Genre Spotlight: Coupé-Décalé in Congo

Genre Spotlight: Coupé-Décalé in Congo

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.
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Genre Spotlight: Mbalax in Senegal
By Josplay | 10/15/2025 | Genres
Mbalax is defined by fast-paced, syncopated rhythms and frequent use of call-and-response vocals, and its use to mobilize people in political rallies, also making it a tool for social commentary and national pride.
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The Biggest African Music Collaboration Ever is ...
By Josplay | 10/13/2025 | General
The biggest African music collaboration ever is not what you think. It is not just one viral hit or celebrity partnership—it is the ongoing conversation between artists across 54 countries, building bridges through sound. From Lagos to Johannesburg, Dar es Salaam to Dakar, African artists are rewriting the rules of global music. Here is how they are doing it.
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Genre Spotlight: Singeli Music in Tanzania
By Josplay | 10/9/2025 | Genres
Singeli is Tanzania’s high-speed urban sound — born on the streets of Dar es Salaam and driven by MCs and energetic dance. Blending taarab, hip-hop, and kwaito influences, it captures the spirit of Tanzanian youth culture today.
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The African City Becoming the Next Music Hub …
By Josplay | 10/7/2025 | General
A new city is quietly rising to claim its place on Africa’s music map.
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Genre Spotlight: Baladi Music (Egypt)
By Josplay | 10/6/2025 | Genres
Baladi music, a vibrant urban folk style from Egypt, forms the foundation of traditional belly dance. With roots in the bustling streets of Cairo, it has evolved through contemporary interpretations while continuing to keep Egyptian dance culture both alive and modern.
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Rumba: The Dance that Left Africa, Found a Home in Cuba, and Returned to the Motherland
By Josplay | 10/2/2025 | Genres
From Havana’s backstreets to Kinshasa’s dance halls, the story of Rumba is a tale of rhythm, resilience, and return. Born of African memory in Cuba, it crossed the ocean again to ignite a musical revolution in Central Africa, proving that music always finds its way home.
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The Most Streamed African Artist of 2025 is …
By Josplay | 9/29/2025 | People
2025 has been a landmark year for African music, from viral TikTok hits like “Shake It To The Max” and “My Darling” to global chart powerhouses like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Tems. As the year winds down, we crown the most streamed African artist of 2025 and spotlight the songs that defined the sound of the continent.
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The Story of the Uhadi
By Josplay | 9/26/2025 | Instrument
The uhadi is more than a bow of wood, string, and calabash. For generations, Xhosa women have crafted and played this instrument, pressing its gourd gently against the body to give it voice.
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Genre Spotlight: Afrobeats in Cameroon
By Josplay | 9/24/2025 | Genres
From People by Libianca to collaborations by Ko-c, Afrobeats in Cameroon reflect growth and change. Streaming platforms like Josplay Music and Spotify also keep Makossa and Bikutsi alive, ensuring local sounds remain part of the global music conversation.
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Africa’s Women Are Rewriting the Soundtrack
By Josplay | 9/23/2025 | People
From Lagos to Johannesburg, Nairobi to Accra, the female African artists have become powerhouse performers, shaking tables, setting trends, and putting the world on notice.