rolling Afropop / Afrobeats / Afrodance 2019

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.

Spanker is one of the biggest producers within the Dutch urban scene, which has basically taken over the Dutch music industry in the past five years or so. Afro vibes are a non-negligible part of this.

I should add: some of these producers are making waves internationally too (this does include working with/for Diplo/Major Lazer). I’ve mentioned it elsewhere, but one of last year’s biggest latin hits, “X” by Nicky Jam and J Balvin, was produced by Dutch producer duo Afro Bros.

dang I kind of wish you hadn't spelled out those Kizz lyrics. I had noticed some famous names but didn't get why he was saying them--in fact it sounds more like he's dissing them if you don't know what's going on...oh well, 2016 already feels like a special moment in naija pop that I have nostalgia for, so I guess I can add "that was when Kiss Daniel wasn't a dickhead" to the list of reasons why.

interesting stuff about the Dutch scene, thanks!

Also, on further listens I really really like "LoLo." It's so airy and sprightly, it reminds me of "Ghana Bounce"...just don't tell me what it's about lol

There is, fyi, also a "clean version" of Fvck You on Spotify. I can't make out what he's saying there either, but I'll stick to it.

xp

Sorry about that, rob! Realized I should have added a spoiler alert after I posted it lol.

in fact it sounds more like he's dissing them if you don't know what's going on

As promised, some current faves - with their Spotify links, as I’m in a YouTube-less part of the world.

First up, seven smooth tracks with trademark Naija sweetness:

A) Fireboy DML • Jealous (an absolute beauty, originally on the YBNL MaFia Family album - and plugged in Olamide’s “Woske” video posted upthread) Spotify link

B) Tee Y Mix ft. Teni • Bilo (it’s Teni, baby, need I say more? Oh yeah: duet with Wizkid upcoming) Spotify link

C) Skiibii ft. Reekado Banks • Sensima (posted last year, but still in the mix, this song won’t quit!) Spotify link

D) Oxlade • Shugar (bringing that sweetness!) Spotify link

E) Reekado Banks • Maria (exquisite, produced by Young John) Spotify link

F) Iyanya ft. Duncan Mighty • Halle Spotify link

(Iyanya “celebrated” this (very good) sort-of comeback single by coming clean about his partnership with label boss Ubi Franklin. It’s yet another story of complete dysfunctionality in the Naija music industry.

G) Rema • Dumebi (new signing on Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records) Spotify link

Two more:

H) DJ Prince ft. Olamide & Phyno • Piom Piom (highlife pop alert!) Spotify link

I) IBK Spaceshipboi ft. Always Good (?), Waje & Praiz • Because Of You (possible Alté alert! loving this vibe) Spotify link

Legwork and other street and/or dancefloor stuff, times four:

J) Reminisce • Oja (produced by Sarz) Spotify link

K) Lil Kesh ft. Fireboy • Le Le Yi (another track of the YBNL MaFia Family album; can’t check, but this sounds like a Sarz production as well) Spotify link

L) Qdot • Koshi Danu (follow-up to “Gbese”, it’s another good one) Spotify link

M) DJ Xclusive ft. Zlatan Ibile • Gbomo Gbomo (another Rexxie joint) Spotify link

All of course to be found on this Spotify playlist: ILM rolling Afropop / Afrobeats / Afrodance 2019

epic post, breastcrawl, wow. To quickly clarify: I by no means think it's all been downhill since 2016--last year was huge!--it was just packed with personal favorites (some actually from 2015...really the whole "good year/bad year" thing is a little silly).

oh my god "Jealousy" is sooo good, thank you

sorry "Jealousy"

pretty obsessed
lil frosh / small doctor "firi yahoo"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4VFJDVywak

^^^ You found my Exhibit N!

I’m becoming ever so slightly addicted to this slice of Angolan kizombo myself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL5z4_xFEBE

Yudi Fox • Baixinhas

By the way, did anyone catch Mr Eazi (& GuiltyBeatz) and/or Burna Boy (streaming) live at Coachella (on Friday and Saturday respectively)?

I guess not...

Two big East African smash hits from the House of Wasafi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teejx562wxg
Harmonize ft. Burna Boy & Diamond Platnumz • Kainama

(video features Burna in a bathtub)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6pCgzHMJY8
Rayvanny ft. Diamond Platnumz • Tetema

Video for Niniola’s “Designer”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib7YN4jK-oM

She also has a cute song with Mr. P:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe5KxFF4n8w

Mr. P ft. Niniola • One More Night

Designer is very good. Her and Sarz are such a great team.

New DJ Sumbody:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7kIa3OXsdU

DJ Sumbody ft. Kwesta, Thebe, Vettys & Vaal Nation • Ngwana Daddy

More from South Africa:

KayGee DaKing & Bizizi ft. Killa Kau • Kokota https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Qj7HwJCws

Boss track.

*Killer Kau

Wizkid getting grief on twitter from North American based fans for being a live appearance no-show a lot. Read elsewhere a guess that Wizkid’s band had visa issues, but it’s not clear why he missed 2 DC area gigs & Coachella (both weekends). The afternoon DC gig was a big rap/ r'n'b stadium fest w/ Childish Gambino & Lil Wayne where Wizkid was scheduled to be the sole Afrobeats act; the evening DC bill in a 5,000 seater was all afrobeats I think

I'm really digging that Yudi Fox track and pretty much all the "Introduçao" album

“Moça Louca” off that album is an all-time kizombo classic.

This is spectacularly delightful:

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

Manqonqo ft. DJ Tira & Airic • Ngibambe

Is this the first track to be informed by the “Inhliziyo Yami Ithi Hey“ beat?
And man, those synths!

Manqonqo - whose big hit “Eyadini” I momentarily forgot has a similar beat (must be all those current AmaPiano hits confusing me) - is also on this amazing track from the recent-ish (and very good) Dbn Nyts album, SeXtion 3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fbIF3eoL6g

Dbn Nyts ft. Manqonqo & Cueber • Bawele

G) Rema • Dumebi (new signing on Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records) Spotify link

― breastcrawl, Saturday, April 6, 2019 4:07 AM (one month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Hey this song is pretty sweet and seems to be blowing up a little? There's a cute video now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUU1bIWpH5c

thank you to all of you posting this stuff. i'm really having a great afternoon listening to all of it and going down youtube rabbit holes related to it, etc.

sincerely, thanks!!

Good to hear! What are some of your favourites, whether from this thread or from the rabbit holes you fell into?