I can drive you crazy, make your adrenaline rush, empower and motivate you, keep you wanting for more, and lift you up to cloud 9, not to brag, my name is Music. Africa is a continent with a rich and diverse musical heritage.
There are many different genres of music that are popular in Africa, each with its own unique sound and history.
Here is Africa’s Top Four Music Genre:
- Afrobeats
Afrobeats is a genre of music that originated in Nigeria in the 1970s. It is a fusion of West African musical styles, such as highlife and fuji, with American funk, jazz, and soul.
Afrobeats is widely spreading today, with the majority of musicians opting to use its soothing and adrenaline-activating power from the local West African instruments.
Some of the greatest artists using Afrobeats include Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, 2Face Idibia, D’banj, Yemi Alade, Mr. Eazi, Olamide, etc.
- Amapiano
Amapiano is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South Africa in the early 2010s. It is characterized by its use of deep, soulful piano chords, driving basslines, and catchy vocal melodies.
Amapiano has gained a great audience since 2020 and is still attracting the masses. Some of the artists producing music under this genre include: DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Samthing Soweto, Boohle, Busta 929, Cassper Nyovest, etc
- Soukus
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 1950s. It is characterized by its upbeat tempo, catchy melodies, deep emotional piano, and its use of the electric guitar.
Some of the artists who use this genre include Kanda Bongo Man, Awilo Longomba, Samba Mapangala, Fally Ipupa, Papa Wemba, Kofi Olomide, Werrason, etc.
The Soukus developed into different other genres with a slight change of rhythm and instrument arrangement such as Lingala, Rhumba, and Seben.
- Bongo Flava
Bongo Flava is a genre of popular music that originated in Tanzania in the early 1990s. It is a fusion of traditional Tanzanian music with hip-hop, R&B, Taarab, and Zouk.
Bongo has gone beyond Tanzania and is now used in vast Eastern Africa. Here are some of the artists popular for using this sound: Diamond Platnumz, Alikiba, Harmonize, Zuchu, Rayvanny, Nandy, Mbosso, Jux, Willy Paul, B Classic, etc.
Get to know the music genre that speaks to you.
Also, read: Music for the Lovesick
