Miriam Makeba was the first African to win a Grammy, but only when she partnered with a US star, Harry Belafonte.
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African artists with major US industry support have the advantage - now more than ever.
Davido has gone back to work after the death of his young son.
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The album doesn’t live up to the hype - but features some decent collaborations.
Rising amapiano star DBN Gogo performs in Dakar, Senegal.
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The annual South African Amapiano Awards will be held on 2 April, a tribute to the growing stature of the dance music genre.
Nigerian star Tems performs at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK in 2022.
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Afrobeats truly conquered the globe, influencing music styles, packing out stadiums and lifting awards.
Burna Boy promotes his new album Love, Damini in the US.
Prince Williams/Wireimage
With his new album Love, Damini he has conquered the world. But how much of his creative soul does he have left?
Beyoncé on stage in South Africa in 2018. Her new album is called Renaissance.
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With Renaissance, Beyoncé is again shaping pop culture, honouring black disco pioneers and Africa’s rise.
Burna Boy performs in Glastonbury, England, 2022.
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Afrofusion is a music style that existed even before Burna Boy was born.
Nigerian musician Fela Kuti and his band in Harlem, New York, 1989.
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Nigerian popular music - Afrobeats - is storming the world’s stages. But it’s just the latest stage in a vibrant century of recorded music in the country.
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His rhythmic sounds connected with the diaspora and his collaborations with stars like Drake and Beyoncé elevated his name.
Made Kuti performs in Lagos in 2021.
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Of a record nine nominees, seven are from West Africa. The global rise of Afrobeats music owes its soul to Nigeria’s iconic star Fela Kuti.
Tems performs in London in 2021.
Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage
Afrobeats emerged when West African pop music became cool. It has been boosted by the diaspora, big name collaborations and American culture.
Nigerian rapper Olamide makes music focused on women.
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Nigerian music is gaining momentum across the world, but a study of hip hop lyrics and videos shows how the music also negatively affects women.
Nigerian rapper Falz sings in his home studio in Lagos.
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Young Nigerians are protesting bad governance and police brutality. Where is the music to assist them?
The cast of Fela! performs during the 64th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in 2010 in New York City.
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How do elements of Fela Kuti’s music get reproduced by today’s pop musicians?
Fela Kuti, 1990.
Frans Schellekens/Redferns
How do two artists from different ends of the world get inspired by the pioneer of Afrobeats?