rolling afropop / afrobeats 2017

This was just posted by curmudgeon on the 2016 thread:

Although many locals refer to all the new pop in Nigeria as “hip-hop”—even though much of it is not really hip-hop as we know it—the term the local industry folks prefer is “Naija pop.” “Afrobeats” is also used by some, but Ade judges it a term imposed from the outside—a kind of appropriation—and also far too general to have much meaning. Seun Kuti sees a different appropriation here, the adding of an “s” to his father’s genre coinage of the 1970s, and in that, Seun senses a certain “insecurity” among those producing and marketing the new music; he predicts the term Afrobeats will not last long.
http://www.afropop.org/34229/dispatch-from-nigeria-3/
― curmudgeon, vrijdag 17 februari 2017 14:57 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

They have also spoken to Young John. The interview has yet to be published (or podcast, I guess). Could be interesting.

The Singles Jukebox likes Runtown's "Mad Over You".
It was posted on last year's thread, but as it has since become the biggest song in Western Africa, here it is again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb4X1BWNO5k

P-Square are now living in a post-Pana world as well: "Away".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl9VNPzodcY

But what is the post-Pana world if not just another corner of the Eazi Universe? The Eazi "mixtape" longneck mentioned above is now on Spotify.
Eazi is also featured on "Heartbeat", the first single from another "mixtape" that just dropped, Afropop 101 by Legendury Beatz.

https://soundcloud.com/afro-songz/legendury-beatz-heartbeat-ft-mr-eazi

Let me throw in LB's remix for Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" as well, it's cool:

https://soundcloud.com/legendury-beatz/ed-sheeran-shape-of-u-afrobeats-refix-by-legendury-beatz

And hey, this just in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=helEv0kGHd4

"If" by Davido, produced by Tekno!

I'm rather behind and most of the stuff that's catching my ear has turned out to be from late 2016 but 'Yolo Yolo' really is fantastic.

Lex posted this mix in the mix-thread, but I feel it sorta belongs here as well: https://thump.vice.com/en_uk/track/teki-latex-berite-club-music-mix-exclusive-stream (this is a link I found that has a tracklist)

It hits me a bit the same way the first Abrantee mix I ever heard hit me. That is, this is probably a frenchified version of it, calling it 'berite club' a bit like calling it 'afrobeats'. But it has a lot of west african influence, including Franko - Coller la Petite from Cameroun! Though to be honest, I still haven't made my way through the mix, I keep going back to hear Champions League Defeat and Block Party etc over and over. Great music!

Alfred Soto: I love its sheen: the synth pads, rhythm guitar, whistle. The steady groove conveys an attachment less mad than the title suggests.
[7]

this tawdry oaf...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU_NWi3u6lo

eaaaaaar worm

The Teni is great, would have been my next post.

(as for your other post, take it to the Boring Belligerence thread)

not familz w/ that partic thread but anyone who likes the song should have the decency to drag that smugly piss-poor read

The Eazi tape isn't quite... steamy enough, is it? He almost singlehandedly managed to infuse a bit of sex into the naija pop scene, which is otherwise heavy on marriage proposals and empty braggadocio (wads of money, big cassavas and gifts of banana). I was hoping for some proper sex jams (leg over fits the bill) but there's not enough air on this for it to heat up properly.

That's an interesting point. I'm underwhelmed by it as well. Most of all, I'm missing Juls. I mean, Eazi and he crafted a very special sound together and now he's nowhere to be found. Does anyone know what happened there?

Interesting review of the album:
http://www.okayafrica.com/audio/mr-eazi-life-is-eazi-download-accra-to-lagos/

The Twitter storm Mr Eazi started when he said “Ghana’s influence over Nigeria music cannot be underestimated” was a needful point, but maybe needless to point out. The symbolism in the cover art for Accra to Lagos is even more telling. Choosing to drape himself in a “Ghana Must Go” patterned outfit next to the phrase Accra to Lagos is a direct provocation of thought, and not a call to arms.

More on the Ghana-Nigeria issue by the same writer:
http://www.okayafrica.com/controversial/mr-eazi-tweet-nigeria-ghana-rivalry/

Still, Eazi seems perhaps a bit too eager to "return" to Lagos from Accra, what with most of the tracks being produced by Naija big shots?

Find myself enjoying the Legendury Beatz goodie bag more right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJjG27stjkA

Legendury Beatz ft. Wizkid x Mugeez "Undercover Lover".

xpost to rtc:

The point is that you're using it to lash out at a fellow ILX'er (who's probably not following this thread). It's a lousy attitude.

(And if you're that concerned about bad music writing, you know there's a thread for that too.)

Yeah , his eagerness to return to Lagos is def part of the problem. E Kelly mastered the Juls sound on Leg Over though - and it's the best track...

Sure, E-Kelly did a great job there, but is there a reason Juls is not on the album at all (GuiltyBeatz has one track, at least)? Can't seem to find anything about them having parted ways.

No, I sure hope he's saving Juls for the "proper" album.

Mr. Eazi's gig at a nearby university is sold out. Oh well. Tekno's coming too, but he's too samey for me. Some cuts I like though

DJ Vetkuk vs Mahoota - Thando Lok'dlala (ft. Black Motion, Nokwazi & Drumatic Boys)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYUQkH7gi0k

Wow at this

I might actually prefer the radio edit that's on Spotify. It packs more punch.

Yeah that's dope. A bit of Babes' rhytmic urgency in there, no?

Yes, and echoes of "Lahla" as well.

Never got around to posting their previous jam last year:

Vetkuk vs Mahoota ft. Sparks Bantwana & Character: "SoHamba Ngo 7"
https://soundcloud.com/news-muzik-2/vetkuk-vs-mahoota-feat-sparks-bantwana-character-sohamba-ngo-7afro-housewwwnews-muzikcom

Or this monster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYhM2K1i8C4

Major League ft. Cassper Nyovest & Kwesta: "S'get It"

Now that Korede Bello has Kelly Rowland on the remix for "Do Like That"...

https://soundcloud.com/mavinrecords/korede-bello-x-kelly-rowland

…we can play Spot the Theme:

Diamond Platnumz ft. Ne-yo "Marry You":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdOaBtUvH80

Seyi Sodimu ft. K. Michelle, "Love Me Jeje (Remix)":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpz2R1ULOfI

Serge Beynaud's Accelerate -- now here's an album I can get fully behind. 16 tracks, all spanking new. Hard (but very varied) percussive beats, more generous with melodies than your average coupé-decalé, often clearly Naija-inspired, if a few years behind the latest trends there (telling that both Iyanya and Flavour feature on a track). Ironically, one of the most relentless (and best) tracks, "Zimbolo", features Tanzanian smoothie Diamond Platnumz. And I love that Ivorian guitar sound (that reminds me of bachata at times). Exhilarating stuff!

The first video is for opening track "Akrakabo":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgQ1CXd0sQc

Oh, wow. That last minute of Akrakabo. That's absolutely stunning.

Wizkid's "Sweet Love" (the song he's been teasing for like a year) just dropped. Turns out it's afrobeat (no -s!) bliss. The bass and the beat are just…

http://www.thefader.com/2017/03/01/wizkid-sweet-love-video-record-deal

So happy he kept the Yoruba too - it looked like he was settling into a mid-Atlantic pidgin/island hybrid as his default in his bid for international stardom.

…that beat though...

Yep, this is the effortless Wizzy that I love.

Don't mind me as slide in to plug a friends track that deserves more attention than its getting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GXli8m4hz4

Akrakabo is really awesome, love the traditional breaking out from behind the modern veil at the end. I think I went back to the 2 minute mark and re-listened to the end 2 or 3 times in a row. Will listen to Accelerate for sure. I don't have much knowledge of Bachata but your comment has me intrigued. i feel like afro pop has a natural lean into the carribean music scene of course, but i would be curious to listen for the links to more classic afro-latin music, perhaps this is already happening? like wizkid-popcaan is a natural fit of course, but what about Wizkid teaming up with Mexican or Columbian pop-stars?

speaking of wizkid, Sweet Love is fantastic, happy to see he stuck with the Yoruba as well. This is maybe my favourite first blush of a Wizkid song, normally he takes a bit for me to really get into. Maybe that bodes well for its shot at breaking out internationally. What do you guys figure his track to a breakout US hit is? Now that he has name recognition from One Dance, does he hope for a streaming hit that breaks though? or would he get enough of a push to get on radio before that? i assume the former, but not sure if he gets a push on radio due to the deal. And does he get on some spotify recommended playlists?

fuckin love Thando Lok'dlala, Nkwz should sing on every SA house song. I feel like DrumeticBoyz have turned a corner toward pop, but managing to stay a bit true to their GQOM roots. I agree longneck, definitely got some of Babes affect on it for sure.

dog latin, are you around? there is new Eddy Kenzo, called Jubilation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HslgsjEUV4M

I like it, not as much as Sitya Loss, but another great track, curious to hear from another Kenzo fan

really love this new durban track too, Colours Of Sound - Emuva (feat. SneMusiq). brutal name for the DJ's but this song is getting me thru some cold winter days. feels like driving around a rich neighbourhood and not giving a shit that the folks in it are looking down on you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMF6oo-niCA

So the British library just made 8000 vintage afropop recordings available for free. I haven't had the time to check it out yet but I'm putting the link in here anyway.

http://www.openculture.com/2017/03/stream-8000-vintage-afropop-recordings-digitized-made-available-by-the-british-library.html

the serge beynaud album is immense. "atôkplè", "dieu n'oublie personne" and "la danse du way" also highlights. the percussion!

i love how the synths in "dieu n'oublie personne" sound...arabic??

I haven't gotten around to the album yet but THAT bit of Akrakabo, when another song just emerges fully-formed from the chrysalis of the first one, is absolutely incredible.

I keep coming back to the Faut bien me regarder -> Zimbolo -> J'ai cherche partout run in Accelerate, love that Diamond Platnumz shows up.

anyone know more about this? https://www.bellanaija.com/2017/03/the-silent-music-company-calls-out-sugarboy-and-kiss-daniel-over-alleged-theft-of-its-artiste-barz-song/

I think I like the original more tbh

also this is a really awesome party song from Akothee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYEp_tp8smA

The Kilamiti/Kilamity thing is kind of shocking in how blatant it is. It looks especially bad on Sugarboy and his (and Kiss Daniel's) record company. Why pull this stunt for such a mediocre track? I mean, it starts promisingly enough, but I lose interest after one minute. But maybe they really are that desperate after all the disappointing follow-ups to the mighty "Hola Hola". Sad to say my expectations for his debut album are not very high.

By the way kruezer, "Jubilation" is fantastic, the EDM-y production works very well here, I think. Best thing I've heard from Kenzo since "Sitya Loss".

What's your opinion on Darassa ft. Ben Pol's "Muziki" that's very big in East Africa?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWyiC2CBtyI

Personally I think it doesn't match up to AY's "Zigo (Remix)" (especially vocally), but that fat synth bass and especially the way that beat is recorded are pretty great.

Five from South Africa:

"KwaMakhelwane", the most recent Dbn Nyts single, features… Nokwazi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRckNX-1B8U

DJ Maphorisa & DJ Buckz go gqom on "Goosheshe" (feat. Sjava & TDK Macassette):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWwOU4HTE5U

More gqom: DJ Bongz ft. DJ Tira, Dbn Nyts & KidTank, "Kuruza":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cti5FMzM36s

…and from the Babes Wodumo album, "Family" ft. Mampintsha & Cassper Nyovest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzmSuFFtNX4

Something else altogether: DJ Clock ft. Chicco Twala, "Saba Kufa":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adU-8OPdyYY

And of course, and just for the record, Black Coffee is featured on the new Drake album.

Also, Tekno dropped his next smash to be, "Yawa" (produced by Masterkraft, just like that Akothee track):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsQnCwV4Gr8

I feel this UK Afrotrap banger belongs on this thread too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvtxRv38Ep4

Don-E ft. Nado, "You Alright Yeah?"

Holland represent:

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

Kevcody, "Pakurumo"

completely overstimulated by the serge beynaud record

Akrakabo still song of 2017 for me.

And that moment 2:00 in... It just struck me, there are few songs where the most ecstatic moment is when it goes down in intensity, but with that absurdly driving hyper-modern beat, when there's a moments breath, it's the best thing ever.

feeling this WizKid/Drake single
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShVNtAYLOM0

It has grown on me but it's very controlla-wave 6 months late.

this version of it sounds different than when it was titled something else

i dont really see it as controllawave though

i mean its an actual afropop artist lol

Well... I always start singing "gyal yuh body good and you're special to me" (popcaan's verse) every time I hear the beat.

eh you might be right idk maybe im just subconsciously hunting for another controlla

at any rate its at the very least pleasant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqW18C4plZ8

That's a good one. lol @ "make all your sins do the mannequin challenge".

I like Yemi Alade’s latest also. Seeing her live in DC was one of my 2017 highlights.

There's a wealth of music in Nigeria, and these lists below mix stuff that does not exactly fit on this thread, with stuff that does

http://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/10-best-nigerian-albums-in-2017-id7717539.html

1. Simi-Simisola
2. Wizkid-Sounds from the Other Side
3. Flavour-Ijele the Traveler
4. Falz-27
5. Ric Hassani-The African Gentleman
6.Ajebutter22- What Happens in Lagos
7. A-Q- Blessed forever
8. Bemyoda-Stark
9.Yung6ix-Highstar
10. DJ Spinall -Dreams

The link for the NET (Nigeria entertainment Today list) top 10 posted upthread isn't working but the cache is -- here they are typed out. Simi is number #1 on this too, and it has some of the same albums, but a few are different.

1. Simi-Simisola
2. Mr. Eazi-Acra to Lagos
3. Ric Hassani-The African Gentleman
4. Ajebutter22- What Happens in Lagos
5. Show Dem Camp - Palm Wine Music Vol. 1
6. Falz-27
7. Flavour-Ijele the Traveler
8. Wizkid-Sounds from the Other Side
9. DBanj- King Don Come
10. Niniola-This is Me

That's my cut and paste from the ilm year end lists 2017 thread

My main issue with nigerian music in 2017 is that the ca 125 tempo has been all but gone this year following the crossover successes of ojuelegba - one dance - skin tight - pana. It’s all about 100 bpm now and that takes some of the fun out of it. Still plenty of good music of course.

That Simi album is really nice

I mean, this is just lovely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YthMTby33d8

One of the other singles even has slide guitar on it. Great album.

And to close the year in South Africa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36O8dPuGDo

Some of that Simi album is too nice for me—-pleasant but not potent.

So, guys... what tracks are we going to try to get into the ilm eoy charts this year? I’m noticing that deej has omunye, Wo! and come closer high on his personal list and i’m fine with voting for either of those.

For your curiosity, here's a data-generated playlist of the songs most distinctively popular among afrobeats fans on Spotify in 2017:

https://open.spotify.com/user/particledetector/playlist/6VNHhLOXEkSMCWvIdYc1vB

― glenn mcdonald, Wednesday, December 13, 2017 8:18 AM (two weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Considering that it's sourced from outside Nigeria, this seems weirdly accurate for Lagos car/party/radio play give or take a few head-scratchers and - some of the more UK based artists.

Also Surprised Penalty didn't get love here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVDmkCJrptI

but maybe this speaks to that in some way:
I'm not really surprised that the list is mainly sweet stuff. Easy (Jeje) is great. You relate to these things differently if you're from Nigeria. Or is that data biased somewhat.

― Nabozo, Wednesday, December 13, 2017 9:25 AM (two weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

So, guys... what tracks are we going to try to get into the ilm eoy charts this year? I’m noticing that deej has omunye, Wo! and come closer high on his personal list and i’m fine with voting for either of those.

― human and working on getting beer (longneck), 1. januar 2018 19:10 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

At least in the early part of the year, I thought Akrakabo was the clear consensus favorite. Other than that I'll vote for Simi and Wizkid in albums, and probably a couple other tracks.

Not all music has to be 'potent', btw. Pleasant is absolutely ok, and I often like to hear all the 'pleasant' stuff from around the world, it so often get's shunted to the side :)

i also had inde and j hus btw

"inde" is wonderful

I'm definitely going to vote for Runtown's Mad Over You. Who's with me?

Technically 2016 but still one of the defining songs of 2017 - at least for me.

deej, didn't you have Iskaba as well or am I dreaming? I'll gladly vote for Iskaba.

I'll also vote for If, Fall, Juice or Leg Over if there's a point to it. All classics.

Could someone please bump the 2018 Afropop thread for me so I can post something on it? I only have access to Zing right now but it’s impossible to get to that thread from there. Thanks!

Never mind, found a way in.

Link through to 2018 thread: rolling afropop / acrobats 2018

“acrobats”? bless you, Autocorrect!