Tag: afrobeat

Ahead of Fela Kuti’s Birthday, Author Nels Abbey and Nigerians Worldwide Capture Nigeria With Songs and Stories

September 27, 2021

Get ready to Fela-brate! Throughout October, Spotify Africa is taking part in Nigeria’s celebration month, which encompasses the birthday of acclaimed Nigerian artist and human rights activist Fela Kuti and Nigeria’s 61st Independence Day. The month-long festivities serve as a reminder of the artist’s leadership and activism in Nigeria and offer a time to reflect, rejoice, and remember. In the spirit of Felabration, Spotify teamed up with creators from across the country to explore Kuti’s influence and to unpack the many facets of being Nigerian.

First, it’s important to understand Kuti’s impact on the local and global music scene. In the late 1960s, he pioneered a new musical blend of highlife, funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and traditional Yoruba music into what’s called Afrobeat—a vibrant genre that continues to flourish today. To honor his legacy, in 1998, his daughter Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti started an annual music festival called Felabration in memory and celebration of her father.

To further the celebration, we partnered with HarperCollins Publishers on a playlist takeover by the acclaimed authors of Of This Our Country, a landmark collection of personal essays from a mix of 24 prize-winning and emerging Nigerian writers, to be published September 30. In their essays, authors Nels Abbey, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chigozie Obioma, and more share their memories and experiences of Nigeria.

Spotify worked with the authors to take over Black to the Future, a Spotify-curated playlist exploring Afro-futurism and the role Black creators around the world play within music that lasts until the end of October. As Nigeria celebrates their Independence Day, the authors of the anthology Of This Our Country explore the past, present, and future of Nigeria through its music. Featuring artists from political giants like Fela Kuti to social stalwarts like Davido, Black to the Future is a looking glass into the future through the past.

To build the tracklist, each writer handpicked a song to include that speaks to their idea of Nigeria. Writer Oyin Akande chose the modern hit “Gbona” by singer-songwriter Burna Boy, sharing, “Burna Boy always gets me dancing, but this song speaks directly to the culture of gbedu.” Gbedu is a large traditional Yoruba drum often used in Fela’s songs, and the word has since evolved to describe Afrobeat music.

But many of the authors stuck with classics. Poet Inua Ellams explained that his choice, “Ja Funmi” by beloved jùjú singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist King Sunny Ade, evokes precious memories. “It takes me back to parties and gatherings in my youth; my sisters and I running between the adults as they grooved slowly, tipsy, and carefree,” Inua shared.

It’s not easy to pin down or define Nigeria in an essay or a song, but together the words and rhythms paint a rich picture. To get a sneak peek at the far-reaching collection and takeover playlist, For the Record spoke with British-Nigerian satirist and author of Think Like a White Man, Nels Abbey, about his essay in the upcoming collection, the role of music in his writing, and the unique force that was Fela Kuti. 

Of This Our Country’s summary reads, “To define Nigeria is to tell a half-truth. Many have tried, but most have concluded that it is impossible to capture the true scope and significance of Africa’s most populous nation through words or images.” Why did you want to take on the challenge? 

Nigeria is hard to capture because we all have unique relationships with her. I was eager to offer some insight into my relationship with Nigeria, what she means to me, and how she shaped my life—for better and for worse.

I want readers to obtain a front-row observation of the dashed hopes and dreams and realized fears and tears as well as the dramedy that was Nigeria, from my viewpoint, during the last year of the Babangida era and the entire Abacha era.

How would you describe your relationship to Nigeria? How has it evolved over the years?

I would describe my relationship with Nigeria as: 40% unconditional love, 25% “I miss home; I cannot wait to go back!”, and 20% “Why am I doing this to myself again? Home is London, not Nigeria! I cannot wait to leave!’’ The final 15% is where there is room for evolution . . . and perhaps even the occasional revolution.

Like all deep relationships, my beautifully complicated relationship with Nigeria evolves and revolves. 

Did you listen to any music when writing? Do any particular songs help you work or fuel your creative process? 

I am a metaphor- and simile-heavy writer, so I occasionally listen to music to get me in the mood to write or to inspire thought. Flavour N’abania, old-school Ice Cube, Nas, Talib Kweli, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Project Pat, JAY-Z, DaVido, Burna Boy, and, of course, Fela Kuti are some of my go-to people to help me write.

What is your relationship to Fela Kuti? Did his music influence your point of view or your relationship with Nigeria?

Fela Kuti was a thinking person’s musician. He was so deep and always ahead of his time. Much of what he said on records remains true till this very day. But beyond a source of information and absolutely fantastic music, he was a source of pride and inspiration. Fela’s music breeds bravery and determination.

Why did you choose the song “Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am” by Fela Kuti for the Black to the Future playlist? What does the song mean to you?

It is a perfectly Nigerian song. It speaks to the reality of Nigerian life. Everything can be going perfectly well and then . . . BOOM! It all comes crashing down. And when it does, things somehow manage to get worse. But through it all we still find a way to laugh and smile. Our humanity always shines through.  

How would you describe Nigerian music and artists’ influence on the global music scene?

 Nigerian music is the rejected stone that became the cornerstone of popular music. The influence is so vast that to take Nigerian music away you have an entirely different landscape. Fela Kuti, Sade Adu, Labi Siffre, Akinyele, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, Majek Fashek, Don Jazzy, Ayinla Kollington, King Sunny Ade, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Iyanya, Obesere (local children at my school in Abeokuta used to pay me 50 kobo a pop for what they clearly considered to be the sheer hilarity of hearing me sing Obesere’s songs in my English accent)—the list is endless. Nigerian music is world-beating for great reason—it is essential.

Start the Felabration early and listen to the official Of This Our Country takeover of the playlist Black to the Future now through the end of October. Stay tuned for the release of the collection on September 30, and more celebratory news to come.

How Who We Be, Altar, and Our Generation Are Propelling UK and Irish Artists to the Top

February 8, 2021

Spotify’s editorial playlists are full of musical collections that fans won’t find anywhere else. Some of these playlists follow moods, while others contain songs curated for a specific genre—many of these playlists highlight emerging artists and help them connect their music with new audiences.

In the UK and Ireland, three flagship playlists are particularly influential. Listeners can find the UK’s biggest rap, grime, R&B, Afrobeat, and dancehall hits on Who We Be. Altar is the destination for the best electronic dance music. And for those looking to experience new and emerging genreless sounds, the Our Generation playlist contains some of the most exciting emerging acts on the UK and Irish scenes.

In 2020, many fans discovered new artists through these lists, and the proof is in the numbers. Read on to learn about some of the standout artists who saw success on these playlists last year. 

Who We Be

The Who We Be playlist has grown significantly since its launch in 2016, and it now has over half a million fiercely loyal and engaged followers. One of the playlist’s biggest breakthroughs in 2020 was Central Cee. The West London rapper commanded more than 200,000 streams from the Who We Be playlist alone, and he saw almost instant success with his single “Day In The Life.” Since he joined the Who We Be Community, the artist’s followers on Spotify have grown by almost 359%.

S1mba is another rapper who made waves last year with his debut single, “Rover (feat. DTG),” which peaked at number two in the UK Top 40 in April. The Zimbabwean-born Londoner is the 15th-most-streamed artist overall on the playlist, and since “Rover” was released, he has seen a 16,435% rise in listens.

After being featured on Who We Be, Tiana Blake’s “Cut Ties” became the best-performing traditional R&B track from a British artist on the playlist. The track went on to make waves in other global Spotify playlists, such as Chilled R&B, and saw a 159% rise in streams.

Altar

Dance and Electronic music isn’t going anywhere. If you need proof, look no further than the Altar playlist, which saw a 193% increase in listens in 2020. One of the biggest artist breakthroughs of 2020 was award-winning producer Fred Gibson, who released tracks under his alias, Fred again... The artist’s unique sound blends raw vocal samples with club-ready euphoria and has been a hit with the Altar audience; they’ve made him one of the top 20 most-streamed artists on the playlist last year.

TSHA was the third-most-streamed UK female on the playlist in 2020. She saw an increase in year-on-year streams of 134%. TSHA’s single “Change” with Gabrielle Aplin, which was recorded at a Spotify Song Writing Camp in 2019, became one of the top-100-streamed tracks from Altar in 2020. 

In May, one of Europe’s most exciting DJs and producers, India Jordan, launched their genre-defining EP For You. Two of the tracks, “For You” and “I’m Waiting,” were featured on the Altar playlist, and over the course of the year, their streams increased by 388%. India was also one of Spotify’s RADAR first listen artists in 2020.

Our Generation

Genreless playlists are growing in popularity around the world, and the case is no different for Our Generation. The playlist, which surfaces the new wave of artists emerging across the UK and Irish musical landscape, saw an 18% increase in streams in 2020. With playlist takeovers from some of the most exciting breakthrough artists on the scene, including beabadoobee, Thomas Headon, and Biig Piig, the home of genre-defying artists has driven huge discovery for fans this year.

Our Generation played an influential role in elevating many artists, including rising star Holly Humberstone, who has grown her audience to over 2 million monthly listeners since her first release, “Deep End,” was added to the playlist in early 2020. 

Other acts that saw great first-time success include Tayo Sound, who was busking on the streets of Reading less than a year before making it onto the cover of the Our Generation playlist in May 2020. His hits “Cold Feet” and “Heartbreaker” were two of the most-streamed tracks on the playlist in 2020, and overall his streams soared by more than 1,000% in the last six months. 

Kamal, an 18-year-old London alternative R&B star, secured the second-most-streamed track on Our Generation with “homebody” after he was featured on his first Spotify playlist cover art in early 2020. Since then, the artist has seen an 84% growth in listens.

With a new year comes more new music. Follow these playlists to discover the latest finds when it comes to emerging artists and hit tracks.

Spotify’s Virtual Notting Hill Carnival Microsite Amplifies Black Creators Like Never Before

August 19, 2020

London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival is a 54-year-old celebration of the United Kingdom’s Caribbean community, and it’s often filled with parades, food, and, of course, music. Due to this year’s social distancing recommendations, the Carnival’s in-person events are on hold, but the art and culture of the U.K.’s Black creative community can be heard just as loudly as Notting Hill Carnival goes online. As an official partner for Notting Hill Carnival 2020, Spotify is excited to share our dedicated Carnival microsite, with a full virtual musical lineup, playlist takeovers, art experiences, and more.

That’s right: The party isn’t stopping; it’s just moving from the streets into your home. Our new microsite is filled with playlist takeovers from big names, and it gives fans a chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems and on-the-road DJs who spin dub, reggae, soca, soulful house and everything in between. Plus, we’ll be featuring an exclusive portrait and film gallery from renowned photographer Ekua King, podcast episodes covering Carnival’s rich history and a look forward, and ways to tune into live events throughout the weekend.

“Notting Hill Carnival is such an important celebration of Caribbean heritage for communities in London and beyond—enriched in tradition and activism and lived through music and dance,” says Sulinna Ong, Head of Music at Spotify U.K. and Ireland. “While it can’t take place in its usual way, it’s key that the celebration continue—in homes, living rooms and gardens—especially given the current climate.”

Learn how you can celebrate Carnival through some of Spotify’s microsite features.

Playlist takeovers

We’ve worked with some of the U.K.’s leading Black creators in music, film, and entertainment to help guide fans through some of our most popular playlists, which will be dedicated to Notting Hill Carnival for the long weekend event. Fans can enjoy:

  • Lockdown success story No Signal’s take on Who We Be, the U.K.’s biggest hip-hop, Afrobeat, dancehall and R&B playlist
  • The legendary Marleys, who will help fans jam along to One Love
  • Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s compilation of tunes for Throwback Thursday
  • Everything from reggae legends to the new school as Koffee introduces our Irie playlist
  • Spice, the Jamaican dancehall artist and star of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’s Dancehall Queen takeover

Notting Hill Carnival sound systems

Our microsite also gives fans the chance to explore over 40 of the official Notting Hill Carnival sound systems (aka large DJ booths) and on-the-road DJs. Check in with King Tubby’s, Carnival’s oldest sound; Rampage Sound, one of Carnival’s most coveted spots, the prince of U.K. soca, Martin Jay; and even Carnival’s only all-female sound system, Seduction City Sound.

“Last year I celebrated 25 years of being the only female sound system in Carnival,” says Lady Banton of Seduction City Sound. “I’m a woman and a Black woman, and I’m proud to be a Black woman. I’m also a child of the Windrush generation, so we never forget. I thought, ‘What a relief I am here again.’”

Exclusive photo and film gallery from Ekua King

Just as the in-person Carnival has music and art to boot, so will the microsite, thanks to exclusive work from Ekua King. The renowned London-based photographer of Jamaican heritage who shoots for the likes of i-D, Paper, and Vogue, has created an exclusive photo and film gallery on the site. Check out her stunning portraiture of the over 40 sound systems and on-the-road DJs, whose stories come to life through her shots.

Harry Pinero and Henrie Celebrate Black Music and Culture on the Latest Season of “Who We Be TALKS_”

July 8, 2020

What happens when you combine the most relevant topics in Black culture, a Spotify playlist with over 600,000 followers, and two hosts who can find humor in just about anything? You get Who We Be TALKS_—the podcast partner to the UK’s biggest rap, grime, R&B, and Afrobeat playlist, Who We Be. The show, which has been running since 2018, recently launched its latest season with two exciting new hosts: Harry Pinero and Henrie.

The weekly podcast celebrates Black music and culture by offering insights directly from the people who help shape it. The episodes, which are recorded on Mondays and drop the next day, are centered around the hot topics of the moment. Each week, the duo is joined by a special guest, and together they share their unique perspectives on the most pressing issues in Black music and culture today.

We caught up with Harry and Henrie to talk about how they’re using their platform to amplify Black voices and why they choose to approach difficult topics with humor.

Who We Be TALKS_ goes hand in hand with the Who We Be playlist. Why is it not enough to just listen to the music? Why do we need both the playlist and the podcast in tandem?

Henrie: We can’t talk about Black music without talking about Black culture: They go hand in hand. It’s something that I think we all talk about without even thinking about.

Harry: The artists create music, but they all have a story. I think the podcast gives artists room to be themselves without being filtered. Some of the artists that have come on the show, Tion Wayne and Big Zuu for example, probably spoke more in-depth than they ever have because our platform is set up for them to do that.

Why do you think it’s important to have a playlist like Who We Be that combines music from Black creators across genres including rap, grime, R&B, and Afrobeat?

Harry: I think for a long time a lot of the Black genres have been umbrellaed under one category: urban. But it’s more than just that. The Who We Be playlist highlights dance, soul, Afrobeat, rap, trap music individually. It puts everything in one place where people can listen to so many different genres.

How have you switched up Who We Be TALKS_ for the new season?

Henrie: We’re now making it more about culture—it’s not just about music and the artist. When we talk to artists, yes, we talk about their latest project or song, but we get their take on what’s happening right now as well. When we had Tion Wayne in, he talked about Black Lives Matter. I think that is incredible to see something like that because you now get a different script of the artist. 

How else are you addressing the Black Lives Matter movement and tying together current events and music?

Henrie: If you’re interested in the music, then of course you’re going to be interested in what’s happening with Black Lives Matter, because the music is reflective of Black lives. 

Harry: When you strip away the job titles of artists or creatives, at the end of the day, these are Black people who are dealing with racial injustice. These are real emotions that they’re feeling. I think that anyone that comes on the show, White or Black, will want to talk about these things, because it’s affecting all of us. What we, and Spotify, are trying to accomplish here is celebrating our culture and saying that we are stronger together than we are against each other.

What do you think is comedy’s role in pushing some of these really important, serious conversations?

Henrie: Comedy plays an important role because even though life is serious, I don’t take life too seriously. I think that finding the lighthearted factor in these times is something that Black people just do really well.

Harry: I agree. I watched Dave Chappelle’s special “8:46,” which was very deep but also very funny. I respect Dave Chappelle because he’s got that balance where he can touch on very technical issues while still finding the humor. 

What are you hoping to bring to Who We Be TALKS_ that you’ve learned from your other work?

Henrie: I do quite a few things at the moment, including No Signal Radio, which recently announced a partnership with Spotify. That show has taught me a lot about myself. Because it’s Black radio, I don’t have to filter what I say or who I am. But at the same time, I don’t necessarily have to have an opinion there. On Who We Be TALKS_, it’s a part of the show. We need to have an opinion, and everybody gets to share theirs whether or not we agree with each other. 

Harry: I started my career on social media talking about real-life issues in the funniest way possible. Then I began hosting events, including one for Spotify. After I did the BET Awards and the BRIT Awards, I started to become more interested in music professionally. Now when I sit down and I talk to people in the music industry, it’s helping me broaden my understanding of the scene. I’m still learning every day.

What do you hope listeners will take away from the show?

Henrie: It’s not really meant to be rigid conversations. It’s meant to be how you would just chat with your friends if you went to their house. I want the audience to imagine us as their friends. See it as being an inclusive conversation as opposed to just an interview.

Harry: I want people to learn from these episodes. I want people to be inspired, to want to chase their dreams, to listen to music, and for artists to get streams. But I also want people to know that just because it’s Black culture doesn’t mean it’s just for Black people. There are a lot of different cultures within Black culture, and I hope this show is a place where anyone who’s interested in any of its many aspects can go to listen to their favorite artist, discover, and learn new things. 

Who We Be TALKS_ is available to stream exclusively on Spotify. Check out the first episode of the latest season, featuring rapper Tion Wayne, below.