rolling Afropop / Afrobeats / Afrodance 2019

Hadn’t heard of that. So, how do you rate their new tracks?

My bad I guess, I never even realized TNS was a producer. I thought his credit on “Banomoya” was for the male vocal part. (Of course, he’s got a credit on “Club Controller” as well, but I never made the connection.) Judging by their respective new tracks, TNS played a big part in creating that sound though.

I organized a small battle between two of my favourite tracks right now. It’s over here: Gqompetition time: two songs, two videos - QDOT vs SHADO M

Feel free to take a look and participate!

More Kaybee collaborators, with a fun jam:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb5RXKRZ-3Q

LaSoulMates ft. Oskido & Busiswa • iStory

catching up on some 2018 tracks. sho madjozi's huku is amazing

You might like the one right before your post as well then

In my search for context for the Shado M song posted above that I’m currently obsessed with (as discussed here) I came across this banger:

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

Setro Beats x Diloxclusiv • Makwenzeke

Is everyone aware that kruezer2 went ahead and started an Old School Afropop thread? It’s actually busier than this one right now, for shame lol!

I revisited Sho Madjozi’s debut album Limpopo Champions League, and damn, it’s good! (thanks for reminding me, |||||||||!)
It’s fun, sassy and colourful, just like Busiswa’s Highly Flavoured, but musically it’s much more of a grab bag. It has several gqom jams (like “Huku”), it has shangaan electro, a cool track with Kwesta, but also an EDM track, and an r&b love jam. And then there’s my two favourite tracks, which may or may not fall into the xibelani, xitsonga and xingondo genres she cites as influences.

Highlight #1: “Yaz’ Abelungu”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ascPO9HhkiY
(produced by She’s Drunk - their collaborative track “Amadoda” was recently posted on the Rolling Reconstructed Club Music thread)

Highlight #2: “Changanya” ft. Marioo & Aubrey Qwana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_wzdXg90Z4
(sung in Swahili - more on Marioo later)

It was released in December, ufo nominated it for the album poll. I’m pretty sure I will nominate it again for the 2019 EOY.

As good a time as any to post this gqom track and video by queer performance art duo FAKA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHCN8bynfF0
FAKA • Uyang’khumbula

(From 2017, but I only found out about it late last year, and then was reminded of it and them again through this: https://www.okayafrica.com/bigger-nzuza-faka-south-africa-music-interview/)

A helpful YouTuber translated the hook:

Do you remember me,
we used to sleep together on a sponge,
and on a different day we slept in a bush
My father beat us when we were eating each other (having sex) in the kitchen
from the morning until midday

Replacing some dead YouTube links:

DJ Yanga ft. MarazA & MJ Washington • Dancia Dancia

LaSoulMates ft. Oskido & Busiswa • iStory

Tanzanian Marioo (who’s on that Swahili Sho Madjozi track) is a relative newbie. He’s similar to Rayvanny, Harmonize and other post-Diamond Platnumz singers, but his jams are meatier, “Wauwe” being a case in point:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN1m37Y2ZFw

Also, the Arab elements in the instrumenation seem to be more pronounced (does that mean it’s “taarab”-influenced? maybe kruezer2 can help me out here?) “Manyaku” is a case in point:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIgmVc6sDaY

Through Marioo I also found out about Gigy Money, a husky-voiced rapper/singer who’s got some nice tracks:

Gigy Money • Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuWmarlfdxo
(there’s a remix with Marioo now too)

Gigy Money ft. Whozu & Sanja • Kiki Ni Gigy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skYyXRSxPgU

(not sure about that remix, I think both versions on Spotify are actually the same, but Marioo is credited on the most recent one only. he’s not in the vid though, that’s for sure)

Ghana update:

GuiltyBeatz ft. Mr Eazi & Kwesi Arthur • Pilolo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzfAuw_zu6s (the *actual* follow-up to “Akwaaba”)

A-Star • Balaya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSYi_JkTJmU (his “Kupe Dance” was one of last year’s biggest Afropop hits, although it was never posted here. I like this one better)

FOKN Bois ft. Medikal • Wo Nim Mi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsmM4PXMANk (FOKN Bois is the side project of rappers M3NSA and Wanlov the Kubolor. This is from their new album Afrobeats LOL)

a star track is so great

There’s a video for Zlatan x Burna’s “Killin’ Dem” (just as well, cause the link upthread went dead):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EfSs6-Pxx8

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

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)

Ha yeah Spottie, I agree!

xxp

Another Ghanian hit — Pappy Kojo ft. Joey B & Nshorna • Balance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyKqdS9l2uc

(it features legendary azonto producer Nsho(r)na a/k/a Krynkman a/k/a Amadaa, who only raps here and puts in a little shout-out to “Obuu Mo”, the 2011 E.L classic he produced)

High-level Naija collabos:

Patoranking ft. Davido • Confirm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR6anPLRv6g
(never realized their voices are that similar)

D’banj & 2Baba • Baecation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=h-XMvzgi0eE
(imagine how big this would have been ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-XMvzgi0eE

GuiltyBeatz at it again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32HG5UYPs1w
Ms Banks ft. Kida Kudz • Snack

(location: exactly halfway between the UK and West Africa)

(Note: this beat is guilty of resembling the one Samklef made for Wizzy’s “Don’t Dull” - this is not a crime)

Juls at it again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of8zdBPIWlI
Zlatan ft. Damibliz, Worlasi & Juls • Kokosa

(location: exactly halfway between Ghana and Nigeria)

R2Bees have a new album out (only their third in ten years!), called Site 15. I posted their collaboration with Burna Boy on the Burna thread. This is a new track with their buddy Wizkid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6j5Y3DuSvc

R2Bees ft. Wizkid • Straight From Mars

The new Olamide hit with Killertunes producing is... pretty good, I guess, but Young John has done this type of joint for Baddo more than once before:

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

Olamide • Woske

All of the above are fine and dandy, but this... is the fucking best!!! (or is it my current South African bias?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVP1HcXQhA

MFR Souls feat. TallArseTee • Bamb’ikhanda

Also: epic party video

(Their earlier track “Glory” is more conventional soulful house, but also very good)

So Babes Wodumo livestreamed Mampintsha beating her up on IG, and it’s pretty terrible. DJ Tira just released a statement supporting her wholeheartedly.

Re Mmino, the new Prince Kaybee album is out. With just six new tracks besides the three singles, it’s not overly generous. The new tracks are solid (with the exception of “AfroTech Thursday”, a real dud imo), but there’s nothing nearly as epic and groundbreaking (and just plain banging) as “Club Controller” or “Banomoya”. I think this is my favourite of the new tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8M2qEonOzE

Prince Kaybee ft. Holly Rey • Yes You Do

ANGOLAN AFRO-HOUSE/KUDURO SPECIAL:

Nerú Americano and Os Santiegos (remember “Sem Maldades”?) have teamed up again (as, yes, you could have almost guessed it, “O Team”) for a mini album of six slamming tracks. I love all the ass action in the official video for lead track “Sim”, but the military roleplay is too triggering (literally, and especially now) to post it without a warning, so here’s a TV performance of it instead:

O Team • Sim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXbkmravNg4


The “Sem Maldades” producer releases a track of his own:

DJ Vado Poster ft. Ed Sangria • Peso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TS0H65B3Aw

(oh, you enjoyed that TV performance? Here’s another one!)


From last year, also produced by DJ Vado Poster (some amazing dancing in this video):

Cadu Fashion & Mr Brazuca • Andamento: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSve4vp7AI


Two that are more informed by trap:

Preto Show ft. Teo No Beat • 150 BPM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tst_QFcQAq4

DJ Nelasta ft. Titica & Paulelson • Tonga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRkL28SzBOk


And finally, an oldie, from 2014:

Staff Paulo ft. Gaia Beat & DJ Ricardo Orange • Sapelemé: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEp9ktHV6Sg

Wed. March 27 - Mr. Eazi at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, Md near Washington DC. Maybe I will go

Great track from Ghana (Naija references notwithstanding):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kBC94pjDYg

RJZ & DarkoVibes ft. Magnom & Nana Benyin • Zanku

”This is not a music video... It’s all fun & games
now LETS ZANKU!!!”

I guess, and it’s also just one minute long. Here’s the full track.

Reminder: we can all help make ILM a less boring place by posting cool music and interesting content!

important public service announcement there!
Zanku is quite good.

X-post- Mr. Eazi dc area gig postponed till April 25

X-post- Mr. Eazi dc area gig postponed till April 25

Visa issues he said in a social media post

just head 'straight from mars' by r2bees & wizkid. so subtle and great.
thanks so much breastcrawl for all the amazing music you've been posting.

Happy to hear that, Nourry! Makes me feel less like some kind of Theresa May, stubbornly trying to push through something nobody is really interested in.

FYI: There’s a duet between Wizkid and Teni coming up that’s also super smooth and subtle from what I’ve heard of it (I don’t have access to the link right now).


The thing is though, I’m only scratching the surface. I wish others would share and discuss their favourites and discoveries here as well, so we would get a bigger picture, and it would become less of a I’m-Listening-To-This-Music-So-You-Don’t-Have-To kind of thing, but maybe that’s too much to ask of ILM in its current state.

I love ILM, but it’s lost a lot of its lustre with so many posters becoming less active or simply disappearing. (Did they migrate to greener pastures, and if so where might these be?).
Retro is the default mode more than ever before. It’s mainly old music that brings all the boys/girls to the threads, and while that’s fine in and of itself, I’d so much rather talk and read about the exciting music I’m listening to now (which does include new-to-me old school African pop tbh) than about music I found thrilling back in the day and only listen to occasionally these days.

Anyway, end of lament. There’s lots of great new stuff to post, but I’m in a YouTube-unfriendly part of the world right now. I might post some Spotify links instead soon, if it’s alright with you folks.

Your lost-lustre lament is exactly how I started to feel about ilm about two years ago (iirc). I think I've mostly stopped feeling bad about it, though sometimes the 180-degree disparity between the general drift of recent discourse and how the ilm I first discovered would have reacted is kind of stunning. I've been absent itt because I haven't been listening to much in this vein, but that's partially because there's been a slew of good to great albums/EPs out (Solange, DAWN, Koffee, Christian Scott, Comet Is Coming, etc).

Anyway, I really came to post this Eugy "Lolo" I just listened to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viLHv8IkcDM

I was enjoying this Kranium song Mind Blown which turns out to be the same (Young John) production as this:

Kizz Daniel, "Fvck You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGGu65glWpU

Both versions are pretty great imo

I’ve felt this way before too (pretty sure I’ve complained about it once or twice as well) and I actually quit posting for months on end two times because of the lack of feedback. I guess this time it’s the post-EOY blues in large part (you know, with everyone going “Wow, who knew this music was that fantastic. Guess I will start following the Afropop thread now!”, and then, as usual, nothing happens. Nabozo predicted it, I guess I should have seen it coming lol)

But back to the music: I really like the Eugy, hadn’t come around to playing it yet. Especially like that it’s produced by Spanker, further proof of the upsurge of Dutch urban music.

I have mixed feelings about “Fvck You”. ‘Good guy’ Kizz is showing his misogynistic side more and more, and I don’t like it. However: am I reading you right and did Young John produce a track for Kranium? That would be interesting. It’s not on Spotify, so I can’t check.

Oh I didn’t catch barely any of the lyrics on the Kizz, that’s a shame. The Kranium is called Mind Blown and it’s on Spotify in Canada anyway. It’s the same music as Fvck exactly, just different vocals

I did think it was odd that the dude who sang Mama was putting out a song called Fvck You, but I haven’t paid much attention to him since that album

Both versions are good but, yeah, no reason for Kizz Daniel of all people to go there, so I'll probably be playing the Kranium version way more. Is this a general tendency in recent Nigerian pop music or is it just a case of Kizz Daniel trying to rebrand himself as edgy?

I think it’s on Kizz, really. He’s been sexing up his image ever since “Sofa”, two years ago now. However, he could be setting a trend with the video for his recent smash “Madu”, which is very steamy for Nigerian standards. (it has some lyrical raunch as well).

(you’ll have to look up the video yourselves, all I can do is post the Spotify link.

It’s not nearly the best track on his album though, that would be the similarly titled “Maye”, even though that’s another golddigger-bashing song.

oh yeah I do remember "Sofa," I think I liked that one. Lol I forgot he called his album No Bad Songz. In defiance of that title, I didn't get very far into it the one time I tried to listen, but "Maye" bumps. ("Madu" is dull imo.)

But I relistened to "Fvck You" and I still can barely discern what he's singing about, so I think I'm okay with it--all praise to Young John most likely. Also, on the Kranium version he says he calls his dick "Jehovah Thickness", which is hilarious but I'm not sure his version is a lyrical safe haven :)

Especially like that it’s produced by Spanker, further proof of the upsurge of Dutch urban music.

btw, breastcrawl, could you expand on this? I don't know who Spanker is or what the Dutch connection is.

“Jehovah Thickness” is A+

“Fvck You” is about a girl he was seeing who turned out to be an ‘ashawo’ (=slut); the chorus is basically him listing all the colleagues (you might recognize some names) who fucked her apart from him. He feels betrayed, the poor thing.

It does look like Kranium paid a little work visit to Naija. He and Kizz are both on the track “Send Her Money” on the Olamide-supervised YBNL MaFia Family album that dropped late December, and Young John is affiliated with that label too, so it makes sense.