Historical Afrobeats research

What is Afrobeats?

 Afrobeats was originated from the southern part of Nigeria 1960. It is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, jazz, high life  funk, and chanted vocals mixed with percussion and vocal styles, this style of music was only popularized in Africa in the 1970's.The most popular instrument out of all others involved with Afrobeats is the famous African drums. Afrobeats features chants, call-and-response vocals, and complex, interacting rhythms.

 

 It's Founder (1960's)

Its key leader and founder was the famous Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti. He was the original founder of this style of music, he gave it it's name. He came up with this style by experimenting with different types of contemporary music until finally he had stumbled upon Afrobeats. He used it to revolutionize musical structure as well as the political context in his native Nigeria. It was Kuti who first used the term "afrobeats" after his return from a American tour with his group Nigeria '70 (or originally known as Koola Lobitos).This new style of music emerged from a club that he established called the Afro-Shrine. Upon arriving in Nigeria, Kuti also changed the name of his group to Africa '70. The band maintained a five-year residency in the Afro-Shrine from 1970-1975 while Afrobeats became popular among Nigerian youth. 

 

Today

As a result of it's founder Fela Kuti, Afrobeats has become widespread and is more popular in countries such as England and America. As a result of Afrobeats becoming popular it has been involved with other genres like hip-hop, gospel, makossa, galala. Many artists exist in Afrobeats today, artists such as:

 

 

• D'banj, Nigerian musician 


• P-square, Nigerian musician


• Wizkid, Nigerian musician


• Davido, Nigerian musician


• Burna Boy, Nigerian musician


• Wande Coal, Nigerian musician


• May7ven, UK based, Nigerian musician


• Naeto C, Nigerian musician


• Nice, Nigerian musician


• Femi Kuti, Nigerian musician, son of Fela Kuti


• Seun Kuti, Nigerian musician, son of Fela Kuti