rolling afropop / afrobeats 2018

And of course there is now also this thread:

Wizkid aka Starry

Wizkid aka Starboy

Good things come in pairs:

Two by/with DJ Sumbody:

“Monate Mpolaye” feat. Cassper Nyovest, Thebe & Vettis, his follow-up to “Ayepyep”:

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

...and “Hoana Ho” by Calvin Fallo x DJ Sumbody ft. Carlo & Liquid Metsi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyrvsS9xRiY

And two by Olamide with his new best producer friend Killertunes:

the mighty “Motigbana”, one of the biggest songs in Nigeria right now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR5dPcoIjOQ

...and the brand new “Logba Logba”, a song that feels magical to me, sure to be in my EOY top 10:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZV4O1Yjik8

(in the past 12 months Killertunes has given us Yeba + Manya + Oshe + Nowo + Bobo + Baba + Fake Love + Motigbana + Logba Logba = truly Shabalistica!)

https://2minuteshowersongs.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yvv7bzTe1Y

Niniola • Bana

And oh, hello NJxSA shagqom shagqom interzone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mcpeSB80aM

Mr. Real ft. DJ Maphorisa x Niniola x Vista x DJ Catzico • Legbegbe (Remix)

finally listening to the Busiswa album and it's soooo good wow. one of the best things i've heard all year

Like Bana

There's a Major Lazer / Burna Boy that I feel felt just short of doing something truly great, misses a chorus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW4KbVdISps&index=9

This being end of September, I wonder if it'd be time to look back and have a fun top 12 tracks of the year so far.
So that we all catch up to the things we've missed before the end of the year :)

Get your fresh Wizkid here!

since beastcrawl is being sectarian with his wizkid thread (teasing), let's have the leftovers here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7WfPHHXCAY
First single since Outside. Really digging new Burna Boy's style, he owns this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHGcGMLMrQA
whenever however... could stay together... forever. Rudeboy and Patoranking must have had a latina chick on their minds.

Let's make it clearer that I find Gbona completely awesome and the rightful heir to Soco.

Believe it or not, the Wizkid thread was started by rob! (although I would have done it if he hadn’t)

I love “Gbona” too.

Also, this song makes me extremely happy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZJcRkfeL0g

MzVee feat. Kuami Eugene • Bend Down

(Not nearly enough Ghana jams in this thread, btw)

On a completely different tip, the new Kwesta is fire as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x7NASKk3P0

“Vur Vai”

yah "Gbona" is seriously good. I've thought about starting a Burna Boy/Outside thread but my thread maintenance ability is obvs not so strong ;)

Vur Vai is a jam!

Have we discussed the Onipa EP yet? It's a lot of fun

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

My day is a little boring so I'll do my personal top

1. Wizkid - Soco
2. Teni - Askamaya
3. Niniola - Bana
4. Burna Boy - Ph City Vibration
5. Skepta / Wizkid - Energy (Stay far away)
6. Burna Boy - Ye
7. Mr Real - Legbegbe
8. Burna Boy - Gbona
9. KiDi - Adiepena
10. Not3s / Maleek Berry - Sit back down
11. Mr Eazi / Efya - Mame (Give me)
12. Wizkid - Fever

1. Prince Kaybee / LA Soulmates - Club Controller
2. Prince Kaybee / Busiswa / TNS - Banomoya
3. Sun-EL Musician feat Simmy - Ntaba Ezikude
4. Sun-EL Musician - Sonini
5. Dj Fortree / Niniola - Monini
6. TDK MaCassette ft Dj Raybel x Dj Maphorisa x Dash - iWalk ye Phara
7. Muungu Africa / Niniola - Lazaro
8. Dj Mshega Ft. Lady Zamar - The End
9. Kwesta - Vur Vai
10-rest: Other Sun-El Musician songs from the album

Solid lists, Nabozo. I’m too lazy to make my own, but my big three are “Soco”, “Fake Love” and “Akwaaba”. The two Prince Kaybees are probably my favorite South African tracks as well.

People, once again I ask of you: Has any of Davido post-“Fia” singles sounded as good as this collabo?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0XMnzsl7P4

DMW feat. Davido, Duncan Mighty, Peruzzi & Fresh VDM • Aza


Related: 2Baba & Peruzzi’s “Amaka”, posted a while back, has proven to be very enduring. Such a funky little jam.

You've still got chances to be in the first 100'000 to see Banomoya's video
Busiswa brings (gay) colorful flashiness again, and this close from popping her tits out, I like it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWSBhp4FQH0

It’s at 128K now - that video is insanely good, just like everything else about “Banomoya”.

More hard-hitting gqom:
Mzokoloko feat. Madanon, Emza & Prince Bula • Injabulo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZcENZJ_C0

Pre-gqom: Heavy-K’s imaginatively titled new album Respect The Drumboss 2018 is out (it’s on Spotify). Plenty of good stuff (unfortunately “Let Them Talk” with Ntombi & Niniola is not on it), but very disappointing that none of the singers are credited. Those two tracks towards the end though,
”Hamba Nam”and ”Amasela”!

Banomoya and Injabulo are so good. will have to check out the Heavy-K album soon

Loved that Onipa track!

whole EP slaps hard

This thread is huge but have you guys heard the Bryte album? Wall-to-wall bangers like this

Bryte - Hustler [prod. The Busy Twist]

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

Harder Faster Stronger, Better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LspPtRAS18

Mampintsha feat. Campmasters • Phakamisa

Let’s talk some L.A.X here. After an early start at Wizkid’s Starboy label (remember “Caro”?), he’s carved his own path, never chasing the hits, but releasing an impressive string of singles over the past few years, including this 2016 gem with extremely low-profile producer Dwill:

L.A.X • Awon Da (Rasaki): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU0PvS9fpaY

…and now he’s about to drop his debut album.

Two Spotless-produced tracks in anticipation:

L.A.X • Panana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K6CY397HXE

L.A.X feat. Yemi Alade • Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52g9WDvDOho

If “Bad” is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat!

I haven’t listened to the Dladla Mshunqisi album in full yet, but the track with Prince Kaybee and Nokwazi is wild:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOXpyGKbLS0

“Wangibamba”

“Jibebe”, the new Diamond Platnumz, was reviewed by The Singles Jukebox, still a rare occurence for an Afropop track. Our Alfred didn’t like the “I-like-it”s, but what struck me most was that none of the writers seemed to be aware of the obvious Wizkid influence, even though it’s pretty much spelled out in the lyrics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW2PI6jqn1U

Diamond Platnumz x Lava Lava x Mbosso • Jibebe

Forgot a word there: “...still a *ridiculously* rare occurence for an Afropop track.”

I agree with Alfred!
But yeah funny to review this and not "Soco". TSJ's selection process is kinda baffling to me in general

As far as I can tell, TSJ seems pretty much on top of Kpop and Latin pop (which a lot of their writers are very knowledgeable about) but African pop is a massive blind spot for them, still. You’d think after having “Akanamali” as their runner-up last year, they’d shape up, but no. The few tracks they do pick seem very random. They did “Ma Lo” and “Science Student” iirc, but to overlook huge songs like “Manya”, “Soco”, “Akwaaba”, “Fake Love”, “Club Controller” and “Banomoyo” is pretty baffling, yeah.

(“Huge” as in both artistically and commercially extremely successful in their countries and beyond.)

I do like that track but the i like its obviously do bring it down a bit, yes. It might have worked with some other voices though.

just putting this out here…

Reminisce • Burushaga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymO5rxCMzOI

a little dance to go along with it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S59jtutkBU

breastcrawl, TSJ is looking for new writers/song selectors; you should drop a line to the info@ email and ask about joining. You'd be a great addition!

Thank you for the encouragement, forks, very much appreciated! But I’m not a writer, so it’s not really an option. I sent them some suggestions though, so we’ll see...

Back to the matter: That L.A.X album I mentioned last week is out. It’s called Rasaking and yes, it is very good indeed.

Also out this week: the new DJ Spinall album, Iyanu, with heavy Killertunes involvement. “Nowo” and “Baba” are on it as well.

I'm reposting Mamee because it had literally zero play at the beginning of the year and now it finally has a video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pazclIY9PE

And to add to the Ks in Ghana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZkZN4Nfqn0

I also find this one interesting in its retro aspect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mPSh4JRIs

In doubt, I also post Fine Girl by Zie Zie because unsure we've had it. That's a good hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As1pRzoKmJ8

Also this one, very Burna Boy-like (he has a new one called Again).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zGWIiLTA6I

I've realized that a lot of Burna Boy's today's style can be traced back to Soke from three years ago. I don't know if people noticed the track at the time (well, it was a single) but it's brilliant.
here it is, ready at hand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-h7ltwACLsd

I think it's bugging so another try
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-h7ltwACLs

Fine girl and Issa Vibe are actually from last year, my bad.

(And I was playing Burna Boy songs to find the one that is close to Issa Vibe, but it's worse, actually the beat was-reused without change on B Young's 079ME, which is one of the most played Nigerian songs of this year. Rolling my eyes)

Lol, people definitely noticed “Soke”, including on ILM. It’s not exactly obscure!

The remix of “Issa Vibe” actually has Burna on it (plus Geko, who’s on “Again” as well).

(Oh yeah, there’s a Burna track on the DJ Spinall album as well btw)

I like the Ghanaian input, very necessary! And there is so much more cool stuff:

Joey B has always been on point, ever since the azonto days:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70xn4IFU5v8

(Joey B ft. Wanlov & Ponobiom • Beautiful Boy)

Stylin ft. Kobla Jnr & Darkovibes • Akweley II:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfv1cPz3-dI

(Stylin’s Spintex Boy EP is a lot of fun)

Stylin has worked with producer Kuvie, who also did “Beautiful Boy”, and who’s very good. His sound is kind of... - hey, his debut album is called Gruvie for a reason. My favorite track is “Pressure”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifur8hPmf7M

(Kuvie ft. Tsoobi, BuMan & KwakuBS • Pressure)

I'm doing an afrobeats/bass/house/pop set alongside a bunch of dancehall and soca DJs in a fairly underground club soon. I need bangers really as opposed to smooth tunes. Got lots planned, but is there anything I absolutely must play?