rolling afropop 2022

did I say it wasn’t?

that Lojay song is great and the Canadiana in the lyrics/video is p funny, interesting that Canada has become such a diasporic/emigrant signifier (Skeng put out a "Canada" this year too, though it's not great)

I'm kinda bored by both those Magicsticks songs—not sure if he needs Asake to make it work, or if I'm tiring of this sound

did someone say they wanted faster stuff?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd0aor9XcVM
Oyoki Onanayo • Maman Bololo

(cheating of course, as this is Ivorian)

sounds like a hit - and not unlike “eMcimbini”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqus4a-mxII
Rotimi ft. Nektunez • Make You Say

timely, because yes, they did bring back the love today! - also quite subdued for a football anthem, and all the more appealing for it frankly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_zg693gBw4
G.F.A. ft. King Promise • Black Stars (Bring Back The Love)

Ivorian faster-stuff provider Oyoki Onanayo coming thru again, this time with old thread friend Serge Beynaud:

"Mata Pkohou": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEgNZhdl_jM

absolute scenes at the local market: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT3YFHLL1kE

Loving the Ivorian stuff. My thing totally

Have any of you listened to the Hagan album Textures? I checked it out after seeing this Resident Advisor review: https://ra.co/reviews/35161.

I'm not sure how to describe it as it's quite eclectic. There are some familiar guest vocalists on it (Bryte, Aymos), but my favorite track is "Royal Jama":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf9BAxsRaRQ

Lots of other beautiful stuff on there too, plus the one with Bryte gets pretty frenetic

Love how that “royal hama” track sounds will check the rest. Didn’t expect it to be instrumental, there is a potential hit in the making with that one with a guest vocalist.

That one isn't really representative, but then no single track is.

"My Love" has vocals and shows the more UK dance side of things:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcqJzi6Qkb4

"Sise Ntweni" w/ Aymos, naturally, is SA house:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HuZ6ZB8PJQ

That range might strike some people as unfocused, but the whole things *sounds* amazing and ultimately cohesive

btw: https://hagan.bandcamp.com/album/textures

really enjoying this album, the name Hagan didn’t ring a bell, but then I did remember that Aymos track from earlier this year. great *textures* indeed, love what he’s doing with gqom as well.
don’t love the two UK r&b tracks tho, both of these singers are not good, wish these had been left off.
all in all a very nice December surprise, rob!

my pleasure! and agreed on the gqom track, that's a standout

I do like those two rnb tracks (well, the one about praying kind of grates on me lyrically), but I doubt I would have listened to an entire album that sounded like that

Ghana are in desperate need of help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cH8NP0lo_o
Kweku Flick ft. Smallgod • Blackstars (World Cup Anthem)

speaking of December surprises: Kwesta and Kabza De Small made a kwaito album for the piano era. it’s called Speak N Vrostaan and it slams.
it’s 2022, so there’s log drums and other traces of piano, which helps create a fresh, updated version of an old-school vibe. guests include veterans like Professor and Sizwe Alakine (f/k/a Reason) and young piano rappers like Young Stunna and Toss - and Kabza raps as well, under his alias Papta Mancane.

“Mrholo Wayizolo” (ft. Masterpiece YVK & Papta Mancane): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMnLCFoFt-0

…and there’s a Nigerian December surprise as well: a Mavins album, celebrating ten years of Don Jazzy’s label (but with music by the current roster only).
highlights (besides the hits “Overloading (Overdose)” and “Won Da Mo”) are the two new tracks with Rema in the starring role: “Alle” and especially “Amina”, which also features Ayra Starr, Bayanni, Crayon & DJ Big N: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmhNup0IQ_0

Oh wow, I hadn't realized it was Kabza rapping on that one (there was an earlier music video called yvk-K’shubile).

Very intrigued by the Textures, fantastic soundscape, completely new on Sise Ntweni !! Sounds like the future more than the past to be honest. Chopped, still intricate but more direct-hitting brand of amapiano-House, I'm ready and I want more.

Oh it's a British DJ. I hope the South Africans are paying attention. So fresh and playful.

long post alert!

used Sunday’s Senegal match in the World Cup to treat myself to some current Senegalese sounds (a deep dive, if you will. it’s such a lovely term, isn’t it?) had never realised before how much of a blind spot the Senegal scene was for me, although sure, I’ve listened to my share of Youssou N’Dour and there was that 2003 Dakar dem Dikk rap compilation.
my francophone Africa listening, which has always been spotty to begin with, has been mainly limited to artists from Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, DRC and Mali.

and duh, the Senegalese sounds turn out to be quite different (although there’s some kora-related overlap with neighboring Mali), as well as extremely rewarding.
those drum patterns the Senegalese supporters kept serving up non-stop from the stands during their team’s matches? there’s hardly a song without them - ballads are no exception, as you will see.
sadly, the Lions of Teranga were eliminated, but I made a line up of favourites just the same (all from this year or, in some cases, from 2021):

Your starting Eleven:

1️⃣Mia Guissé • Idda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x76ayjZpht0
percussive prettiness, as promised. this is #1 on Senegal’s YouTube top 20 - most of the top 10 are songs by female singers btw.

2️⃣One Lyrical & Leyna • Lune de miel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1QEi6RitCw
the only track here that feels (Naija) afropop-adjacent
3️⃣One Lyrical & Leyna ft. Bass Thioung • Dozéko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZGhhkygAmA
this one has drill bass!
(more on this duo below)

two from the above-featured Bass Thioung. first one is a recent World Cup tie-in, the second one is from last year:
4️⃣Bass Thioung • Na Flash Yi Takk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxN2QkdFZM
5️⃣Bass Thioung • Je m’en fous de ça: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSm-85A3fI4

their video game is very tight too:
6️⃣Samba Peuzzi • Mbaraj: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CekaUtYLggg
7️⃣Samba Peuzzi • Lou Yakou Yawa (2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYBWX4vtql0

c’est vraiment trop lit 🔥:
8️⃣Bilou XIV ft. Zo Flame • Fatal ma fofou: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKPE9ahsN8I
9️⃣Bilou XIV • Touche du bois (2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkm8FXY53PM

loving the lushness:
🔟Fantastic Beatz ft. Matadi • eMaturr: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1TcK2zmOns

ending with a mid-tempo ballad from last year, produced by that same Fantastic Beatz:
1️⃣1️⃣Narah Diouf • Peundeul:

on the bench: OMG Oumy Gueye, who comes across as a kind of local Rihanna, lots of dramatic ballads, but also rapper’s attitude and catchy jams.

note: One Lyrical & Leyna (see 2️⃣ and 3️⃣) are a newly-wed celebrity couple, he a rapper, she a model. sounds corny as hell, but their Lune de miel (yes, it means ‘Honeymoon’) album is a pure delight. I might actually nominate it for the EOY poll.

1️⃣1️⃣Narah Diouf • Peundeul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKcrjleCEOY

and here’s your supersub!

El Maestro le Kangham ft. Satou Niang • Moulay Thieuguine Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Sb4UJqKhI

wow, this stuff is so nice!!! senegal!!

yeah super interesting, bc, thanks!

Yes, I like the supersub, El Maestro x Satou Niang, and have to still dig into more. Love how that Senegalese mbalax drumming style is there but it is melded with some afrobeats & r'n'b tinted melodies

I’d rather senegal than camila cabell’:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWKyDIU8L2w
Oxlade ft. Camila Cabello • Ku Lo Sa

I know what the point of these remixes is, but they are so fucking pointless

(and to make matters worse, this is definitely a different vocal take by Oxy)

something’s in the air…

My favorite Senegalese song of 2022 is Bilou XIV & Zo Flame’s “Fatal”. Modern mbalax songs have digital production that reduces the sabar drumming into these familiar, gestural rhythmic/melodic arcs—this doubles down on that in the form of a minimalist rap song. Phenomenal. pic.twitter.com/tIkT4H1eJO

— Joshua Minsoo Kim (@misterminsoo) December 9, 2022

yeah that one and Dozeko stood out the most to me from your rundown

I really like this minimalist banger from Zo Flame:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv5Z9dkHqco

"On a pas les moyens"

nice one! (and his DLS EP is also good)

Kelvyn Boy finally follows up “Down Flat”, my Ghanaian song of the year, and it’s another treat.

star of the show this time are the guitars, both the busy rhythm one in the background and the one that’s doing all those whoops and other flourishes more upfront (if it’s even a guitar!) - the background vocals and harmonies get a honorable mention.

suspect we have producer DJ Breezy to thank for that. that makes ten years of reinventing himself now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cIXsfzjZpg

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BerqreQ3KU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4kamcepV3g

posted these in the internet stuff/hyperpop thread but they can go here too because they vaguely fit and jim legxacy is just that good

yeah some of those are really dope... feel like he could get even better if the songwriting improves but the style is intriguing. i think i like the candy rain one the most

Really loving the Kwesta and Kabza album. N'gud vibes!

Candy rain melody too obvious for me to love but the dj song is good I think, albeit quirky conceptually for the states

Bad news in London; there was a crowd crush at an Asake show: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/16/four-people-in-critical-condition-after-crush-at-o2-academy-brixton

that looks absolutely horrible… :-(

yeah that’s horrible. have been enjoying the asake album and had been thinking of going as it’s just down the road.

💔 pic.twitter.com/ne110ugRFb

— ASAKE (@asakemusik) December 17, 2022

The Uproxx poll of “hundreds of critics “ ( mostly US American I think) didn’t have much afropop afrobeats that I could see

Beyoncé won albums poll. 26 voted for Rosalia album, 3 votes for Burna Boy album, 2 votes for Rauw Alejandro album, 3 votes for Asake album

Burna Boy “Last Last” did make singles/tracks list

ok thanks

enjoying this list: https://www.passionweiss.com/2022/12/27/best-afro-jams-2022/

favourite discoveries so far are cabo snoop - "controlla" and yemi alade - "baddie"

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oPkeBJA5NU

Oh I had lost touch with Yemi Alade who was great live when I saw her a few years ago. Thanks

https://afropop.org/articles/2022-afropop-best-of-amapiano-and-afrobeats-top-10

These afropop. org lists are kinda randomly chosen it appears , but y'all might still find them of interest

― curmudgeon, Monday, January 2, 2023 5:13 PM (0 seconds ago) bookmarkflaglink

the rs list posted on the eoy thread looks promising
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-afropop-songs-of-2022-1234650065/

an interesting development: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/vigro-deep-my-house-my-rules/

Sunday New York Times newspaper has their Johannesburg bureau chief listing Art and music he likes . He mentioned Bakwa Lah video and his love of amapiano