Afrobeats is, in the words of South African singer-songwriter Tyla, a tendency to group all African artists under one name. That is: a label to simplify as a single contemporary musical genre originating in Africa, specifically in Nigeria and Ghana, any genre close to pop that emerged on the largest continent in the world, between the late 2000s and early 2010s. This musical style is an eclectic fusion that incorporates elements of dancehall, hip hop, R&B, funk, electronic music, and various traditional African music styles such as highlife and fuji.
Unlike Afrobeat, an older, politically and jazz-driven genre founded by Fela Kuti in the 1960s and 1970s, Afrobeats (with an “s” at the end) focuses more on rhythm and melody, aiming primarily at entertainment and dancing. Although, as you will see in this article, for many there is no Afrobeats genre. There is only Afrobeat, passed down from generation to generation as an African identity.
Afrobeats music has become popular in recent years, largely thanks to artists such as Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage and Mr Eazi, who have brought this sound to the global music scene. Given its origins and global reach, it is a genre that celebrates the diversity of African music while also being influenced by a mix of global cultures, making it accessible and appealing to audiences around the world.
Differences between Afrobeat and Afrobeats
Although both terms sound similar and share African roots, there are significant differences between Afrobeat and Afrobeats, at the same time these differences may be due to the simplification by other cultures of African pop music, which has many musical genres and none of them would be Afrobeats (and yes, however, Rumba, Highlife, Makosa, Mapouka, Amapiano, Jazz, Juju or Fuji).
Origins and pioneers
Afrobeat
Afrobeat was created by Fela Kuti in the 1960s. This genre fuses traditional African music, jazz, highlife, funk and Cuban cha-cha-cha. Fela Kuti used Afrobeat as a tool for social and political protest, his lyrics were often critical of the government and colonial policies in Nigeria and Africa in general.
Afrobeats
As I said at the beginning, Afrobeats was born in the late 2000s and early 2010s as a mix of various contemporary black music styles such as hip-hop, dancehall or electronic music. Unlike Afrobeat, Afrobeats is not primarily used as a means of protest, but rather as festive music and intended for pure entertainment.
In fact, the term Afrobeats was coined in the UK by London-based DJ Abrantee. For some experts, it is a reductionist neologism that has spread in the international media and that offers a foreign and convenient way of classifying African popular music, when in reality it is more of a revision of the original Afrobeat but in the 21st century, exchanging the influences of the 60s and 70s for the influences of Western rap and contemporary pop music from Ghana and Nigeria.
In any case, you will always find artists with a more committed aim in that sense, although dance or the desire to be happy are also, in their own way, a form of social struggle.
Sound and composition
Afrobeat
Afrobeat has a complex musical structure with long instrumental passages, saxophone and trumpet solos, and polyrhythmic drum patterns. It is known for its use of big bands with prominent brass sections.
Afrobeats
Afrobeats, on the other hand, tends to be shorter in length with more conventional song structures (verse-chorus-verse), uses synthesizers, digital production, and catchy rhythms that are easy to dance to.
However, those who argue that Afrobeats is a generic way of referring to all African pop music made by Africans defend their argument on the basis that there is no particular musical percussion that defines the sound, unlike in Afrobeat, where there is.
It is, in short, a genre that is mostly intended for mass consumption, mainstream, pleasant, and, in a way, summery. The kind that cools you down in the hottest periods. The lyrics, like in rap or R&B, often focus on party, love, nocturnal, and somewhat gangsta themes.
Cultural influence
Afrobeat
It is deeply rooted in the political and social culture of Nigeria and West Africa. It is a reflection of the fight against oppression and corruption.
Afrobeats
It represents a new generation of globally connected Africans. It covers lighter themes and has a more visible influence from modern Western music.
Playlist with recommended music from Afrobeats
To delve into the world of Afrobeats, I leave you a Spotify playlist that I created for the occasion and that mainly includes songs released between 2020 and 2024 by African artists and those of African origin, since, as we are dealing with a genre that is becoming more and more popular, it has taken hold strongly in countries like France, Brazil or even in Italy with Mahmood on Ra Ta Ta and in Spain with people like Hard GZ on Afrohard or like Afrojuice 195 and his hit José Mourinho, albeit in the form of Afro trap, whose rhythms are mainly influenced by African musical genres such as coupé-décalé, soukous and Afrobeats.
Keep in mind that, as a genre, Afrobeats also offers such an amalgam of musical opportunities that it brings together within itself a multitude of styles that combine its sound and its relaxed and melodic rhythms with important elements of other genres such as amapiano, alté or Afropiano, which can vary by having more exuberant, jazzy and relaxed atmospheres that often include light piano chords.
In fact, as dancehall and reggae are two influential genres in the development of Afrobeats, there is also a tropical mix in the end which prevents limiting the selection of songs in some cases and you will also find some artists of Jamaican origin.
In addition to the above, apart from artists such as Asake, Amaarae, Rema or Ayra Starr, I also wanted to highlight here some recommended songs and artists that reflect the diversity and richness of the genre:
- Wizkid – “Ojuelegba”. This song is considered a classic within Afrobeats and helped popularize the genre worldwide. It is a tribute to the experience of growing up in Lagos, Nigeria.
- Burna Boy – “Ye”. A blend of traditional African rhythms with a modern twist, this song is yet another example of Burna Boy’s unique style and ability to fuse genres.
- Davido – “Fall”. This single helped Davido gain recognition beyond his country with its catchy chorus.
- Tiwa Savage – “All Over”. One of the leading female voices in Afrobeats, Tiwa Savage shows her personality in the mix of African and Western influences.
- Mr Eazi – “Leg Over”. A track that combines the soft rhythms of highlife with the modern vibes of Afrobeats.
The importance of dance in Afrobeats
Afrobeats has evolved to become a predominant genre worldwide. The mix of traditional and modern rhythms, with deep roots, but at the same time young, diverse and dynamic, has given rise to a whole relationship of diverse elements that converge into one.
Because Afrobeats is a cultural phenomenon that has deeply influenced contemporary dance with unlimited body expressiveness. Afrobeats choreographies are full of energy (which is transmitted), often incorporating movements that reflect traditional African street style.
Most popular dance styles
Some of the most recognized and especially very rhythmic dance styles of Afrobeats are the “Amapiano”, “Shaku Shaku”, “Zanku”, “Gwara Gwara” and the “Azonto”. These steps are usually vibrant, using a lot of movement of feet, hands, and the torso, and are designed to be performed both by professional dancers (in choreographies) and by the general public in clubs and parties.
Impact on popular culture at a global level
These dance styles have transcended beyond Africa, finding their way into music videos by famous artists on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, and international dance competitions. They have built a cultural bridge between Africa and the rest of the world, demonstrating the universality of joy and expression through dance.
Burna Boy’s remarks on African identity and Black Americans spark controversy
To close this article on Afrobeats, I wanted to talk about one of the main controversies that Burna Boy has been involved in in the United States, related to his comments on African identity and the relationship between Africans and Black Americans. In several interviews, Burna Boy has made statements about how Black Americans should reconnect with their African roots and has discussed issues of identity and cultural heritage.
In a 2020 interview on the radio show “The Breakfast Club,” Burna Boy spoke about, among many other things, the disconnect between African Americans and their African history, suggesting that Black Americans have been “disconnected from their roots.” These statements sparked a mixed response; some supported him for encouraging reflection on the connection between the African diaspora and Black Americans, while others criticized him for what they saw as a lack of sensitivity to the unique and complex experience of Black Americans.
At the same time, some critics in the United States have accused Burna Boy of appropriating Black American musical styles without fully acknowledging the influences or collaborating with artists in the same way he wishes African music to be acknowledged. These criticisms have been part of a broader debate about cultural appropriation, authenticity, and how musical influences coexist and emerge across different cultures within musical genres that reach across the globe.
(Madrid, 1987) Novelist by vocation, SEO specialist by profession. Music lover, cinephile and reading lover, but in “amateur” mode.