“Afrobeats can’t compete with any other type of music in the world,” Spinall tells us.
“Our sound is very unique. We love to groove in Nigeria, in Africa—I don’t know any Black man in the world, actually, who doesn’t love to dance. Afrobeats is not a particular type of sound that starts here and ends there—no, that’s not what Afrobeats is. Afrobeats is music itself, and its roots are unlimited.”
In the video above, trailblazing artists and producers from the Afrobeats movement including Spinall, Mystro Sugar, Dunnie, and Joeboy sat down with us to discuss the culture surrounding the genre, and how it influences their approach to defining their own unique sound.
While all very different in their backgrounds and perspectives on creating music, the four creators we sat down with all seem to align on two points: that consistency is the key to success, and that there’s perhaps no time in history that’s more exciting for Afrobeats than the present.
“What a time to be alive,” Dunnie reflects. “Right now, the influence is still more social; it’s more economical. But, I think we’re going to try to ascend into a pattern where it’s going to be even more influential, to our political scene as well. So yeah, I’m looking forward to something like what dancehall did for Jamaica—I think that’s what Afrobeats can actually do for Nigeria and other West African countries that do this kind of music as well.”
“What is to come from our culture, music-wise, is going to be very interesting,” says Spinall. “We have a lot of new talent who are putting their best foot forward—and I’m excited about the future.”
Looking to incorporate the sound of Afrobeats into your own music? Check out exclusive sample packs from Mystro, LeriQ, Dunnie, and more:
April 24, 2022
