rolling afro 2020

I posted "Ngongingo" last month. You could do a search before posting - and then even respond to the track if you like it! I prefer a thread with some feedback to one where people just post tracks and run, but perhaps that's just me.

You could also search this Spotify playlist which features more or less all Afro(/adjacent) stuff that's been posted on ILM this year (nearly 400 tracks so far):
rolling✳️all-inclusive✳️afro 2020 playlist

Anyway, "Ngongino" is a banger, and "Jeshi" is very nice as well. The more East African tracks the merrier.

Bella Alubo is mad underrated. She just released a new EP, the ironically titled Popstar. "Gbolahan" is the single, but "La La Land" is where it's at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DPa6WHDN-4

(also, "Gba Gbe (Motive)")

Ghana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oes1g4J93Ac
Bisa Kdei ft. Medikal • Netwerk

More Ghana - I love this rollicking track from Kuami "Rockstar" Eugene's new Son Of Africa album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA2DNDwDgkM
Kuami Eugene ft. Obaapa Christy • Wa Ye Wie

Remember Obaapa Christy?

from (Ghanaian) gospel to (Naija) slackness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTur2Ob4QKM
Mohbad ft. Naira Marley & Lil Kesh • Ponmo Sweet

too bad there's no (dance) video for this kuduro house banger:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YvyLcXbk1c
Mestre Dangui • Bengala

For the Omah Lay fans (do they call themselves Lay(wo)men or Laypersons? In-Lays? Or simply Layicists? #onethread): this is the big hit off Olamide’s Carpe Diem album (his first under his international deal with Empire, to which he signed along with protégé Fireboy DML):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCUfGghQfms
Olamide ft. Omah Lay • Infinity

Came across this on YouTube, old skool kwaito from Botswana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Egwb2eXDU
Eskimos ft. Names • Kwalata Tsa Katara

This is such a pretty song, it's been with me for months now and keeps creeping up on me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjayNIirdVw
Yusufkanbai • Do And Undo

live version

Small boy you don dey talk too much, FEM!

Davido’s ”Fem” has been adopted by the #EndSARS protesters:
https://thenativemag.com/music/davidos-fem-became-official-endsars-protest-anthem/

As I noted on the Wizkid thread, the Naija music industry has more or less come to a standstill because of the protests, but this track dropped a few weeks back, and it’s damn good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiGHwccZupE
Basketmouth ft. Show Dem Camp & Oxlade • Myself

This one is very good as well, looks I'll have to check out producer Duktor Sett:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsba-Tt7TYY
Basketmouth ft. Flavour & Phyno • Papa Benji

(btw Basketmouth is a famous comedian, I'm not sure what it is he's actually doing on these tracks, guess we'll have to wait for the videos)

DJs: where do you buy or download your tracks from? I used to find Google Play very reliable for stuff like this but it's been replaced by YouTube Music which is streaming only

someone mentioned 7digital the last time this was discussed

ooh I like "Infinity"...will have to check out the rest of Carpe Diem. And "Myself" is really fantastic, nice find

this, from the UK afro thread, deserves a lot more exposure. As Matt DC said, it’s brilliant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFgRsR5e20
Midas The Jagaban • Party With A Jagaban

Nyege Nyege Presents Durban Underground Sho''case
Musicians:
Phelimuncasi
Lafaristo
Bhejane

http://www.youtube.com/ybPumXb1aRM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybPumXb1aRM

(first link didn’t work for me)

party with a jagabang really us a jam. delivers on so many levels

is

joeboy - "lonely"

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

fucking w/ this one heavily

yeah, it's another sly and slinky one by Joeboy. that post-"Waves"/Robin Schulz forlorn guitar motive is being put to good use in afropop.

party with a jagabang really is a jam. delivers on so many levels

great to see these openly queer girls (there's also Darkoo, and there may be more that I'm not aware of) making a big splash in the UK afro scene.

and wow table, that gqom sho(w)case was fantastic, thanx for posting! it made me check out the Phelimuncasi album too, it kicks ass.

five of the album’s tracks are in that mix, but a lot of it is new, or at least un-shazamable.

that first track in the mix (it’s the album’s closer) slaps so hard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1cL2Jq2pRo
Phelimuncasi • Ungabom Themba Umunutu

also, that Lafaristo track at 35’ !!!!
this is a different track that features them (from 2018):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_XVw0VceAw
DJ Luvas ft. DJ Ndakx & Lafaristo • Kokhala Ugogo

More good gqom, involving the team that brought you the awe-inspiring "Iparty" (see somewhere upthread):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCSryblY97k
Rhass ft. Mshayi & Mr Thela • S'yophanda

Yeah, I thought it was pretty incredible, too! The Philemuncasi record really is sick af.

Loving this from Angola:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESodpYnn1II
2 Swagg ft. Nerú Americano · Faz Buxexa

title refers to boxing, looking forward to the dance/video

did I get the • wrong? oh dear...

omah lay is pretty cool to me, it feels pretty contemporary american R&B to me. like he could do a song w/ 6lack pretty easily or something. it doesn't blow me away but he is really popping right now.

― J0rdan S., vrijdag 24 juli 2020 23:57

Jordan S., tell me your secret!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCnkHJ0HbDQ

the original "Damn" has a proper video now btw:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEw6tQV98XE
Omah Lay • Damn

Checking out the Olamide album. Vocally it's pretty uneven, but producer P-Priime has a bright future. I love "Green Light":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kywkDPXJeC4

lol i don't remember that omah lay post at all but shoutout to me

This year we’ve been through crazy times. And through it all, we’ve all had to look inwards to find hopes of better times ahead. I found a few. In human and creative form. I’m so glad I can finally share them with you. I present ‘A Better Time’ out 13/11/20 00:00 !👶🏽🎤😈🦁💣 pic.twitter.com/GhQgAxgvBQ

— Davido (@davido) November 11, 2020

also, Tekno apparently releasing his debut (!) album in December, after seven years in the game.

here's the Davido track with The Baby-BasedGod:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xjE0cGsFHY
Davido ft. Lil Baby • So Crazy

loving the new Bad Boy Timz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pouseKLvf5E
Bad Boy Timz • Have Fun

in honour of Juls providing the highlight on Made In Lagos production-wise with “True Love” - this is his latest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POzxFe4B9E0
Juls ft. Twitch 4EVA & Quamina MP • Mmayewa

"Have Fun" is excellent, pretty excited about Timz!

New Davido sounding good. Just wish it had been 12 tracks and not 17 (bye, Nas).

Yeah, it's another very solid album. It has no less than three naijapiano tracks! "I Got A friend" with Mayorkun and Sho Majozi is one of 'em, but I like this one best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiwoG1CmJIU
Davido ft. CKay • La La

i like the davido record a lot. i don't think it's quite on the level of 'a good time' -- still one of my fav albums of the last 12 months -- but there's something very specific about his music, the production is so elastic sounding, like every instrument is strung w/ rubber bands, but also soft around the edges and wispy. it pairs well w/ the strong romantic thread that connects his songs, there's something very genuine about his music to me.

"la la" is indeed great. "very special" is just perfect to me... the middle stretch of the record really locks into a groove. the song w/ nas is wonderful imo

I’m really feeling “Mebe”, the track with Mugeez

highlight of Omah Lay’s new What Have We Done EP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Y3F2wXOxs
Omah Lay • Godly

...also, “Confession”...

I feel like I'm missing something with the Omah and the Davido. Maybe it's all too *chill* or something, I just find these tracks really boring, even if they're pretty?

I'm not sure how to respond to that table, since didn't you say recently that you don't like contemporary pop music? If you liked, for example, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid but not Omah Lay and Davido that could be interesting to figure out, but if you basically across the board don't like the sound or mood of afropop, then idk.

fwiw I wouldn't really go to the mat for Omah Lay, but this Davido song ("Aye"; 2014) is a beloved friend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ-_HIoEBE8

Does that do more for you? Btw, I haven't actually gotten to the new Davido album yet so maybe I would agree with you!

The Return of Blinky Bill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFPu9zNU5yA
Blinky Bill • Bado Mapema (Simama)

I love Omah Lay for his elegant and hypnotic instrumentations, captivating and sensual but also fun, and recognize him as true innovator in r&b - afrobeats crossover. The short song format is very welcome too.

Btw I have found a pre-Omah Lay in 1da Banton. His songs are not new but some have been rereleased as singles this year (African Woman). Had never head him before, he's very good.
African Woman: [url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UxDSEJUB4M]
Jowo: [url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMaBMQq9dhk]

thanx, Nabozo. last.fm tells me I’ve played very little 1da Banton over the years, even though he’s been around for a while, but these are indeed very nice.