Afrobeats is the Nigerian sound taking over pop music

Summary

The video explores the rise of Afrobeats, a genre originating from Lagos, Nigeria, characterized by high-energy, electronic beats, and themes of love, sex, and money. It highlights the cultural and technological factors propelling Afrobeats to global prominence, with artists like Wizkid and producers like SARZ leading the charge. Despite challenges in music distribution and piracy in Nigeria, platforms like YouTube and Spotify have enabled artists to reach international audiences and monetize their work. The video also discusses the role of the Nigerian diaspora in spreading Afrobeats and the potential for a more robust African music industry, as major labels like Universal Music invest in the continent's diverse soundscape.

Takeaways

• 🎶 'One Dance' by Drake featuring Wizkid is a notable example of Afrobeats, a genre that has gained global popularity.
• 🇳🇬 Afrobeats originates from Lagos, Nigeria, characterized by high-energy, autotune, and a constant percussive beat.
• 🌐 The genre represents a fusion of African culture with a modern, electronic, and urban millennial sound.
• 🎙️ Wizkid is a prominent figure in Afrobeats, contributing to its international recognition.
• 🎧 The beat is central to Afrobeats, designed to captivate and move the audience, reflecting the impatient nature of Nigerian listeners.
• 🎵 'Maradona' by Niniola, produced by SARZ, exemplifies the genre's global appeal, even being remixed by DJ Snake.
• 📡 Afrobeats has spread worldwide, thanks to platforms like YouTube, social media, and music streaming services.
• 🌍 The Nigerian diaspora plays a crucial role in promoting Afrobeats, creating a loyal fan base across different countries.
• 💸 Despite the music's global reach, Afrobeats artists face challenges in monetizing their work due to limited access to platforms like Spotify and iTunes in Africa.
• 🏢 Universal Music's entry into Nigeria signifies the potential for a more robust music distribution network on the continent.
• 🚀 The rise of Afrobeats is a catalyst for a broader African music industry, with the potential to empower artists across the continent to achieve international success.

Q & A

What is the significance of Wizkid's part in Drake's 'One Dance'?

Wizkid's part in 'One Dance' was a significant moment for the Afrobeats genre, highlighting its growing global influence and marking a milestone in the genre's recognition.

What are the characteristics of Afrobeats music?

Afrobeats is characterized by high-energy, autotune-heavy sounds, a constant percussive beat, and an electro-hip-hop feel, often reflecting the urban, youthful spirit of Africa.

How does Afrobeats differ from Afrobeat?

Afrobeats is distinct from Afrobeat, which was Fela Kuti's jazz-style, Afro-funk music from the 1970s. Afrobeats is electronic, catchy, and represents the sound of urban millennial Africa.

What role does the beat play in Afrobeats?

The beat is crucial in Afrobeats, needing to be compelling enough to move the listener. It often drives the song and is a key element in its appeal to Nigerian and global audiences.

Why was 'Maradona' by Niniola a significant hit?

'Maradona' was a global hit that demonstrated Afrobeats' universal appeal, with a remix by DJ Snake and production by SARZ, showcasing the genre's ability to cross over to international markets.

How has the Nigerian diaspora contributed to the spread of Afrobeats?

The Nigerian diaspora has been instrumental in promoting Afrobeats worldwide, creating a loyal and widespread fan base that supports and shares the music globally.

What challenges do Afrobeats artists face in terms of music distribution in Nigeria?

Afrobeats artists face challenges such as limited access to global platforms like Spotify and iTunes due to payment rules, leading to a reliance on street hawkers selling pirated music, which negatively impacts their earnings.

How are Afrobeats artists able to make money from their music?

Afrobeats artists primarily make money from concerts, performances at events like weddings, and ringback tones, as traditional music sales are often hindered by piracy.

What is the role of Universal Music in the growth of Afrobeats in Nigeria?

Universal Music, through its Nigerian branch, aims to build a robust music distribution network in Africa, allowing artists to earn from music sales within the continent and promoting a diverse range of African sounds.

What does the future hold for Afrobeats and African music according to the script?

The future of Afrobeats and African music is promising, with the potential for sounds from various parts of the continent to gain global recognition and for artists to achieve success both within and outside Africa.

Why is it 'cool to be African' in the context of the Afrobeats genre?

The phrase 'cool to be African' reflects the growing global appreciation and acceptance of African culture and music, with Afrobeats leading the way in showcasing the continent's rich musical diversity and creativity.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Rise of Afrobeats: The Global Impact of Nigerian Music

This paragraph introduces Afrobeats, a genre of music that has gained global popularity, with a focus on the song 'One Dance' by Drake featuring Nigerian singer Wizkid. Afrobeats is characterized by its energetic, autotune-heavy, and percussive beats, with influences from electro-hip-hop. The paragraph discusses the cultural significance of Afrobeats, its origins in Lagos, Nigeria, and its distinction from Fela Kuti's Afrobeat. It highlights the role of producers like SARZ in shaping the sound of Afrobeats and the genre's appeal to a global audience, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries.

05:03

🌐 Afrobeats and the Nigerian Diaspora: The Path to Global Recognition

The second paragraph delves into the role of the Nigerian diaspora in promoting Afrobeats worldwide and the importance of digital platforms like YouTube, social media, and streaming services in the genre's global spread. It addresses the challenges faced by Afrobeats artists in Nigeria due to limited access to international music distribution platforms and the prevalence of pirated music. The paragraph also discusses the efforts of Universal Music's Nigerian branch to establish a robust music distribution network in Africa, allowing artists to profit from their work and highlighting the potential for a diverse range of African music to gain international recognition.

Keywords

💡Afrobeats

Afrobeats is a music genre that originated in Nigeria, characterized by high-energy, autotune-heavy sounds with a constant percussive beat and electro-hip-hop influences. It is distinct from Afrobeat, which is associated with Fela Kuti's jazz-style Afro-funk music from the 1970s. Afrobeats lyrics typically focus on themes of love, sex, and money, and the genre has gained global recognition, influencing pop music worldwide. In the script, Afrobeats is highlighted as a sound that has taken off globally, with Wizkid being one of its biggest stars, and SARZ as a top producer shaping its sound.

💡Wizkid

Wizkid is a Nigerian singer who has become one of the most prominent figures in the Afrobeats genre. His participation in the song 'One Dance' by Drake marked a significant moment for Afrobeats, as it introduced the genre to a broader international audience. Wizkid's success exemplifies the rise of African artists on the global stage and is indicative of the growing influence of African music in the global music industry.

💡SARZ

SARZ is a Nigerian music producer who has been instrumental in creating hits for Wizkid and other Nigerian pop stars. He is recognized as one of the top Afrobeats producers and has played a significant role in defining the genre's sound. The script mentions SARZ's approach to production, emphasizing the importance of the beat and how it drives the music, which is a key element in Afrobeats' appeal.

💡Nigerian diaspora

The Nigerian diaspora refers to the global community of Nigerians living outside of Nigeria. The script highlights the Nigerian diaspora as a crucial factor in the spread and popularity of Afrobeats. This widespread fan base has helped to promote Afrobeats in various parts of the world, contributing to the genre's international success.

💡Cultural influence

Cultural influence in the context of the video refers to the impact of African, specifically Nigerian, culture on global music trends. Afrobeats, as a genre, carries with it the cultural narratives and expressions of Nigeria, and its rise to prominence signifies a broader recognition and appreciation of African culture in the music industry.

💡Music industry

The music industry, as discussed in the script, encompasses the business aspects of music production, distribution, and monetization. The video addresses the challenges faced by Nigerian artists, such as piracy and limited access to international platforms like iTunes and Spotify, and how these factors have historically affected the industry's growth and artists' revenues.

💡Piracy

Piracy in the Nigerian music context refers to the unauthorized copying and distribution of music, often through street hawkers selling pirated CDs or digital downloads. The script points out that piracy is a significant issue in Nigeria, with the majority of music sales going to pirates rather than the artists, which has implications for the sustainability of the music industry and artists' livelihoods.

💡Streaming platforms

Streaming platforms like Spotify and iTunes are digital services that allow users to listen to music online. The video mentions that these platforms have been crucial for Afrobeats artists to reach global audiences and monetize their music. However, it also notes that these services face challenges in certain regions, such as Africa, due to payment rules and availability issues.

💡Universal Music

Universal Music is the world's largest music label, and the script discusses its recent expansion into Nigeria. The establishment of Universal Music's Nigerian branch signifies the recognition of the potential for growth in the African music market and the company's intention to develop a robust music distribution network within the continent.

💡Music distribution

Music distribution in the context of the video refers to the systems and channels through which music is made available to consumers. The script discusses the traditional informal distribution methods in Nigeria, such as street hawkers, and the potential for more formal and structured distribution networks to support artists and the music industry's growth.

💡African musicians

African musicians are the creators and performers of music from Africa, and the video emphasizes the potential for these artists to achieve success not only within Africa but also on the global stage. The rise of Afrobeats has opened doors for African musicians to collaborate with international artists and to reach wider audiences, which is seen as a positive development for the continent's cultural and economic growth.

Highlights

Drake's 'One Dance' featuring Wizkid helped bring Afrobeats to a global audience.

Afrobeats music is characterized by high-energy, autotune, and a constant percussive beat.

Afrobeats is more than music; it represents a cultural and technological revolution in pop music.

Afrobeats' rise is tied to Africa's growing cultural influence and its burgeoning music industry.

Wizkid is one of the biggest Afrobeats stars, contributing significantly to the genre's global reach.

SARZ, a top Afrobeats producer, has been instrumental in shaping the sound of Afrobeats.

Afrobeats is distinct from Afrobeat, which was Fela Kuti's jazz-style music in the 1970s.

Afrobeats lyrics typically focus on love, sex, and money, differing from the political themes of Afrobeat.

The beat is the driving force behind Afrobeats, designed to move and engage listeners.

Nigerian pop star Niniola's 'Maradona' is an example of a global Afrobeats hit.

Afrobeats has a universal appeal, allowing listeners worldwide to relate to its sound.

The Nigerian diaspora plays a crucial role in promoting Afrobeats globally.

YouTube, social media, and streaming platforms have been essential in spreading Afrobeats.

Music distribution in Nigeria is largely informal, with street hawkers selling pirated music.

Nigerian artists often rely on international success to earn income due to local piracy issues.

Universal Music's Nigerian branch aims to build a strong music distribution network in Africa.

The rise of Afrobeats indicates a readiness in global markets for more African music.

African musicians are poised to find success both within and outside the continent.

Transcripts

This is a song you already know.

It's "One Dance" by Drake, a huge hit from two years ago.

But pay attention to this part of it.

The guy singing is Wizkid. He's a Nigerian singer.

And this moment, when Wizkid sings on this track,

was a huge deal for a musical genre that is taking off all over the world.

It's called Afrobeats.

Afrobeats music is the sound of Lagos, Nigeria.

It's high-energy, autotune-heavy, with a constant percussive beat

and a sort of electro-hip-hop sound.

- Turn up!

But it's also way more than that.

Afrobeats is a story of a people, a sound,

and a technological revolution transforming pop music around the world.

It's the story of Africa's cultural influence, and its music industry, on the rise.

It's the story of how one country's music went global.

I'm Yomi Kazeem. This is Quartz.

This is Wizkid.

He's one of the biggest Afrobeats stars in the world.

And this is SARZ.

He's the brains behind a lot of Wizkid's hits, and a ton of other Nigerian pop hits.

He's been producing for a long time.

- When he performed the song, everyone went wild.

- So that was your first big hit?

- First smash hit, yeah.

Today, SARZ is one of the top Afrobeats producers out there,

and he's a big part of why Afrobeats sounds the way it does.

By the way: Afrobeats is not Afrobeat.

The S is important.

Afrobeat was Fela Kuti's big band, jazz-style, Afro-funk music in the 1970s.

Afrobeats is completely different.

It's electronic, catchy; the sound of urban millennial Africa.

And it isn't political:

Afrobeats lyrics are mostly about love, sex, and money.

SARZ says the secret weapon of Afrobeats is basically just one thing:

The beat.

- The beat just has to move you.

Nigerians are a very impatient people.

Once that rhythm stops, it's like "Hey, hey what's going on?"

One of the best examples is "Maradona" by Nigerian pop star Niniola.

"Maradona" was a global hit.

DJ Snake remixed it. And SARZ, of course, produced it.

He broke it down for us.

- I started this beat, I started with the drums.

And there's also this,

and obviously the kick drums.

This is the base line.

I think when I played the bass line, it just made everything come together.

Also, there are keys.

And, add her vocals to it,

and we have Maradona."

So, as African as this sounds, it also sounds universal, like anyone can hear this...

- ...And relate to it?

- And relate to it. And for me, that's a winner.

This is The Beat FM, a London radio station that plays almost entirely Afrobeats.

- We're still in the UK. This is Afrohits on The Beat London 103.6 FM. Keep it on The Beat! Let's go!

- As soon as it came, it just took over.

DBoy and Shopsy Doo are DJs here.

And they say this sound is everywhere in London.

- The only music they want to hear their parties, at their clubs, at their events, is African popular music, a.k.a. Afrobeats.

The Beat FM is owned by a Nigerian company.

Their sister station is one of the biggest stations in Lagos.

And if you ask these guys why Afrobeats is taking off in London, they say it comes down to something big.

Bigger than the music itself.

- I was born here. I went back to Nigeria when I was 11 years old.

And I came back when I was 18.

Afrobeats taps into one of the most loyal and widespread fan bases in the world:

the Nigerian diaspora.

Any place in the world where there are Nigerians, Afrobeats is big.

- The Nigerian diaspora is without a doubt the most important part of promoting Afrobeats to the rest of the world.

Afrobeats has only been able to spread around the world because of YouTube, and social media, and streaming platforms like Spotify and iTunes.

And that's done something really important for Afrobeats artists back in Nigeria.

It's allowed them to actually make money from selling their music.

- Do you have an iTunes account?

- No, I don't.

- Exactly.

Spotify isn't available in most of Africa.

And Nigeria is one of lots of countries where Apple's payment rules make iTunes almost impossible to use.

The main music distribution platform in Nigeria is this:

Street hawkers selling pirated music.

These guys can get you pretty much any of the hottest Afrobeats tracks.

- You have music?

In Lagos, Africa's biggest city, thousands of CDs like these are burned every day.

And when it isn't happening in the streets, it's happening online, where many young people download free music.

- Give me Tiwa Savage.

And while it's informal and unstructured, it's pretty effective.

These guys have found a way to distribute music to the whole country.

The problem is that it's terrible for artists.

So even as Nigeria's music scene flourishes, the money from sales goes to these guys: the pirates.

Which means that Nigerian artists who actually want to make money from sales have to get big abroad.

Otherwise, you can only really make money from concerts, weddings, ringback tones.

But that might be about to change.

- The root and the soul of the music is in Africa.

This is Ezegozie Eze.

He runs the Nigerian branch of the biggest music label in the world: Universal Music.

The Nigeria office is brand new. It just opened this summer.

Afrobeats showed Universal that there was money to be made in Nigeria.

- Twenty years from now, you'll have sounds coming from every corner of the continent. And that's when we'll have our industry.

Eze wants to build up a music distribution network in Africa that's so strong,

music won't have to travel to London, or to New York, for artists to make money.

African musicians could make money selling their music in Africa.

And for Universal, this is bigger than just Afrobeats.

- We have so many different sounds, so many different markets, and we still need to connect to each other.

Eze says a continent with more than 54 countries, with over a billion people shouldn't be reduced to selling one sound.

And that's what Afrobeats has unlocked.

There's a lot more going on musically in Africa than just Afrobeats.

And if Eze and Universal succeed, it won't just be about getting Afrobeats singers to partner with big American artists.

It'll be about empowering all African musicians to find success anywhere.

Because if the rise of Afrobeats proves anything,

it's that markets from Lagos to London are ready for more.

- Right now, more than ever, it's cool to be African.

- Wakanda forever.

Have you heard the Afrobeats sound in any of the music you listened to?

Tell us about it in the comments.

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