Aware that I’m probably out of sync with a lot of people here, but here’s Tanzania, 100% sugar-free – THE SEQUEL:
This time I’ll be taking Dulla Makabila’s singeli lead, and post his “Dua”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4yKz3KObZI
Sholo Mwamba is no stranger to these threads; “Ghetto La Bibi” is fire:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4-vDH4nYBo
Love the (what sounds to me like) Arabic inflections in this guy’s singing. It might be my favourite of this bunch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-PWcsBRdag Meja Kunta • Mamu
Meja Kunta also has a big song out with Lava Lava (see above), “Wanga”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV1ra6fchW0
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 1 April 2020 20:17 (four years ago) link
A few more:
From 2018, “Umepenya” by Pam D ft. Msaga Sumu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QXccqFPGN0
Mzee wa Bwax (from the Sounds of Sisso album): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL0k-KzpQlEMzee wa Bwax ft. Tamimu • Sanamu la Michelini
He’s also got a Corona track out:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE2Vo_55TJU
(so do Rayvanny and Lava Lava)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 1 April 2020 20:18 (four years ago) link
Tulenkey is a keeper:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wyPn5JcS2UTulenkey ft. Kelvyn Boy, Medikal & Wes7ar22 • Ghetto Boy
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 2 April 2020 11:10 (four years ago) link
Coronavirus anthem from Kenya ft Nelmo Newsong, Leadha, Eleanor and Love-E Mgenge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_Wd-F8S3tw
― sean gramophone, Thursday, 2 April 2020 14:16 (four years ago) link
Mukuru All Stars • Stay Fresh (A fight with Corona)
(for future reference)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 2 April 2020 17:53 (four years ago) link
This is the stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NttxgDUYL3kC Natty • Ojah
(glorious technicolor production by Killertunes)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Sunday, 5 April 2020 20:24 (four years ago) link
I wish that had vocals from someone with more presence (he sounds a bit like a watered-down Wizkid to me), but damn that is a behemoth of a track
― rob, Tuesday, 7 April 2020 14:16 (four years ago) link
more Nigerian pop splendour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS61vkU6qLk
Joeboy • Call
(also, Joeboy is beautiful)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Friday, 10 April 2020 21:24 (four years ago) link
This is great:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsf3GSgy6EA
FKI 1$t ft. Victoria Kimani & Ferre Gola • Afreaka
(that's US (?), Kenya + DRC)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Friday, 10 April 2020 23:27 (four years ago) link
Still adding all posted tracks (plus relevant African stuff on other threads) to this Spotify playlist:ILM rolling✳️all-inclusive✳️afro 2020
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Friday, 10 April 2020 23:32 (four years ago) link
Professor Xavier Livermon has a new book out called : Kwaito Bodies: Remastering Space and Subjectivityin Post-Apartheid South Africa Duke University Press Durham and London 2020
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 12 April 2020 13:36 (four years ago) link
The Native on the new generation of afropop stars, with the focus heavily on Naija:https://thenativemag.com/music/afropop-on-the-rise-witnessing-new-line-vanguard(things I learned: Billie Eilish is a fan of Zlatan, and, on further investigation, an even bigger one of Tekno)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 14 April 2020 21:23 (four years ago) link
And Rihanna a fan of Rema “Dumebi was new to me also ( but less surprising)
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 15 April 2020 19:33 (four years ago) link
Mentioned in that Native piece: Oxlade, next in line after Rema, Fireboy and Joeboy. I actually posted his “Sugar” early last year in the same batch with “Dumebi” and “Jealous”, but his first EP is out now and doing very well, in both West and East Africa. “Away” is the hit, and boy, is he getting lucky:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9410qCyQuJ4
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 16 April 2020 21:14 (four years ago) link
More Nigerian sweetness, with some Ghanaian input:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-YDEyuDxWUCKay ft. Joeboy & Kuami Eugene • Love Nwantiti (Remix)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 20 April 2020 20:56 (four years ago) link
The NAI•GHA•PIANO COMPENDIUM:
Juls expands his Mandela Riddim to a Soweto Blues, but even Busiswa’s presence can’t quite win me over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXIoBUXvjZs(Juls ft. Busiswa & Jaz Karis • Soweto Blues)
Colleague GuiltyBeatz does a good job in the first two and a half minutes of “Uthando” (with Nonso Amadi) from his Different EP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdBl--fg7qA
DJ Tunez remixes another Naija tune into piano, after “Kelegbe Megbe” it’s Omawumi’s “Without You” - it's quite nice:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHRQlO9fd5E
Nigerian producer TMXO gives it a shot as well, the title gives it away: “’Yano Oworo”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJE0I0IvYGg
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 20 April 2020 21:13 (four years ago) link
These are all nice five-finger exercises, but here is where it gets really interesting: the new FreshDMV-produced Mayorkun single. When I listened to it the first few times it didn’t sink in, but correct me if I’m wrong: this is amapiano-informed as fuck without being actual amapiano. I think we have the new hybrid here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13IWRJ86weAMayorkun • Of Lagos
(and lol, no clues given in the title here, unlike most of the above!)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 20 April 2020 21:15 (four years ago) link
the new FreshDMVFreshVDM-produced Mayorkun single
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 20 April 2020 21:30 (four years ago) link
Ghana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEI0U55rM-IWorlasi • Skreentime
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 15:28 (four years ago) link
that is, as the kids say, "a bop"
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 17:55 (four years ago) link
was gonna say something about Worlasi, but turns around I already said it upthread:
Worlasi, who's all over "Dzo", is great by the way. His "Pawa" was one of my EOY tracks and he also dropped a very good album last year, Worla (The Man and the God), that maybe I should have nominated also.― breastcrawl, zondag 16 februari 2020 2:42 bookmarkflaglink
― breastcrawl, zondag 16 februari 2020 2:42 bookmarkflaglink
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 21:48 (four years ago) link
turns *out*
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 21:49 (four years ago) link
good to see Buju finally scoring a bona fide hit with the Burna-featuring remix of his "L'enu":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMpysHVdAe0
(great beat, great sound, good feature, and of course that wonderful velvety voice, but not enough development in the melody imho)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 21:56 (four years ago) link
New Simi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L8hLkg21MQSimi • Duduke
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 21:57 (four years ago) link
Speaking of Simi, here she is being playful with Ladipoe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8oW4R5p5ksLadipoe ft. Simi • Know You
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 22:03 (four years ago) link
I swear, these male/female duets are becoming quite a trend in Naija and Ghana. I think the Burna+1 jams (“Simmer”/“Gum Body”/“Be Honest”) and Eazi+Simi’s “Doyin” may have set the example here.
(NJ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oq9csrBccEOdunsi (The Engine) ft. Tems • Decided
(GH) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHrZSusNbqAEfya ft. Mugeez • Prizeless
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 22:16 (four years ago) link
Sort of related: the remix of Khalid's "Know Your Worth" that dropped just now features Davido and Tems.
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 22:25 (four years ago) link
Meanwhile, c’est le White Party chez Serge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3KyntSrywESerge Beynaud • Prends ton temps
...and who's down for some Angolan attitude and queer vibes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF5dGzxAJ0ETitica ft. Paulelson, Neide Sofia & Uami Ndongadas • Ta Domina
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 22:31 (four years ago) link
The extremely welcome return of Reniss:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q14g0hEzL5QReniss • Nyama Nyama
#cameroon
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Friday, 24 April 2020 16:28 (three years ago) link
Thanks for keeping the thread alive, breastcrawl. I'll get around to these. And yeah the Mayorkun amapiano connection is really... interesting.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 24 April 2020 20:43 (three years ago) link
In other news... the Wizkid & Akon song about climbing mountains is not good.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 24 April 2020 21:17 (three years ago) link
You're welcome, longneck. I'm trying, but wherever people are doing their self-isolating, it's definitely not on any of the Afro threads.
Two from South Africa:
Amapiano, Limpopo Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KihoTfZiG1EAiric ft. Nolly M • Gijima
TNS be TNS’ing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdVTp1LOiUUTNS ft. Luqua • iBhari
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 28 April 2020 21:36 (three years ago) link
Let's throw in two good corona songs:
Eddy Kenzo • 2020 (Tweni Tweni): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o-uZCq3AdA
Teni • Morning (not very specific, but it's my favourite from her The Quarantine Playlist EP with DJ Neptune): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAJAVoVO0V0
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 28 April 2020 21:40 (three years ago) link
why did I never hear this song before?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lRAgAM6Dak
Cina Soul • Adukwei (produced by NiiQuaye)
#ghana
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Saturday, 2 May 2020 00:54 (three years ago) link
It’s funny, just as I was wondering what had become of Reniss she came out with that wonderful song I posted the other week, and now she has a whole album out (titled Nzo), and it’s fantastic. What a delight (and proof that not only the Jessie Wares and Roisin Murphys of this world are looking to the 80s for inspiration). The video is for “Commando” instead of “Nyama Nyama”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMupMeJUKbQ
Interesting YT comment – it obviously refers to the makossa era, but I don’t know enough about Afropop history to really assess it:
Pure Cameroonian. This is how we sounded when dominated the African music industry.
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 4 May 2020 20:01 (three years ago) link
While I'm in a Cameroonian mood:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RahmyWFmTtY
Abz ft. Daphne • Ololiyo
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 4 May 2020 21:18 (three years ago) link
I'm spending some time checking out albums, and I'm curious to have recs.So far the most consistent I've found were Burna Boy (obv.), Fireboy DML, Adekunle Gold, Wizkid, Patoranking. I guess I can already add Yemi Alade.Also listened to Vanessa Mdee, Mayorkun, Stonebwoy, Santi, Niniola which had some good and bad.Lined up are Yung L, I guess Davido, Odunsi, Falz...
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 09:47 (three years ago) link
sounds like you're on the right track Nabozo. I don't know how far into the past you want to go, but I quite liked Kiss Daniel's album from a few years ago. Tiwa Savage, maybe? I don't think Maleek Berry ever put out a full-length, but all his EPs are good.
I've been checking out Terri this morning. He's a Wizkid signee and you might remember him from "Soco".
His newest single, Ojoro, is sweet Naija-reggae (prod. by Sarz) with a genuinely amusing video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmfOooKjxqU
Also really liked last year's "On Me":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Mt2HizW78
― dip to dup (rob), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 13:19 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlc8i9TKNN0
NSG - Porsche. These chaps love a spinning camera angle, which usually ends up making me feel a bit queasy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFLqy5aqfDA
Octavian - Poison ft. Take A Daytrip, Obongjayar, Santi. I think this is Octavian's first afro type tune
― paolo, Friday, 8 May 2020 10:04 (three years ago) link
Also an afropop first for Nigerian expat Obongjayar, I think.
“Porsche” is very good, I love those drunk-sounding tracks. Didn’t know two members of NSG were brothers of Jae5: https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/pkyeek/nsg-interview-kruddz-mojo-ogd-dope-abz-mxjib
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Saturday, 9 May 2020 09:58 (three years ago) link
Terri's “Ojoro” is a bop for sure. His Afro Series EP is good as well. He worked with some cool producers – besides Sarz and Killertunes there’s 3 tracks by IamBeatz (of Yemi’s “Mon Lo” and Burna’s “PH City Vibration” fame) and a track each by the wonderful Tuzi (who did Skiibii’s “Sensima” and Reekado’s “Rora”) and BlaiseBeatz (of Soft’s “Naughty”). He might be Wizkid’s truest disciple, for better or for worse.
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Saturday, 9 May 2020 10:01 (three years ago) link
Nabozo, you should definitely try Davido’s A Good Time, it’s a very strong album. As for Tiwa, I’d go with R.E.D. Here are some of my favourite/most played Naija albums by other artists from the past few years: Olamide: Lagos Nawa (a bit of an outlier in his oeuvre album-wise, it’s Young John jams galore, and I love it for that); Skales: Man Of The Year; Lady Donli: Enjoy Your Life; Mr Eazi: Life Is Eazi, Vol. 1 and Life Is Eazi, Vol. 2; Simi: Simisola; Flavour: Ijele – The Traveler; L.A.X: Rasaking.
As for Ghana:Singers: Bisa Kdei: Highlife Konnect; King Promise: As Promised; Ebony: Bonyfied.Producers: Kuvie: Gruvie; Juls: Leap Of Faith; you could try Magnom’s stuff as well.Rappers: Akan: Onipa Akoma (fantastic album imo), Worlasi has several good albums.
Bonus grooves: Serge Beynaud (Côte d’Ivoire): Accelerate; Reniss (Cameroon): Tendon – and her new one Nzo of course!; Eddy Kenzo (Uganda): Roots.
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Saturday, 9 May 2020 13:14 (three years ago) link
oh yeah those Mr Eazi albums would be on my list too
IamBeatz (of Yemi’s “Mon Lo” and Burna’s “PH City Vibration” fame)
I feel dumb I never put this together--it makes so much sense! Those are both amazing, have they done anything else you rate?
I'm doing some overdue catch-up, and I have to ask breastcrawl what does "These are all nice five-finger exercises" mean? I agree that most of the naija-piano doesn't *really* bring the feeling (and that that Mayorkun track is an intriguing exception)
― dip to dup (rob), Saturday, 9 May 2020 13:54 (three years ago) link
Lots of great stuff posted as always, but special thanks for Reniss, "Duduke," and "iBhari" + "Gijima." So happy to be living through this remarkable Golden Age for South African music; the amapiano & sun-el threads are pretty much "actually, I am tired of winning" at this point
Re: Cameroon, I just picked up this comp a few days ago: https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/pop-makossa-the-invasive-dance-beat-of-cameroon-1976-1984 I haven't had time to absorb it yet, but it was lots of fun on first blush
― dip to dup (rob), Saturday, 9 May 2020 14:21 (three years ago) link
I have to ask breastcrawl what does "These are all nice five-finger exercises" mean? I agree that most of the naija-piano doesn't *really* bring the feeling (and that that Mayorkun track is an intriguing exception)
lol, that's basically what I meant. It was the English translation I found for the common Dutch term “vingeroefening” – (*piano* terminology!) for trying your hand at something, trying to get the hang of it, but yeah, I don’t remember ever encountering it in English – in French it’s “exercice de doigté” apparently.
the amapiano & sun-el threads are pretty much "actually, I am tired of winning" at this point
Hope you’re including the Emcimbini thread in that – lots of great stuff in there as well!
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 May 2020 21:35 (three years ago) link
Anyway, I’m happy to proclaim NaijaPiano is officially a thing now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj873iCY4aQShizzi ft. Davido & Wale* • Won Le Ba
(*yeah, that Wale)
Davido rides this groove just as smoothly as he did “The (Uhuru) Sound” back in the day.And man, those early 90s R&B backing vocals that come out of nothing towards the end of Wale’s rap!
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 May 2020 21:36 (three years ago) link
By all means, let’s have more remixes of Afropop tracks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brRlkp9m2PYAlpha P • Paloma (DJ Tunez & D3AN Remix)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 May 2020 21:37 (three years ago) link
Really feeling this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PunmVUajwkgMugeez • Six In Da Morning
(Mugeez is half of R2Bees, for those who don’t know)
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 May 2020 21:45 (three years ago) link
And especially this one, from (the reunited) DRB Lasgidi's comeback album Pioneers.It's all about guest vocalist Tems' great hook and Adey's glorious beat and production:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kr1kILaWgo
DRB Lasgidi ft. Tems • Trouble
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 May 2020 21:53 (three years ago) link
Tems has a new song out herself too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfuupoRHh3ETems • These Days
And so does Lady Donli:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0xQmpUAWOoLady Donli ft. Darkovibes • Wonda Wonda
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 May 2020 22:13 (three years ago) link