Afrobeats is so popular and important because of its globally palatable sound and aesthetic which represent the Spirit of Modern Africa.
Afrobeats popularity is also due to the fact that its a new Universal world sound that blends all the past sounds like Dancehall and Hip Hop fusing them with infectious African rhythms embedded with hints of Afropop, Afro Jazz, Highlife, Latin Jazz, Dub, Reggae and Electronica to create a familiar yet distinguishable modern African sound.
For these reasons, Afrobeats is so popular because it represents Africa now taking its rightful place on the World stage as the effects of the Cultural diffusion that has occured over the past 20 years first through TV Channels like MTV and then the Internet have reached full circle.
The Afrobeats music Artists like Burna Boy and Wizkid remains popular because it shows the world that Africans in general have been influenced by the same Pop Culture trends in Music and Film as everyone else around the during the last 20 years.
Judging from the YouTube comments on Afrobeats videos, one of the reasons Afrobeats is so popular across the world is because Afrobeats speaks to and ignites people’s passion.
One important thing should not be lost in the popularity of Afrobeats is that Afrobeats is a term that should be used with hesitation because in reality Afrobeats is best underestood as contemporary Afrofusion that traces its origins to Africa’s extensive catalogue of music from yesteryear such as Highlife and the original Afrobeat made famous by innovative pioneering African jazz and funk artists like Nigeria’s Fela Kuti.
In addition to these African influences, Afrobeats has become popular by fusing classic African rhythm with the sounds of global urban music from Jamaican dancehall to Hip Hop which has resulted in an intoxicating populatr blend of Afrobeats music that is uniquely African but also has global sonic appeal.
Conclusion
Whether its Runtown donning a Scarface Tee on Unleash or Wizkid showing off his grill, in Afrobeats remains popular because its sound and aesthetic is an easily recogniseable modern international cross-cultural symbol that delivers a potent Afrocentric musical potion which can only be described as an intoxicating celebration of the modern African spirit.
From the infectious rhythms, to the beautiful Black women in the music videos, there are many reasons to fall in love with Afrobeats which is why it has become so popular.
Afrobeats is also important since it can be viewed as an inflection point in African Culture openly embracing aspects of modern Urban African life hitherto considered Taboo in African Culture like Sex, desire, passion and Marijuana smoking all of which contribute to the increasing popularity of Afrobeats.
This internal African Cultural discourse is a very important aspect of Afrobeats music which has simultaneously enabled Afrobeats to transcend its African origins and to become so popular worldwide.
