Rolling afropop 2025

Bring your exceptional afro sounds to this thread, please...

So we're already in March and perhaps the moment has passed, but I'd like to begin this thread by asking a serious question:

Is Burna Boy ruining his career by trying to recreate Last Last? His last few singles have been good, no doubt, but it's all getting a bit stale now with all the big samples and interpolations, isn't it? It feels like a game of diminishing returns.

Burna Boy - Update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR8-uQ5LixE

Burna Boy - Bundle By Bundle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLLm8Okhllg

Or am I just being grumpy?

And yes, I do know there are already two threads dedicated to burna, but he mostly interests me as the proponent of a scene.

My two favourite songs this year so far are probably Rema and Asake. You've probably already heard them but I'm dropping them here just to get things going.

Rema - Baby (Is it a Crime)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsZhYgo9MoA

Asake - Why Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCMyKcUNR8w

"baby" is awesome yeah. missed that asake had a new single out, will check it

the very end of "why love" is nice but i feel like his vocals don't sit very well in the groove

"baby" rules though yeah

The Sade sample in “Baby” is key

is it a crime? not if you clear the sample

Am seeing acclaim for Memie’s Rae Thoma Rae Fetsa release. It's described as in the lekompo genre, popular in the Limpopo province (extending into Botswana)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMpa7ggpPHA

really liking this banger by seyi vibez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzhKmRovdMY

Yeah, great video too.

Maybe this should get its own thread or a different one , but gonna post it here-excerpt from writer Dave Moore regarding what is pop , what is not, and Americans and UK role in trying to control the definition. Moore has done a couple of Substack posts on it

The Global Billboard Charts, published since 2020, provide a glimpse at the widening impact of non-American acts to listeners around the world. 2023 was a banner year for non-western and not-in-English music. Rema’s Afrobeats hit “Calm Down,” several songs from regional Mexican music stars Grupa Frontera and Peso Pluma, J-pop from Yaosobi, K-pop from BTS and solo member Jung Kook (among others), and Colombian pop from Karol G and Shakira all went to #1 on the global charts.

These charts also show what was popular everywhere except for the US. While Taylor Swift hit number one on the global charts with her re-released “Cruel Summer” on the heels of her Eras tour juggernaut if you include the American charts, without those charts, the #1 spot in the rest of the world was held by a global TikTok smash from Spain, “Si No Estás” by Íñigo Quintero.

All told, non-American or broader Anglosphere acts were #1 for 22 weeks of the year in 2023 when you do include the American charts, and for 30 weeks if you don’t.

https://www.otherdavemoore.com/p/the-rise-or-fall-of-a-pop

Interesting, will read.

Anyone listening to Ruger's Blownboy RU 2025 album?

Heard it once but need to listen more. Ruger is going to be near dc Wed April 9

Older Ruger material got attention here

New Davido album is okay. Nothing new, but some really good songs. Be There Still is the first afropop song I've heard with a 3-step inspiration, though. Cool how quickly new sounds filter into the mainstream still.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqjlFkvAUi0

Finally listened to that Ruger-album, btw, and it's pretty great! It drags a bit in the second half, but I love the way he incorporates so much stuff into his sound, uk drill, baile funk, Coldplay... Had it been tightened a bit, maybe only half an hour long, it could have been HEIS-level. Still, very very good!

I'm enjoying this Davido - not an artist I've ever been overly thrilled by, but I could imagine having a good old dance to this one

Davido North American arena and outdoor sheds tour pre-sale today code is SYNC

https://afropop.org/audio-programs/planet-afropop-african-beatmakers-part-1-kooldrink-and-pierre-kwenders

Interviews with Kooldrink who produced and made beats for Tyla , and Pierre Kwenders who does an artsy dance take on Congolese music

nice track just heard on 6 Music - New Music Fix show:

Mahlatse ft. Obza Dah musiq, Longboii, Stop'jay - Us'tshelann
https://pssngr.bandcamp.com/track/ustshelann-feat-obza-dah-musiq-longboii-stopjay-mahlatse

Mshelula, the 17-year-old prodigy behind South Africa’s new Umbhoqo wave, delivers his own fresh take on Amapiano. Teaming up with Strous Mambisa, Darkiie Omnyama, Obza Dah Musiq, Longboii, Stop'jay, and Mahlatse, he creates a track that breaks the mold. No slow intro here, it launches straight into catchy vocals and an irresistibly danceable beat . With this release, the young visionary and his Ivory Park crew invent a new fusion: Umbhoqo meets Amapiano. It’s coming from the future, and this is now out on PSSNGЯ !

xpost - Kooldrink who produced for Tyla consciously says he's just trying to make afropop songs that appeal to western audiences on that interview. He's successful at that.

Kwenders is interested in other things like he's a fan of a producer who mixes Congolese old-school singer Tshala Muana w/ Missy Elliot get ur freak on

A little more from Thukzin / Nxumalo ? Part of 8 tracks released as 031 Studio Camp 2.0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWlS86VMOC8
Dlala Thukzin feat. Zee Nxumalo & Sykes - Mali

Not exactly groundbreaking afro-house but good vibe nevertheless

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sel1mCYFJ8U
CIZA - ISAKA (6am)

In other news, Scotts Maphuma still owns the country and the productions still slay whether dark (Uyaphapha Marn) or a tribute to Pantsula (Ngibolekeni)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9gkrBmMrdY
TNK MusiQ, DJ Maphorisa & Seun1401 - Uyaphapha Marn feat. Scotts Maphuma & Kabelo Sings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcM2VHAWSDQ
DJ Maphorisa, XDuppy, Sean1401 - Ngibolekeni feat. Leemckrazy, Scotts Maphuma, Blxckie, Pcee, Kabelo Sings

And since I'm at it, this is from last year but kind of a low-key masterpiece. Amapiano drowned out in sax and synths and backing vocals, locked in a dark groove, wow, how did I miss this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhGf4_OgSkE
Cyfred x Scott Maphuma - Phuthuma feat. LeeMcKrazy

Person on Bluesky re Ciza - Isaka track and video linked above xpost-

there’s now a video* for “Isaka (6am)”, the 3step track that’s sweeping the southern and eastern parts of the African continent and is now seeping into Portugal through Mozambique.

I played catch up with the Zee Nxumalo mini album from last year, people had highlighted Drip Juluka which is really cool but I also really enjoyed Ucingo (with producers Shakes & Les) and Ngisakuthanda (a nice soulful hit).
Ditto with Uncle Waffles latest EP which includes Zenzele. Wild woman.
On the more peaceful and soul-searching side, Abangifuni from newcomer Romeo Makota and Eemoh is really nice. That's 2025.

Speaking of Shakes & Les, maybe this is worth posting - at least I'm digging this new wave of menacing dark raw production following into the steps of Jazzidisciples, Busta 929, Mellow & Sleazy, Pcee etc. Again with Scotts Maphuma, this guy is literally hired on every song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LMNkHRwFv0
Shakes & Les - Hamba Nabo feat. Fake'well, Scotts Maphuma, Uncool MC

Just released on Awesome Tapes From Africa—Moskito “Idoiar” LP/CD/Tape/Digital (South Africa, 2001) ATFA052

Rugged and funky kwaito that didn’t really get its due upon release. Hope you have a chance to listen. I have been djing this tape for years and it’s cool to see people enjoying it.

Brian from Awesome Tapes

His reissue of the tape was a bandcamp album of the day

https://daily.bandcamp.com/album-of-the-day/moskito-idolar-review