Genre Spotlight: Igbo Rap in Nigeria

Genre Spotlight: Igbo Rap in Nigeria

Rather than mirroring American hip-hop, Igbo rap carved its own identity by blending traditional instruments like the igba, udu, and ogene with contemporary production. Pioneered by Mr. Raw and MC Loph, then revolutionized by Phyno street-focused storytelling, the genre has evolved from cultural commentary to raw youth narratives.

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Genre Spotlight: Kadongo Kamu
By Josplay | 11/28/2025 | Genres
Kadongo Kamu is oldest mainstream genre  from Uganda. It blends rich Ganda storytelling with its signature single-guitar style. Rooted in Bakisimba rhythms, it remains culturally powerful through pioneers and modern artists who are keeping its tradition alive across generations.
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The ABC of Songwriting
By Josplay | 11/26/2025 | General
As songwriters, we move through a wide spectrum of themes: romance, joy, heartbreak, birth, death, longing, conflict, healing, celebration, loneliness, and every unnamed feeling in between.
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Genre Spotlight: Maskandi in South Africa
By Josplay | 11/24/2025 | Genres
Maskandi is a Zulu folk sound rooted in migrant history, blending storytelling, guitar traditions, and modern influences. Its resurgence among young South Africans shows how the genre is evolving into a bold expression of pride, identity, and cultural memory
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A Case for African Female Artists
By Josplay | 11/21/2025 | People
A deep look at female African artists, their rising global influence, the barriers they face, and why the music industry must create stronger pathways for women.
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Genre Spotlight: Mahraganat in Egypt
By Josplay | 11/19/2025 | Genres
Mahraganat music, Egypt’s electrifying blend of Shaabi rhythms, hip-hop energy, and raw electronic beats, began from Cairo’s streets and went ahead to become a defining voice for urban youth. Despite bans and controversy, the genre continues to reshape Egyptian pop culture through rhythm, resistance, and grassroots creativity
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Nigerian Contemporary Music Scenes in the 1990s
By Josplay | 11/17/2025 | General
The 1990s marked a defining era for contemporary Nigerian music, blending indigenous rhythms with global influences to create a fresh sound. This period witnessed the rise of pioneering artists who fused hip-hop, R&B, reggae, Afro-juju and highlife into a new urban identity.
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The Extraordinary Journey of Raï Music
By Josplay | 11/13/2025 | Genres
Raï music began in the smoky cabarets of colonial Oran and eventually made its way to the cultural heritage list of UNESCO. It is most defiant and influential musical export from Algeria, a genre born from struggle that never gave up.
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Genre Spotlight: Asakaa in Ghana
By Josplay | 11/10/2025 | Genres
Born in Kumasi’s Ashanti New Town, Ghana’s Asakaa music blends local slang, drill rhythms, and hip-hop energy. Led by the Asakaa Boys, it’s reshaping Ghanaian youth culture, fashion, and global perceptions of African street music.
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The Streaming Platform Built for African Music is Josplay
By Josplay | 11/6/2025 | Company News
As the African music industry continues its explosive growth, platforms like Josplay are not just streaming services, they are cultural infrastructure, ensuring that the creative wealth of the continent benefits its creators and communities first.
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Genre Spotlight: Coupé-Décalé in Congo
By Josplay | 11/3/2025 | Reviews
Coupé-Décalé fuses Ivorian and Congolese rhythms into an energetic dance sound born in Paris. From Abidjan to Kinshasa, its electric guitars, flashy style, and club-ready beats continue to shape Congo’s nightlife and modern African music culture.
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Josplay joins Africa’s biggest music conversation - ACCES 2025
By Josplay | 10/28/2025 | Company News
Josplay will join hundreds of Africa’s leading music professionals in Pretoria, South Africa, for ACCES 2025 - the Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases.
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Genre Spotlight: Dancehall in Nigeria
By Josplay | 10/24/2025 | Reviews
Dancehall, which emerged in Jamaica in the late 1970s, evolved from roots reggae into a rhythm-heavy sound defined by its Patois lyrics and infectious riddims. In Nigeria, it grew into Afro-dancehall; a lively fusion of Jamaican grooves, African rhythms, and local storytelling that continues to shape the country’s modern music scene.
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Salif Keita: The Golden Voice that Defied Tradition
By Josplay | 10/22/2025 | People
He was born royal, but forbidden to sing. From Mali’s noble lineage to global stages, Salif Keita turned rejection into rhythm and pain into purpose. His album Soro didn’t just make history — it changed the sound of African music forever.
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Viral Nigerian Dance Movements Through Two Decades: What is Next?
By Josplay | 10/20/2025 | General
From Galala to Zanku, explore the evolution of Nigerian dance styles that dominated the streets and went global. A journey through two decades of movement.