Afrobeat’s is on a rise as it’s breaking into new territories globally.
For years, the international success of the Afrobeat’s genre was mainly concentrated in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and France because of the high concentration of Nigerians and Africans in the diaspora in these countries.
But, in a sign of just how global the genre is becoming, more and more Afrobeat’s artists are finding a strong footing in Asia and the Middle East and North Africa.
In the 2000s, superstars like 2Baba, P-Square, and D’banj dominated the African music scene and played a part in taking Afrobeat’s beyond the continent. By collaborating with American superstars such as T Pain, Akon, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Ross, these Nigerian music legends successfully brought Afrobeat’s some international exposure.
Afrobeat’s’ international journey received a major boost in 2010 when D’banj released his smash hit record ‘Oliver Twist’ which went on to enjoy impressive success in the United Kingdom. The journey gained momentum in 2014 after Nigerian-British rapper Skepta and Canadian megastar Drake freestyle on Wizkid’s ‘Ojuelegba’ and brought the song and Afrobeat’s international exposure. Drake would later put Wizkid on his smash hit record ‘One Dance’ which further opened the international doors for Afrobeat’s.
