rolling afropop / afrobeats 2018

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First embed doesn't seem to be working. Let's try again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alPUrD2w-jw&list=PL6zyXmG5g9xEeh0mQJVlo1Iovr0ITin6S

daavid, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 18:35 (six years ago) link

Anyway, it's called "Be Mine"

daavid, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 18:36 (six years ago) link

this is probably the best song I listened this year

https://youtu.be/m99Wmv7gU2A

Nourry, Friday, 16 February 2018 20:59 (six years ago) link

Wow, that is fantastic! I want to sample that breakdown and make a house banger out of it!

(This is about “Mariana” by Nelson Freitas, by the way. Including track info when posting is much appreciated. Makes it easier to search, and YouTube links often disappear over time as well. )

breastcrawl, Saturday, 17 February 2018 01:32 (six years ago) link

YT is terribly impractical for exploring new stuff, especially since they personalized suggestions by filling them with your latest listens. There's a few mass playlists that are regularly updated, but not enough great songs to sit through them.

Nabozo, Saturday, 17 February 2018 10:52 (six years ago) link

I apologize for the lack of information. i thought that the caption would appear, but it didn't, i don't know why.
i'm kinda addicted to "Mariana". Nelson Freitas is really big in Portugal, although I never payed much attention to his music until this one came up.

Nourry, Saturday, 17 February 2018 16:25 (six years ago) link

"OOO" - Zingah, Maphorisa, Wizkid, Burna Boy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nH9LYhfpxo

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 19 February 2018 00:13 (six years ago) link

Davido's first single of 2018 "Flora My Flawa":

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

ahomka ginger, Wednesday, 21 February 2018 09:41 (six years ago) link

My favorite Shaku Shaku tune right now:

Danny S - Ege (Dribble)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqVslNB4psk

ahomka ginger, Wednesday, 21 February 2018 09:43 (six years ago) link

By the way how you guys noticed how they are sometimes recycling South African beats in these Shaku Shaku tracks.

"Omo Shepeteri" uses the beat from this one from 2012 (?):

Letta Mbulu - Not Yet Uhuru (Maphorisa n Clap Remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR9J4J3gDg0

Even the 2017 hit "Penalty" by Small Doctor uses the beat from DJ Malvado's "Zenze" (also 2012?)

ahomka ginger, Wednesday, 21 February 2018 09:50 (six years ago) link

Naija mainstream pop needed those harder beats after the Reign of Pon Pon, but when it comes to South(ern) African influence, I would have expected gqom to have caught on much more in Naija by now than it has so far. I guess it’s because shaku shaku has its origin in what’s often called “street music” in Nigeria, where they have been using these older, Uhuru-type beats of the previous SA wave for some time now to freestyle on. Cool to have some of those beats identified - are there any more you know about?

As for a straight-up Naija pop/gqom fusion, there’s the current Patoranking, “Available”, with SA producers DJ Catzico and Vista. It has been around since early November, but it seems to be picking up steam only now that the shaku-shaku-friendly video is out. (Remember, Pato was an early alkayida adaptor too, with “My Woman, My Everything”).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PCqv_BmF6s

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 21 February 2018 23:11 (six years ago) link

Speaking of the South African influences, this makes me so happy: A bona fide, honest-to-God extended version of a Nigerian hit. It could only be Niniola’s “Maradona”, of course - that song has become an even bigger hit in South Africa than in Nigeria for a reason. I wish this was done more often, but I’m not holding my breath.

https://open.spotify.com/album/40PbljSs8Av2gCbSzi9rND

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 21 February 2018 23:12 (six years ago) link

And I mean, I really wish this was done more often, because why only 2’48 of this goodness?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cnXu16J_wM

VJ Adams feat. Niniola (it’s her again!), “Leg Work”

This guy Tiwezi is quickly turning into one of my favourite producers. He also did this:

https://soundcloud.com/musicplugafrica/mz-kiss-ijo

Mz Kiss, “Ijo”

and, on a completely different tip:

https://soundcloud.com/humblesmith/sugar

Humblesmith, “Sugar”

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 21 February 2018 23:14 (six years ago) link

Mmmmmmmmmmmmaradona!

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 22 February 2018 00:08 (six years ago) link

If anyone knows more about what people are listening to in SA atm I’d be thrilled to know. I kinda lost track of it all.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 22 February 2018 09:49 (six years ago) link

Finally stumbled on an article that comments on the South African influence on Naija songs:

"“Legbegbe” featuring Idowest and Obadice is inspired by South African house music group, Uhuru. Ever since Mafikizolo’s crossover hit, “Khona”, the influence of South African House music in Nigerian street music has been reflected In Nigerian street-hop; from Junior Boy’s “Irapada”, Small Doctor’s “Penalty”, to Olamide’s “Wo”. Mr Real’s “Legbegbe” is only one of the latest adaptation of this culture. “Legbegbe” is premium street-hop held together with fog-like synth percussion and drums looped off an Uhuru sample, streamlined by his street-smart impulses."

http://thenativemag.com/communities/uhuru-inspired-new-sound-streets-lagos-native-interview-mr-real/

ahomka ginger, Thursday, 22 February 2018 16:26 (six years ago) link

This seems to be one of the South African hits of the moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bvyC9gJq6I

ahomka ginger, Thursday, 22 February 2018 16:29 (six years ago) link

Thanks!

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 22 February 2018 16:56 (six years ago) link

Thanks for the link, AG! Some interesting bits in there (the fact that Mr Real considers his shaku shaku stuff “pop”, confirmation of my impression that “Khona” was a kind of milestone), and some missed follow-up questions (what IS it about then?)

I posted “Club Controller” a month ago! It’s been the nr. 1 on SA iTunes for a few weeks now. I haven’t done more than skim the SA iTunes chart recently, and that seems to be the freshest one on there. Have you heard the West Ink Banger comp that came out in November? Good stuff on that. I particularly like the Madanon-led tracks. 

I came across some great stuff from Angola though, thanks to some site (https://pudding.cool/2018/01/music-map/) that someone started a thread about that I can’t find right now (was it rob who actually mentioned Angola?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeaQtiogx18

(Scro Que Cuia, “Vou Partir Cama”)

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

(Os Moikanos, “Ninguém Foge”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sglob6dnKo4

(Puto Prata, “Gruwa”)

breastcrawl, Thursday, 22 February 2018 21:29 (six years ago) link

Oh well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVp4G26fJgs

(Os Moikanos, “Gago (Oh Pai)”

breastcrawl, Thursday, 22 February 2018 21:35 (six years ago) link

Yeah I’ve had Club Controller in rotation for a while now. Great song! Curious about how the non-gqom leaning pop, rap and house is faring. The West Ink Bangers/ Maphorisa / Distruction Boyz axis seemed to be ruling everything right before christmas.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 22 February 2018 21:41 (six years ago) link

I have been playing this rap track a lot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh-toV5X3HA

Shot Gun Flava ft. Pyrobeats, “Dikgomu”. He’s got a (mini) album out as well.

breastcrawl, Thursday, 22 February 2018 22:13 (six years ago) link

Naija Big Shots Corner:

I’m really trying with the new Davido, but… isn’t this a bit of a dud?

New Wizkid, posing as Starboy, posse cut with Ceeza Milli, Terri & Spotless, “Soco”:

https://soundcloud.com/dj_michy/soco

New Tekno, posse cut with OG, Flimzy & Selebobo, “Anyhow”:

https://soundcloud.com/teknomusic/anyhow

Oh, Davido has a posse cut too, for his DMW label, with Mayorkun, Dremo & Peruzzi, “Mind”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me4evySCbqQ

And the newest Olamide is with Skepta, “Sheevita Juice” - he’s going the UK route, just like Burna, both taking Mr Eazi’s cue, not Wizzy’s, which makes sense:

https://soundcloud.com/user-477702801/olamide-x-skepta-sheevita-juice

breastcrawl, Thursday, 22 February 2018 22:19 (six years ago) link

As to why Wizzy’s currently not releasing any tracks under his own name:

http://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/wizkid-why-singer-cannot-release-music-officially-in-nigeria-as-an-independent-artist-id7608146.html

breastcrawl, Thursday, 22 February 2018 22:20 (six years ago) link

Have not been able to get with Flora my Flawa either. It sounds off to me.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 22 February 2018 23:11 (six years ago) link

ayo breastcrawl: #1 Song in Your City - Interactive, updated map for discovery

(I am like 15 posts behind on this thread)

rob, Friday, 23 February 2018 00:06 (six years ago) link

Nothing groundbreaking but the new Rudeboy is sweet to me, first new song in a while that sounds good to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94RbK0WHccs

I haven't cared one bit for the last range of Tekno songs, even when he has Selebobo on board so I don't know what's wrong.
Heart Robber has a video out btw.
No offense to her, but Tiwa Savage is going for horny in 2018, following on ridiculously suggestive Sugarcane with ridiculously suggestive Get it Now.

Nabozo, Sunday, 25 February 2018 09:09 (six years ago) link

That sounds like a miscalculation/overcompensation to me. Tiwa is many things and I’m sure she has her horny moments irl, but she’s a very controlled performer. Lust is not really her thing afaict.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Sunday, 25 February 2018 11:01 (six years ago) link

The songs themselves are good, especially Sugarcane and the clip is very well produced. The Get it Now video is straight-up irresponsible though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOR-_yE94o

Nabozo, Sunday, 25 February 2018 11:08 (six years ago) link

I had forgotten all those songs with Ma Lo and All Over were part of this EP from last September, really strong EP.
Btw, talking still of 2017 (december), I'm not sure we had posted Sarz - Get Up. That's a really good one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqdA-imL3ZM

Nabozo, Sunday, 25 February 2018 11:40 (six years ago) link

Tiwa is always good and tes, that ep is pretty great. I think the strength of her persona is connection to a certain... restraint though. «If I start to talk» is such a Tiwa Savage title. She could talk, but if she did it would run over. And Tiwa Savage somehow never runs over. These are mostly my personal musings, as seen from a certain geographical and cultural perspective though. I’m sure she means something different seen from an African perspective, for instance.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Sunday, 25 February 2018 13:36 (six years ago) link

And the best South African song from last year has a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFi-BqmTRrw
And part of me wants to post Bazoyenza

Nabozo, Sunday, 25 February 2018 17:33 (six years ago) link

Let me help that part of you out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbLbRuGZW2s

Busiswa ft. DJ Maphorisa, "Bazoyenza"

I had never checked for the video, it's awesome!

breastcrawl, Sunday, 25 February 2018 18:48 (six years ago) link

Kosewe, kosegbo, kosewe, kosegbo...
They finally released the music video for Science Student

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nVkhp2xtHg

Trippy and weird yes

ahomka ginger, Monday, 26 February 2018 12:30 (six years ago) link

Tiwa is always good and tes, that ep is pretty great. I think the strength of her persona is connection to a certain... restraint though. «If I start to talk» is such a Tiwa Savage title. She could talk, but if she did it would run over. And Tiwa Savage somehow never runs over. These are mostly my personal musings, as seen from a certain geographical and cultural perspective though. I’m sure she means something different seen from an African perspective, for instance.

― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Sunday, February 25, 2018 1:36 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

You'd be surprised.

"If I start to talk" is a very Yoruba phrase. She would have heard it used in varying ways growing up.

Likewise, Tiwa Savage in her demeanour and lyricism is very Yoruba.

The phrase as used in that song besides the clear religious overtones, represents the other side of the brash, absurd, "local", Yorubaisms of Olamide, Kesh and the like

I.e. the more conservative, show-don't-tell pridefulness of Yoruba Women sauntering around in trad dress and heavy tinted, gold-accented shades at parties.

tsrobodo, Tuesday, 27 February 2018 14:54 (six years ago) link

Yeah, that’s the main tenet I’m getting from her overall. She’s very proper. So aggressively sexual tiwa sounds like a false note to me.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 27 February 2018 16:43 (six years ago) link

I feel that's a little unfair to her.
Can't deny that in these videos she's stiff and doesn't look entirely comfortable but, she's been able to sell that kinda vibe in the past (Love me 3x).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oSY4CYfXV4
This turn feels to me more like an exploration of an often unseen side than a drastic departure from the norm.

tsrobodo, Tuesday, 27 February 2018 17:57 (six years ago) link

Well, it probably is a little unfair, lol. What they’re trying to do is probably to loosen up a bit of that stiffness of hers. I do think she can do seductive, but the way to go about it, I think, would be to have her do a wide range of different and fun music - on some of my favorite ts songs, like the girlie o remix, she doesn’t seem stiff at all.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 27 February 2018 19:15 (six years ago) link

I'm guessing there is a more... direct side to her that seldom shines through in her music. She grew up in London, after all.I'm not saying she should go grime but maybe she should do some collabos with J Hus and Jae5 or something.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 27 February 2018 20:31 (six years ago) link

Another gqom banger - and this time the rave flutes are out.
Dladla Mshunqisi -Pakisha (feat. Distruction Boyz & DJ Tira):

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

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:03 (six years ago) link

lol, you beat me to it by exactly 0.32 seconds, longneck!

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:05 (six years ago) link

ha ha!

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:14 (six years ago) link

Let me just add that Club Controller is such a jam. It gets better every time i hear it.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:17 (six years ago) link

“Club Controller” is massive. This one is great too, from late last year. Is it because of Distruction Boyz or could it be… the Madanon touch?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oACKPv8jEOM

DJ Boonu feat. Madanon, Igcokama Elisha & Mashayabhuqe KaMamba, “uSwidi Wodwa”

(the version on Spotify adds an extra 2 minutes, btw)

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:27 (six years ago) link

that's VERY nice.

human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:35 (six years ago) link

I know, right?

Recent SA rap I like, pt. 2:

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

Anatii, "Thixo Onofefe"

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:37 (six years ago) link

Pakisha sounds like a version of Omunye though.
Still working on my pronunciation of gqom lol.
Another sort of recent one I like is iScathulo.

Nabozo, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:53 (six years ago) link

Hey, it’s Wizkid x Killertunes, installment #4, with DJ Spinall facilitating yet again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES8XuZBafz0

Track is called “Nowo”.

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 21:00 (six years ago) link

I'm loving this loose vibe Wizzy is on currently immensely, by the way. Such a contrast with that slight stiltedness - if that's the right word - of those Sounds From The Other Side tracks - even though some of them (but not all!) were very good.

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 21:09 (six years ago) link

(lol Nabozo, I'm not quite sure how to pronounce gqom either...)

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 21:14 (six years ago) link

...as well as GuiltyBeatz. “Akwaaba” is his #10 song of the year.

breastcrawl, Thursday, 27 December 2018 17:34 (five years ago) link

Another Slate roundtable contributor Rawiya Kameir mentioned afrobeats and dancehall:

There was a similar rejection of artifice across the Atlantic, in the dynamic, compelling world of Afropop. It’s been thrilling to watch as some of the genre’s stars abandoned the shiny, transparent attempts at American crossover of recent years. Instead of paying top dollar to collaborate with household-name rappers or drenching strummed kora with arpeggiated 808s, many leaned into traditional Naija sounds and motifs. It’s not that they hadn’t found success beyond their borders—Wizkid’s “Soco” and pretty much any recent Davido single blared from cars outside my Brooklyn window all summer—but maybe simply that the efforts, largely unreciprocated by American artists, no longer served them. Burna Boy’s excellent Outside seems to have lasted, even though it was released way back in January.

https://slate.com/culture/2018/12/pop-music-earnestness-kacey-musgraves-mitski-snail-mail.html

curmudgeon, Thursday, 27 December 2018 18:14 (five years ago) link

New thread for 2019:

rolling Afropop / Afrobeats / Afrodance 2019

breastcrawl, Wednesday, 2 January 2019 18:30 (five years ago) link

Goodbye 2018 and good job everyone, I think we did good and had good taste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QxY7afI0tQ

Nabozo, Friday, 4 January 2019 11:18 (five years ago) link

Actually, there's no reason this thread shouldn't continue being used for a while

My friend sent me this (Racheal M - Mpalampalampa) from Uganda. Always liked this rhythm. She's 12.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jECyKs-l1ok

Nabozo, Tuesday, 8 January 2019 15:29 (five years ago) link

Ok let's do it

A Pass - Didadada (groovy, from Uganda)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM19YRkJYhs

Nabozo, Saturday, 12 January 2019 21:08 (five years ago) link


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