From the moment I heard about a 7-man Afrobeat-styled band, JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra, from Japan, my curiosity was piqued. So, I began my quest to trace the musical footprint of Afrobeat in the land of the rising sun.

You may be wondering - what is the big deal about the Afrobeat music genre in Japan? Any difference between Afrobeat and Afrobeats? Is it different from the rave of the moment -  Afrobeats - which is spreading and evolving faster than most of its lovers and followers can grasp?

Legendary Nigerian music icon Olufela Ransome Kuti, popularly called Fela or Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, is credited to be the father /founder of the Afrobeat and with one of the world’s greatest drummers, Tony Allen. This music genre is influenced by several music styles - from highlife to jazz, American funk, soul, Yoruba music and the call-and-response which characterizes African music.

So back to our question, how did this Nigerian-originated music genre get rooted in Japan?

No, don’t be quick to say the internet … wait till you read this.

In the 1970s, Afrobeat and other Nigerian music genres found their way to nightclubs and college radios in Japan. But the elements of Funk, jazz, and soul with political and social activism-inspired lyrics of Afrobeat resonated deeply with Japan’s multicultural society, thus making the population receptive to this new genre.

The following decade witnessed a rapid growth in Afrobeat interest, thus inspiring the emergence of Afrobeat-styled Japanese musicians and bands. The notable ones were Minami Harumi and Osamu Kitajima. These two were highly instrumental to the spread of the genre to a wider audience.

According to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus that said, "change is the only constant thing in life", the Afrobeat music genre was not immune to Japanese culture. The music genre gradually absorbed some cultural influence with Harumi and Kitajima leading the change and birthed the Japanese-styled Afrobeat music genre.

Over the years, Afrobeat fever remains potent in Japan. Since 1990, we've seen a rise in the love and interest in the Japanese-styled Afrobeat music genre such that these bands are being featured in several Japanese music festivals.  Some of these festivals are the Fuji Rock Festival, Japanese Minyo, and others.

Today, Afrobeat has taken root in Japanese music culture. Several Japanese bands have wholly embraced the Afrobeat sound and uniquely blended it into Japan's culture to the delight of their listeners.

Before my final full stop, I would leave this shout-out to JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra, the 7-man Japanese band founded in 2006 by guitarist and singer Kenji Kobayashi. And a quick mention of the band members - drummer Junji Inoue, flute and saxophonist Yuta Yamaguchi, bassist Hiroyuki Takagi, keyboardist Takayuki Inoue, bass guitarist and solo guitarist Masahiro Nakashima. Keep flying the Afrobeat flag.

The elements of Funk, jazz, and soul with political and social activism-inspired lyrics characterizes Fela's Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre.

Musical Footprint of Afrobeat in Japan

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