The power of music is truly remarkable. It resonates deeply with its listeners, speaks directly to their hearts, evokes strong emotions, and effortlessly crosses over language and cultural boundaries. At the heart of this universal language is the musical lyrics, an element that goes unnoticed yet shapes our emotions and connections to the music we listen to.

In African music, lyrics play an essential role and often act as a vehicle for storytelling, social commentary, motivation, and cultural preservation. These lyrics are empowered to inspire, educate, and unite people across the continent and beyond.

Knowing how important lyrics are, the big question is when can one say the lyrics are good?

Most African lyrics revolve around stories of love, struggle, folklore, religion, and social issues. They are relatable, authentic, and impactful. With this, some notable African artists come to mind, the likes of Fela Kuti, Youssou N’Dour, Angelique Kidjo, Zenzile Miriam Makeba, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Mulatu Astatke, and many others.

Certain key elements contribute to the depth of African music lyrics. Emotional connection is one. African music generally serves as an emotional outlet to express different emotions. The human voice and words also play a vital role in conveying these feelings. Different vocal styles and words communicate these messages that people can feel and relate to.

Another element is the storytelling and social commentary. African music often serves as a medium for storytelling and addressing social and political issues. A typical example of lyrics used for storytelling is Burna Boy’s Level Up (Twice As Tall).

Music lyrics also address social issues like gender roles, family, and social vices, with political matters, as seen across different African societies. This use of music for social and political commentary has given rise to a few genres, ranging from Kwaito and Motswako rap in South Africa to Libyan Reggae to Gengetone in East Africa, and Afrobeat in Nigeria.

African musical lyrics are a vehicle for conveying Africans' unique cultural identity and heritage from one generation to the next. They capture the essence of its cultural context. It might be a West African griot reciting ancient tales of heroism and wisdom or a Zulu chant invoking the spirits of their ancestors. These poetic or metaphorical techniques resonate deeply with listeners and foster a sense of cultural identity.

African music often celebrates resilience, strength, and pride. Its lyrics serve as a source of personal empowerment and motivation for individuals or communities, during lull or challenging times.

Despite the rich depth African music lyrics have always portrayed, in more recent times, a new style of lyricism is emerging on its music scene, and it's called Lamba. This new trend has created concerns among music fans and critics who say it lacks lyrical/emotional depth and storytelling associated with African music. This has deteriorated the emotional connection of fans to music.

Lamba in the context of African music, is a style of music that focuses on catchiness and rhythm rather than intricate wordplay and emotional depth. This focuses on the overall vibe and danceability of a song rather than the lyrics, giving less attention to fans who are conscious music listeners.

There has been consistent debate on the rise of Lamba in the African music industry. One hand argues that it dilutes the art lyricism by sacrificing meaningful/storytelling content for catchy hooks. With their view of good lyrics being, fostering emotional connection and proper storytelling, Lamba falls short of these expectations.

On the other hand, some argue that lamba is part of an ever-evolving art. Artists are evolving and embracing a new way of fostering connection with their fans by focusing more on the vibes they create. They also present an argument that the simplicity of lamba makes it easier to memorize, especially for those who might not share the same language or cultural background as the artist they love.

The beauty of African music lies in its ability to bring together two unique worlds - beats and good lyrics. African music caters to a wide range of tastes/preferences. Striking a balance and recognizing the value of thoughtful lyrics while delivering catchy hooks by our artists would take our music to greater heights. Truly exceptional African songs have powerful lyrics, consisting of charismatic components with catchy beats, creating a symbiotic relationship that can move the heart and the feet.

In African music, lyrics play an essential role and often act as a vehicle for storytelling, social commentary, motivation, and cultural preservation.

Power of African Lyrics: Storytelling, Identity, and the Rise of Lamba

Related Blogs