Afrobeat music has gained a wide range of coverage despite being a ‘West African thing’. Today even the western world emulates a thing or two from this genre to spice up their style of music, hence afrobeat music from Nigeria to the world.
The afrobeat music is a genre of music that is superfluously unique on its own. It comprises of more than one genre of music – an incorporation of highlife music, fuji, jazz, soul and funk music.
GROWTH OF AFROBEAT MUSIC FROM NIGERIA TO THE WORLD
We can’t talk about the growth of afrobeat music from Nigeria to the world without tracing its origin and acknowledging its pioneer. The afrobeat music could be traced as far back as the 19th century, known for its first mention in the 1960s.
The legendary Fela Kuti played an integral role towards the development of this genre of music in Nigeria, with the help of his band ‘Africa 70’.
Through his style of music, he popularized the afrobeat music from Nigeria to the world at large. And today, upcoming artists including international artists within and outside Nigeria get their inspiration and fuzz from the sounds made by this legendary.
The basics of the afrobeat music is politics. Why is that? Its founder Fela Kuti, as a result of his quest for social change used this sound for social criticism.
Confronting the then Nigerian government and governments of some other African countries. As a result, the genre gained a widespread across the African continent and other bands began to pick up the style.
THE BEAUTY IN AFROBEAT MUSIC
The alluring site of a well-prepared meals makes your mouth jitter and salivate to want to have a taste. And when you finally get a taste, you begin to wonder the magic put together to make the meal taste so nice. That’s the exact feeling you get from the aesthetically values of the afrobeat music.
Aside the good sounds and lyrics it provides, a lot of effort have been put together to make sure it comes out best. With the aid of these instruments; bass guitar, congas, drums, guitar, horns, Hammond organ keyboard, percussion saxophone, shekere and vocals you can have yourself a good mix of sounds to produce a well-meaning Afrobeat music.
To add to the list, it doesn’t just stop there with the instruments. As afrobeat music is the combination of 4 or more other genres of music like the jazz, funk, soul, highlife, and the fuji music giving it a sense of the traditional African harmonies and rhythm.
What about the costumes that accompanies this emotionally powerful genre of music?
The costumes are greatly influenced from the mode of dressing of its influencer Fela Kuti whose dress sense were a mirror of his political views and he saw fashion as a way of influencing politics.
And today, most artist when performing the afrobeat just like Fela Kuti appear shirtless in a tight skinned pant made with the African fabric with the motive to project the African culture.
ARTIST TAKING AFROBEAT MUSIC FROM NIGERIA TO THE WORLD
Nigeria is not just known to be the giant of Africa but also Africa’s number one leader of entertainment in music and film. Its music has gone beyond boarders, piercing the hearts of so many nations as a result of the quality of music its artists dish out to the public year in year out.
The country has produced numerous international stars not just in the music industry but the entirety of the entertainment industry especially in the afrobeat genre of music.
The year 2019 was a big hit as Beyoncé rocketed the afrobeat music into the mainstream US music scene by releasing the ‘Lion King’ soundtrack.Ffeaturing African artists like Wizkid, Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Yemi Alade, Busiswa and Salatiel, as well as appearances from Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, Childish Gambino, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Tierra Whack, 070 Shake, and Jessie Reyez amongst others.
Since then, Other Afrobeat stars, including Tiwa Savage, Davido, and Tekno, have signed on with major US labels. These stars such as Davido, Yemi Alade, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid and the likes of so many others are making waves in the music industry.
How The Contributed To The Growth of Afrobeat From Nigeria To The World
They have generated millions of views and streams over the years as a result of continuous supply of hit songs with local and international collaborations. With Burna Boy winning the BET award as the Best International Art of the year 2020 and the Grammy award as the Best Global Music Album for his album ‘Twice as Tall’ in the year 2021. It has gained the Nigerian entertainment industry the platform for more international collaborations with international artists.
Irrespective of other genres of music like the highlife music, fuji, jazz, the Nigerian pop culture has experienced a paradigm shift.
And the afrobeat music is responsible for this shift as it stands out amongst others. This genre does not just project the aesthetical values of the African culture. But as well as serves as a medium of unifying people of different skin color, language, race and background by just speaking the language of music.
Let’s hear your views on the growth of Afrobeat music from Nigeria to The World, and how this genre hits you differently.
Please leave them in the comment section.
