtown, “Gimme Love”; 2. Bad Bunny ft. Tainy, “Callaíta”; 3. Titica ft. Laton Cordeiro, “Giro Na Bicicleta”; 4. Lady Zamar, “This Is Love”;
5. Tomasa del Real, “Contigo”;

Anybody made Obama's YE list

Obama has Burna Boy "Anybody," Rema "Iron Man," and Angelique Kidjo " La Vida es un Carnaval" ( Rollo Tomasi remix)" and Jamaican vocalist Koffee "Toast" on his list

Go Obama lol!

As for Jonathan Bogart’s list, it’s a super interesting one. I don’t know two thirds of the songs, but it looks right up my alley. I recognise quite a lot in the way he describes his musical proclivities in the introduction as well.

However, **butthurt corner and full disclosure**, I soured on Bogart big time after the blurb he (of all people, as the only Afropop aficionado there at the time) wrote in the Singles Jukebox for my Reader’s Week entry for Tekno’s “Duro” back in 2015. I found it shockingly bad and pretty much disqualifying for a music critic.

This was his blurb: ”Jonathan Bogart: Blame it on me being an old straight white dude who has rarely been in the market for what young loverboy crooners are selling; blame it on my having heard way too much recent West African pop that sounds practically indistinguishable from this; blame it on the YouTube commenters bringing up Chris Brown again and again. [4]”

I thought it impolite to directly address it, being a guest on the site (and I was too fucking insecure anyway, I hadn’t even written a blurb for the song myself like I could have), and left it at a general comment.

Interestingly, in his introduction here he more or less repeats the same argument and expands on it (which is why I felt the need to write this), but now it’s framed in a positive, dare I say it, half-baked woke kind of way, which I can’t help but find a bit disingenious.

He does have a Tekno song in his list this time around though (as well as some other male cis het crooners!), I’ll give him that.

**end of butthurt section / axe grinded**

Anyway, diving headlong into the list as we speak - it really is a treat.

Here’s that number one on JB’s list:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ligX9PupI

Seyi Shay ft. Runtown • Gimme Love

(it’s a Sarz production; she currently has a remix out with Teyana Taylor instead of Runtown)

yeah bogart's list has been pretty interesting to go through - there's enough overlap with stuff i loved that didn't really get much attention from anywhere but with plenty of great tracks i hadn't heard too ("this is love" among them)

this mix still goes
https://soundcloud.com/djabrantee/sets/afrobeats-mix-vol-1

Thought the Tekno (Bogart’s #71) had been posted here, but no:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KErqMcZR0KA
Tekno • Skeletun

(lol at the idea of Tekno being some kind of left-field artist tho)

Also loving this Ugandan jam from that list. Let’s rock down to Swangz Avenue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROqYa4F1Dvs
Vinka • Kona (Oluyimba Lwomwaka)

For true heads only: In a bizarre plot twist, it’s none other than Inna doing her bit for Afropop!

(I’m hoping to start the 2020 thread this weekend, after the nominations are done and dusted)

I made a new thread.