For such a popular genre, it can be hard to define what Afrobeats actually is.
Is it the earthy, horn-heavy sound pioneered by Fela Kuti, or the sleeker, electronic and pop-orientated blend that fuels the global hits of Rema and Tyla?
Few people can explain it better than Adesope “Shopsydoo” Olajide, the Nigerian-British broadcaster and host of The Afrobeats Podcast.
“Afrobeats is not one sound,” Shopsydoo tells The National. “It’s an umbrella term for what African popular music has become. Whether it’s highlife, hip-hop, RnB or dancehall, it all falls under the same energy – the drums, the rhythm and the African soul that connects everything.”
Afrobeats and its offshoots, including Afropop, draw from the same source and share the same pulse, he adds.
In this exclusive selection, Shopsydoo traces the story of Afrobeats through 10 defining songs, showing how it evolved from Kuti’s revolutionary sound to the crossover pop of Rema.
1. Water No Get Enemy by Fela Kuti (1975)
When it comes to the genre, most paths lead back to Kuti, Shopsydoo notes. The influential Nigerian composer pioneered and coined the term Afrobeat and laid the sonic foundation of tightly arranged horns and driving drums that endured as the music expanded over the subsequent five decades.
“He is the originator of Afrobeat music, and he used it not only as a tool for social justice but also as a sound that promoted an African vibe and pop identity,” Shopsydoo says. “The song’s title is a Yoruba proverb that works almost like a parable. When it is said that water doesn’t have any enemy, it is because everyone needs water at some point, whether to drink, bathe or cook.”
As for the heaving, pulsating energy at the root of Afrobeat, Shopsydoo says Water No Get Enemy is the prototype for how it is done.
“The trumpets you hear on a Fela record are incredible. He was the master of blending trumpets and drums into a perfect symphony. Water No Get Enemy is a brilliant advert for that.”
2. Ja Funmi by King Sunny Ade (1982)
The genre’s growth outside the continent is linked to King Sunny Ade’s vibrant hit track, which gained global attention.
“I believe he's in his eighties now and he is one of the first Nigerian musicians ever nominated for a Grammy. This song opened the doors for African sounds to be both authentic and accepted by the western world,” Shopsydoo says.
“He was among the first traditional Nigerian musicians to tour Europe, America and Asia and Ja Funmi’s signature sound lies in its guitar lines and Yoruba percussion. Those are two core elements that would later become central to Afrobeats: percussion that carries conversation and guitar that carries melody.”
3. Premier Gaou by Magic System (1999)
Fellow Africans added their own spin on Afrobeats, as heard in this party starter by Magic System from the Ivory Coast.
“This is one of those rare records that can just unite Africans everywhere,” Shopsydoo says. “Whatever African party you go to, this song will be on the playlist. The record is extremely rhythmic, driven by its percussive drum arrangements and it's made purely for the dance floor.
“From the very first note, it makes you move and it's one of the biggest records of the last 30 years that came out of Africa.”
4. Agolo by Angelique Kidjo (1994)
Angelique Kidjo, from Benin, was the next star to take African music to the world stage, inflecting it with touches of modern pop and American RnB.
“From the moment she appeared, her sound cut across borders. That is because she has a voice so rich and a stage presence so commanding that it is reminiscent of the great American RnB singers such as Patti LaBelle and Whitney Houston. But she did it with African language and spirit,” Shopsydoo says.
“Agolo had clear pop elements, and the song could sit alongside tracks by Cyndi Lauper or Madonna, yet it came from Benin in West Africa. It showed that African women could make international pop without losing identity.”
5. Gate le Coin by Awilo Longomba (2003)
The rolling percussion, call-and-response vocals and bright electric guitar riffs of Congolese rumba were a key influence on early Afrobeat artists and producers. What Longomba did here, Shopsydoo says, was show how the genre fits within the wider umbrella of what we now call Afrobeats, in that it carried the same cross-cultural energy and pop sensibility that made the sound travel across Africa and beyond.
“He transformed rumba by adding pop elements that took it out of the traditional Congo clubs and into stadiums across the continent,” Shopsydoo says. “Without social media or modern marketing, his songs travelled all the way to Lagos and beyond. That's his major contribution, elevating Congolese rumba and in turn the idea of Afrobeats, and spreading it across Africa.”
6. African Queen by 2Face Idibia (2004)
Shopsydoo calls the song a bridge between the “old-school” sound of Afrobeat and the more modern pop sensibility of Afrobeats.
“African Queen is where the blend truly begins, the fusion of many things of pop, Afrobeats and a little bit of roots rock reggae,” he says.
“It wasn't just big in Africa; it crossed into the Caribbean because of its reggae undertones and universal theme. It's a celebration of the African woman, delivered through melody and rhythm that the whole world could understand. Even now, decades later, young Gen Z kids in London can sing every lyric. That's what makes African Queen timeless. It's one of the first African pop records that truly went global.”
7. Oliver Twist by D'Banj (2012)
Such was the star power of the solo artists dominating Afrobeats that the producers behind the sound were rarely recognised for their pioneering work. That changed with Oliver Twist, where Don Jazzy’s production became the major talking point and, according to Shopsydoo, brought new attention to the work of fellow producers.
“When it comes to production, that song changed the game. It took Afrobeats to new heights and it is a perfect blend of dance, highlife and pop. It also celebrated the power of dance and the dance community in promoting the genre,” he says.
“The song’s success wasn’t only sonic; it was visual and cultural, and it opened doors for other producers like Kel-P, Sarz and Legendury Beatz, who are now getting the recognition and deals they and others deserve.”
8. Adonai by Sarkodie ft. Castro (2014)
You don’t have to completely cross over to be a successful Afrobeats artist, as Ghana’s Sarkodie proved.
“Sarkodie is a Ghanaian rapper who refuses to rap in English. He stays true to his language, Twi, and he’s still filling stadiums,” Shopsydoo says. “The beautiful thing about Adonai is that it brings gospel energy straight to the dance floor. That’s something unique to African music, where faith and rhythm can coexist.
“Spirituality has always been part of Afrobeats. From Fela Kuti’s traditional spirituality to today’s gospel and Christian influence, it’s a thread that runs through the music,” he says. “Africa has gone through hardship, colonialism, poverty and transitions, but spirituality remained the constant. Whether Christian, Muslim or traditional, that belief system gave people strength, and now it lives in the lyrics and rhythms.”
9. Ojuelegba by Wizkid (2015)
Wizkid’s breakthrough single was a turning point in Afrobeats storytelling.
“It has elements of reggae, dancehall and RnB, but lyrically it’s deeply Nigerian. It talks about where Wizkid comes from. The title of the song is his neighbourhood in Lagos, and it tells the story of the struggles of the people there,” Shopsydoo says.
“That is directly connected to Fela’s legacy because he used Afrobeat to speak truth to power and highlight daily life under military rule. Wizkid does the same for his generation, but through melody and groove instead of protest chants. Even as Afrobeats became global and dance-orientated, it never lost its conscience. There is always a trace of storytelling and social awareness underneath.”
10. Calm Down by Rema (2022)
Rema’s blockbuster single completes Afrobeats’ journey from Nigeria to the world while opening a new path forward.
“It is groundbreaking in every way. Rema comes from Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria, and has shattered records worldwide. It is not just Afrobeats. It also has strong RnB undertones, which helped it travel across continents and become a Gen Z anthem,” Shopsydoo says.
“When a song like this becomes global, people worry about dilution. Yes, success brings change, but that is also a sign of growth. Every major genre such as hip-hop, reggae and dancehall went through that phase. For Afrobeats to thrive, it must exist everywhere. We just have to ensure we preserve its roots and document its story properly.”
