Nigeria

Nigeria

Afrobeat was created by Nigerian superstar Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in 1963. The genre will not become popular until his recordings in the 1970s when Afrobeat became popular in Nigeria and the rest of the world. By the ‘80s, his genre became well established, and he became revered for his musical ingenuity and political activism. Afrobeat is primarily rooted in Highlife, synthesized with African American musical forms like funk (particularly that of James Brown) and Jazz.

Afrobeats music is characterized by melodic hooks that blend pop, hip-hop, and dancehall with traditional African music. Melodies frequently have resonant hooks and promote a positive, energizing environment. Incorporating African traditions with contemporary sounds, afrobeats is continuously evolving and influencing the global music scene.

Highlife Juju Jazz

Afrobeat Dancehall

Afrobeat draws stylistic influences from Jazz and Highlife genres. However, its most distinguishing style is a military band marching form expressed by a unique brass section. The military band marching style also contributes to the sharpness of Afrobeat's timbre.

Verse-chorus song structures are common in Afrobeats music, and call-and-response and repetitive hooks are frequently used. It combines traditional African musical elements with contemporary production methods, such as electronic instruments and programming.

Afrobeat is traditionally performed in the call and response singing style used in much of African folklore. The lead singer, until recently only male, usually sings a line, and backup singers, usually female singers, respond in non-harmonious choruses.

Afrobeats music features diverse singing styles, ranging from mellow and soulful to upbeat and rhythmic. Artists can express themselves in English and regional African languages.

Most scholars disagree on a concrete pattern description for Afrobeat's musical arrangement. Admittedly, Afrobeat uses a complex system of the interplay between key instruments with less attention to established rhythmic patterns and signatures. The core rhythmic arrangements of Afrobeat music are; the shekere which usually goes at 12,3,6 and 9 in a clock setting, the clave/rim which goes at two beats per second and is represented in a clock pattern as 12,1,3,4,6,7,9,10. It also features repetitive bass chords, piano, drum patterns and horns. One can also find an arrangement where the horns and the backup singers engage in the call and response technique as seen in Fela's track 'Shuffering and Smiling.'

Multiple instruments and vocal harmonies frequently work together in layered and complex arrangements in afrobeats music to produce a rich and lively sound. Interlocking melodies, rhythmic patterns, and a harmony of acoustic and electronic elements could all be present in the arrangement. The basic rhythm structure in this genre are, the 3'2 clave that goes at 12,3,6,9,10 in a concentric wheel or a clock setting, the 4/4 bassline and chord progressions.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the creator of Afrobeat, was a social and political activist. He expressed his activism through music, and the activism theme characterizes Afrobeat to date.

Afrobeats music has a wide range of themes that reflect the lives and goals of the musicians as well as their communities. Love, romance, celebration, social issues, national pride, and individual experiences are examples. Afrobeats music encourages positivity and self-expression while celebrating life.

Dark and sharp timbre is common in the Afrobeat genre. Rounded tonality, though rare, can be found in recent recordings.

A wide variety of traditional and contemporary instruments are used to create afrobeat music. You might also hear other musical instruments, such as guitars, keyboards, brass, and woodwinds, as well as electronic components like synthesizers and drum machines. In addition, you might hear African percussion.

Afrobeat was shaped by the activism culture that was prevalent in Kalakuta Republic - a nomenclature Fela used to describe the geographical boundaries that enclosed his shrine in Ikeja, Lagos. Afrobeat was also shaped by the contemporary Yoruba and urban Lagos lifestyles. Beyond the music, Afrobeat is a movement.

As a medium for expressing and promoting African identity and heritage, afrobeats music has a strong African cultural foundation. It includes traditional African musical styles, dances, and clothing, inspiring pride and cohesion among listeners.