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FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI ( FOUNDER OF AFROBEAT)



 FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI





His music and outspokenenness made Fela a hero to Africa's poor, but he would pay a high price for his insurrectionary micro-republic, which was repeatedly raided, and he and his followers would be arrested and beaten. In early 1977, the military junta had had enough – Fela's record Zombie, mocking the army's do-as-you're-told mentality, may have been the tipping point for head of state General Obasanjo, who had once been in the same primary school class as Fela. A thousand soldiers overwhelmed Kalakuta, brutalising and raping as they went, then razing the compound to the ground. Fela was beaten close to death, and his elderly mother thrown from an upstairs window, afterwards dying of her injuries.

Fela defiantly established a short-lived political party and continued to spar with the authorities. "ITT (International Thief Thief)", for example, deplored the exploitation of Africa by multinationals. Increasingly, he carried his music and message to an international audience, though the west's media acclaim was never matched by record sales or stadium concerts. Tours that entailed a 50-strong entourage and albums of 20-minute songs didn't help. Nor did his imprisonment for two years on trumped-up currency charges on the eve of a 1984 world tour. Later still, Fela became a student of the spirit, only leaving home to play twice a week at the Shrine.

At his death from an Aids-related illness at the age of 58 in 1997 Fela left behind seven children, 50-odd albums and a musical legacy that has been kept fiercely alive by his sons Femi and Seun, and by his erstwhile drummer Tony Allen, who last month celebrated his 70th birthday with an all-star concert in London. Belatedly, Afrobeat has become a cause célèbre among young European and American music fans.

Yet the most surprising aspect of Fela's afterlife arrived two years back when the biographical musical Fela! became the unexpected toast first of off-Broadway and then Broadway itself, garnering rave reviews and a string of awards. Never able to conquer the United States while alive, Fela Kuti had finally been taken to its cultural heart, captivating a new generation of black luminaries such as Jay-Z (one of the show's co-producers) and Alicia Keys.

TOP 10 AFROBEAT PRODUCER

 

  • Kiddominant. 
  • Shizzi
  • Kel P. 
  • P2J. 
  • E-Kelly
  • Sarz. S
  • Guilty Beatz. 
  • LegenduryBeatz. 
  • REXXIE
  • KELLP
  • Pheelz

AFROBEAT NEW SCHOOL ARTISTS

 CKAY







His Real Name Is Chukwuka Ekweani But He Goes By The Professional Name, Ckay Yo. He Is A Famous Nigerian Singer, Songwriter, And Record Producer. Ckay Was Born On The 16Th Of July 1995 To The Family Of Mr. And Mrs. Ekweani In The Ancient City Of Kaduna. The 26-Year-Old Ckay Yo Was Introduced To Music When He Was Seven By His Father Who Was A Choir Conductor.His Debut Single Nkechi Turn Up Was Released In November 2016. The Next Year, He Launched His Debut Ep Titled #Wtfickay. The Ep Consisted Of Five Songs That Featured Various Music Artists. In The Next Two Years, He Has Released A Few More Singles. Finally, He Published His Debut Album Ckay The First That Consisted Of His Breakthrough Single Love Nwantiti. Primarily, The Song Received Popularity In African Countries. However, It Began To Reach A Wider Audience Beyond Africa. 

On Top Of This, It Earned More Popularity When The Song Became A Tiktok Trend. Many People Began To Make Tons Of Videos & The Song Keeps Getting More Popular.With The Success Of The Song, Ckay Made Numerous Remixes Of The Song That Included A French Remix, A North African Remix, Etc. In These Remixes, He Has Featured Various Music Artists As Well. In 2021, He Launched His Second Studio Album Named Boyfriend & The Album Consisted Of Seven Songs.

FIREBOY






Adedamola Adefolahan, Popularly Called Fireboy Or Fireboy Dml, Is A Fast-Rising Nigerian Afro-Life Singer. The Talented Singer, Presumably Born In 1996, Has Made A Name For Himself In The Nigerian Music Industry.While You May Be Able To Attach Fireboy Dml To His Breakout Song, Jealous, 

Fireboy Dml Released His Debut Studio Album Titled Laughter, Tears, And Goosebumps On The 29Th Of November 2019. It Was Initially Scheduled For Release On 25 November. The Album’s Music Is A Mixture Of R&B That Combines With Love And Social Issues. The Album Comprises 13 Tracks With No Features No Guest Artist; It Was Well Received And Got Over 6 Million Streams On Spotify Within Three Days After Its Release. It Received A Lot Of Positive Reviews From Fans And Bloggers But Was Criticized For Being Labeled An “Afro-Life” Record Instead Of An R&B Album. The Album Was Supported By Some Of His Previously Released Singles Like “Jealous”, “What If I Say” And “King”

REMA















Rema – Divine Ikubor Is Popularly Known As Rema, Is A Nigerian Singer And Rapper, He Was Born On The 1St Of May 2000. In 2019, He Signed A Record Deal With Jonzing World, A Subsidiary Of Mavin Records. He Rose To Prominence With The Release Of The Song “Iron Man”, Which Appeared On Barack Obama’s 2019 Summer Playlist. Rema Was Born Into A Highly Spiritual Christian Family In Benin City, Edo State Nigeria. Rema Grew Up Singing And Rapping While In Secondary School. He Attended His Primary And Secondary School In Edo State.

On 19 October 2019, Rema Won Next Rated And Later Was Nominated For Viewer’s Choice At The 13Th Edition Of The Headies. On 12 January 2020, He Received The Souncity Mvp Award For Thebest New Artist. On 15 June 2020, Rema Was Nominated As Best Viewers Choice: International Act On The 2020 Bet Awards. He Was Nominated On The Awards Alongside Burna Boy And Wizkid, They Were The Only Nigerian Artistes Nominated For The Awards Edition Of 2020.

JOEBOY










Born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa On The 21St Of May 1997 In Lagos, Nigeria Is This New Age Top Talent That Has Warmed His Way Into The Hearts Of Many Nigerians. He Grew Up In Lagos And Developed A Passion For Singing And Songwriting. He Is A Graduate, As He Holds A Bachelors’s Degree In Human Resource Management From The University Of Lagos. His Big Break Happened In March 2019, When He Released Baby, And It Gathered Over 20 Million Views On Youtube, With The Visuals Recording Over 31 Million Views On Youtube. He Followed This Great Success By Recording Another Song Beginning In August 2019, And This Song Had Views Exceeding 21 Million On Youtube. In November 2019, He Released His Extended Playlist (Ep), Where He Included His Hit Songs And Also Featured Another Popular Nigerian Artiste, Mayorkun.

As A Result Of His Tenacity And Success In The Nigerian Music Industry, He Has Been Nominated And Has Won Some Awards Like Best Pop At The 2020 Soundcity Mvp Awards, Best Artiste In African Pop At The 2019 All Africa Music Awards. His Inspirations Are 9Ice And Id Cabasa, Two Nigerian Artists Who Allowed Him To Learn Under Their Wings. He Was One Of The 10,000 Applicants From 14 African Countries That Applied To The Empawa Africa Scholarship Created By Mr. Eazi. He Was Part Of The 100 Recipients Who Received $3,000, And With His Money, He Released A Song Called Faaji, Which Allowed Him To Become A Mentor At A Music Training Camp Organized By Empawa Africa In South Africa. His Genres Of Music Are Afrobeats And Contemporary R & B




AFRICAN ARTISTS WHO HAS WON GRAMMY AWARD

 1. Ali Farka Touré - 3 Grammys

The self-taught Malian guitarist and songwriter won his first Grammy in 1995 in the ‘Best World Music Album’ category for his album ‘Talking Timbuktu

2. Owuor Arunga - 3 Grammys

This Coke Studio artiste rose to fame in Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ‘Thrift Shop’ for his trumpeting skills which were utilised in many parts of the group’s 2014 album ‘The Heist’.
‘Thrift Shop’ carried a Grammy for ‘Best Rap Song’ and ‘Best Rap Performance' while ‘The Heist’ carried the day for ‘Best Rap Album

3.  Angélique Kidjo - 3 Grammys

Known for her versatile music, the Beninese vocal-powerhouse is fluent inFon, French, Yorùbá and English languages which she utilises in her songs. But despite being fluent in 4 languages, she does not stop there as she provides something for her East African fans with ‘Malaika’ which is sung in Kiswahili.

4.Wizkid - 1 Grammy

Wizkid was nominated for the Best Global Music Performance alongside other African superstars, including Femi Kuti, Burna Boy, Terms and Angelique Kidjo.The Nigerian Afrobeat Star’s album Made In Lagos was nominated for Best Global Music Album at the 64th Grammy Award show. He faces competition from Femi Kuti and Made Kuti’s Legacy +, Angelique Kidjo’s Mother Nature and Rocky Dawumi’s Voice of Bunbon Volume I

5. Burnaboy -1 Grammy

African Giant Burna Boy also fetched a nomination in the 2022 Grammy Awards. He was nominated in the Best Global Music Performance category for his collaboration with Angelique Kidjo alongside Femi Kuti’s Pa Pa Pa and Wizkid and Terms song Essence. Wizkid and Burna Boy won their first-ever Grammy at the 2021 Awards. Burna Boy clinched the Best World Music category award with his Twice As Tall album. 

AMERICAN ARTISTS WHO HAS FEATURED ON AFROBEATS


1. Beyonce And Various Artists – The Lion King: The Gift15. The Very Best Featuring Ezra Koenig – Warm Heart Of Africa

2. Davido And Chris Brown – Blow My Mind

3. Wizkid Featuring Drake – Come Closer

4. Diamond Platnumz Featuring Omarion – African Beauty

5. French Montana Featuring Swae Lee – Unforgettable

6. Taj Mahal & Toumani Diabate – Creole Belle

7. Fela Kuti And Roy Ayers – 2,000 Blacks Got To Be Free

8. Paul Simon And Ladysmith Mambazo- Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes

9. Harry Belafonte And Miriam Makeba – Malaika

10. Sauti Sol Featuring India Arie – My Everything

11. Stonebwoy Featuring Keri Hilson – Nominate

12. P-Square Featuring Rick Ross – Beautiful Onyinye

13. One8 Featuring R Kelly – Hands Across The World

14. Lisa Simone, Dianne Reeves, Lizz Wright, Angélique Kidjo – Four Women

15. The Very Best Featuring Ezra Koenig – Warm Heart Of Africa






AFROBEATS GENESIS

Afrobeat is a music genre that involves the combination of elements of West Africa musical styles such as juju, fuji and highlife with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion. Afro beat was originated by a Nigerian musician Fela Aníkúlápó-Kuti, who began his career playing in an array of African highlife and jazz bands, absorbed the sounds of soul, jazz, soca =and rhythm and blues during various tours of America and the United Kingdom. He then unleashed this formidable creation in his band, Nigeria 70 (later Africa 70), debuting his unique new musical style in the early 1970s.

His music and outspokenness made Fela a hero to Africa's poor, but he would pay a high price for his insurrectionary micro-republic, which was repeatedly raided, and he and his followers would be arrested and beaten. In early 1977, the military junta had had enough – Fela's record Zombie, mocking the army's do-as-you're-told mentality, may have been the tipping point for head of state General Obasanjo, who had once been in the same primary school class as Fela. A thousand soldiers overwhelmed Kalakuta, brutalising and raping as they went, then razing the compound to the ground. Fela was beaten close to death, and his elderly mother thrown from an upstairs window, afterwards dying of her injuries.


10 Afrobeat Artists who has shut down the 02 Arena London

 D BANJ






Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo popularly know as D’banj born 9 June 1980 is a Nigerian musician he is also known as koko master. He has achieved critical acclaim with his success in music-making. The award-winning superstar is considered one of the pioneers of Afrobeats and is one of the most influential celebrities in Africa, and the rest of the world. D’banj dropped out of university twice, once from Lagos State University and a second time from a university in London. He met Don Jazzy while working as a night guard in London in the early 2000s. He, Don Jazzy and JJC Skillz formed a group called 419 Squad.
D’banj and Don Jazzy returned to Lagos, Nigeria, in 2004. They formed their joint-owned record label Mo’ Hits Records that year. They also released the evergreen single “Tongolo”, which D’Banj’s mom allegedly paid for.He released three studio albums under Mo’ Hits record label and one compilation album as well. In 2012, he and Don Jazzy went their separate ways in a highly publicised controversial manner. D’banj went ahead to found DB Records, signing his younger brother, K-Switch (or KaySwitch as an artist). During the course of his music career, Dbanj has won at least 29 major awards from reputable award events.



2FACE IDIBIA










 

Innocent Utah Idibia (September 18, 1975) popularly known by his stage name  is a Nigerian-born Afrobeat singer, musician, songwriter, producer, and philanthropist. He is also an entrepreneur, humanitarian and social activist. He is said to be one of the most celebrated singers in the African music industry. He was the first winner of MTV Europe. 2Face moved to Lagos state with Faze (Chibuzor Orji) and Blackface (Ahmedu Augustine) and the trio formed the 'Plantashun Boiz' band. The band released 2 albums Body and Soul and Sold Out in 2000 and 2003, respectively. 2Face launched his debut solo album, Face 2 Face which established him as a productive and talented solo artist. The success of the album will largely be credited to the popular hit track, African Queen.He released his second album Grass 2 Grace in 2006 and in 2007, the band of three came back together to record their third and last album, Plan B.


WIZKID 















WIZKID Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun is a Nigerian singer and songwriter born in Lagos Nigeria.  He began recording music at the age of 11, He is considered to be one of the three top Afro beat artiste in Africa at the moment. WIZKID first single was released 2009 which was “Holla at your boy” the single gave him a glorious breakthrough which lead to his album “SUPER STAR” which was released 2010. WIZKID was the first Nigerian artiste to sell out the London 02 Arena in 2018 with 20,000 capacity when he had his Afro Republik concert.

















David Adedeji Adeleke born November 21, 1992, better known as Davido, is an American-born Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Davido was born in Atlanta, US, and raised in Lagos; he made his music debut as a member of the music group KB International. He studied business administration at Oakwood University before dropping out to make beats and record vocal references. Davido rose to fame after releasing "Dami Duro", the second single from his debut studio album Omo Baba Olowo (2012), from which six additional singles—"Back When", "Ekuro", "Overseas", "All of You", "Gbon Gbon", and "Feel Alright"—were taken.