Afrobeats Has Been Cemented Into the Mainstream

Afrobeats is now a globally celebrated genre

The first time I went to Nigeria in 2018, I couldn’t get enough of the aesthetics. The chaos of a busy Lagos road, the cacophony of conversation, hawkers trying to sell you whatever they can before your car starts moving again — all of it assaulted my eardrums and eyeballs as soon as I left the airport. However, as an avid traveler and native to the land, I live for those moments of initial sensory overload. It’s like a loud, overwhelming family screaming, “WELCOME HOME!”

Out of all the sounds and sights piercing my consciousness though, the continuous stimulation that was embraced by all was the constant sound of Afrobeats. Whether it was playing in a car, on the street, in a neighborhood, it was always present. While I can listen to Afrobeats from the comfort of my apartment in Los Angeles, the sound takes on a whole other level of importance when you’re in the motherland. Today, Afrobeats is everywhere, and has skyrocketed in international popularity, thanks to streaming services and the internet.

It used to just be Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido at the forefront of this genre, once considered niche. Now, the genre has gained rapid international visibility — seemingly overnight — not only from the aforementioned superstars, but also through…