EXPLAINED: 3 - The Real Truth

Witness to crush at Asake gig in Brixton explains what he saw as three fight for life

Solomon Smith, the founder of the Brixton Food Kitchen, had gone to the Afrobeats artist Asake last night at the O2 Academy in Brixton, South London. Eight people were taken to hospital

Daily Mirror · Dec 16, 2022

Horror at O2 Academy Brixton as victim trampled in crush 'thought she was dead'

Four people remain in a critical condition this morning after large crowds were caught in a crush outside a gig for Afrobeats superstar Asake at the O2 Academy Brixton in South London last night

Daily Mirror · Dec 16, 2022

Jam-packed venues for Fireboy, Burna Boy show rising star power for Afrobeats

A few years ago, you'd be hard-pressed to hear Afrobeats acts like Tiwa Savage, Davido, Wizkid or Burna Boy on mainstream radio stations in the U.S. Now, those artists are scoring songs on soundtracks for blockbuster films and nabbing Grammy Awards.

Tribune News Service · Nov 27, 2022

The week in audio: 5 Live Breakfast; LBC; Sounds of Black Britain; Empire; Love and Radio – review

When radio coverage of the Queen’s death ended up like a long Test match commentary, it was good to turn to some alternative views of Britishness

The Guardian - UK · Sep 17, 2022

How Burna Boy set the world alight with his mixed brew of influences

Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy burst onto the global stage in 2018 with a slew of irresistible hits on his third album, Outside, accompanied by mandatory fiendish good looks and charm. Grammy and BET awards helped firm up his status within a highly competitive global music industry.

The Conversation · Aug 11, 2022

Setting the record straight: Burna Boy didn't create a music genre called Afrofusion

Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu was born in 1991 in Port Harcourt, the largest city in Rivers State in Nigeria. He would become known as Burna Boy, a singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing Like to Party, the lead single from L.I.F.E., his debut studio…

The Conversation · Jul 25, 2022

Tems review – Afrobeats darling has riveting star quality

With fiery jamming and belted notes, the Nigerian singer is so vigorous she has a wardrobe malfunction – but is even more powerful in pared-back moments

The Guardian - UK · Jul 21, 2022

100 years of pop music in Nigeria: what shaped four eras

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the early months of 2020 shut down nearly all physical and social human activities. For musical practice this meant near death. Performing music is, after all, one of the oldest forms of social human engagement.

The Conversation · Jul 14, 2022

The reclusive TikTok star powering Nigeria’s street Afrobeats scene

When the trendy Afrobeats genre is scrubbed of its Western-approved sheen, DJ YK is one of its powerful engines.

Al Jazeera · Jun 15, 2022

The legacy of Nigerian music star Orlando Julius must not be overlooked

If there is one musician as commonly associated as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti with the West African musical movements Afrobeat and Afrobeats (never mind Afro-Blues and Afro-Soul), this is the preserve of Orlando Julius Ekemode. Given Fela’s immense stature it would seem impossible to speak of another musician from whom he gained…

The Conversation · Apr 27, 2022