As we know, the thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of; it was nothing short of this in the Afrobeats scene. Charts were rearranged, Nominations were bagged, and records were broken. This month was nothing short of a fairytale. Let’s run through the various happenings of the month
Wizkid: Morayo
This month saw major chart-topping successes as Wizkid cleared the Spotify charts for the song with the highest debut stream in a day with his single ‘Piece of My Heart’. Days later, he released his album Morayo, which has the top 10 songs with the highest opening-day streaming debut on Spotify Nigeria. The album broke the record for the most streams by an African album on Spotify. Wizkid took us back to the time of sound of the other side with a mix of Made of Lagos. Are you a fan of Starboy or big wiz? Are you a fan of the old Wizkid or the new Wizkid? You don’t have to worry; Morayo has something for everyone regardless. Check out our review of Morayo.
Davido And Nicki Reunite
This month, we also saw a major collaboration, as Davido was featured on Nicki Minaj's Pink Album 10th Anniversary. This isn’t the first time both heavyweights have been on a single; you can testify to how good Holy Ground sounded. It wasn't short of expectations, if it is okay, as they both delivered perfectly. Nicki Minaj considers Davido as one of the best songwriters she knows
Eric Bellinger: It'll All Make Sense Later
Eric’s love for Afrobeats in undeniable as his new album features Burna Boy, Taves, and Reekado Banks. However, Burna Boy’s verse was removed for unknown reasons— maybe it'll all make sense later.
John Legend: Get Lifted (20th Anniversary
Afrobeats are more than a phrase to the world, as everybody is getting on the train of Afrobeats, even the Legendary John Legend. Simi and Tems were featured on John Legend's new album celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Get Lifted. The culture is getting bigger.
Grammys Nomination
Every Grammy Nomination day feels like a rapture; just kidding. But there is always a spark of joy, resentment, and banter every Grammy nomination day. This year’s edition was nothing short of it, as the thrill was present. The Grammy nomination was a major talking point as it spread like wildfire. Afrobeats sensation Rema got his first nomination, while other nominated acts were Yemi Alade, Asake, Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido. Africans in the Diaspora also showed magic, and Jordan Adetunji got a nomination for his massive hit Kehlani
Tours
Music without touring is like smoke without fire. This month saw major tours, as Ayrastarr was on tour with Cold Play, and Tems was on her Australia tour after the release of her debut album, ‘Born in the Wild’. Ruger was also on tour in Canada with Liya. This shows how Afrobeats is taking the major stage bit by bit.
Olamide’s Feature Run
The king of the streets didn’t stop showing up as he added a couple of features this month. November came with its surprises as we saw Peruzzi release his first single in a long time, Jah Love, featuring the street crooner. Zlatan also featured Olamide. Lade and Shallipopi also got blessed with a Baddo’s feature. Trust him always to deliver exceptionally; he keeps showing how much of a superstar he is
Mayorkun’s Return
Mayorkun dropped his first single in a while ‘Innocent’ featuring Fireboy. One would think the Mayor has forgotten his city. I am super excited to hear he still has it. He went vocals to vocals with Fireboy, which rarely happens in songs. The intentionality and uniqueness showed in this new song. We hope the mayor will be back for a long time.
Chaos
Afrobeats and Chaos are synonymous. This month was nothing short of it. It was definitely present, from fans' banter to artists' subtle shades. One perfect example was Ruger being dragged in when he said he wanted to inherit Wizkid’s fan base called FC. A lot of people came for him, saying he lacks self-confidence and doesn’t believe in his fans. But what is music without the banter? It soundslike food without spice.
November has certainly set the pace for a detty December, get ready for an action packed December! What did we miss?
Posted by Abdulazeez A Shomade | Published on 2024-11-30 07:35:43