The African influence is growing in hip hop with the explosion of Afrobeats music. As hip hop culture becomes more international, it’s opening up new doors around the world.
The video for French Montana and Swae Lee’s 2017 hit “Unforgettable” was filmed in Uganda and has been viewed more than 1 billion times on YouTube. Its success paved the way for many others, like Casanova and Davido’s hit “2AM” and Nigerian artist Burna Boy, who has enjoyed Billboard Top 10 chart success with his unique sound.
Hot 97’s DJ Wallah, who took a chance and broke Afro B’s “Joanna,” says the appeal of the Afrobeats sound is universal. He says he sees a lot of the hip hop artists collaborating with African artists now. He says that is pushing the culture forward and broadening the horizons of hip hop.
Dr. Chris Emdin, a Professor at Columbia University Teachers College, says the hip hop-African connection is real and deep.
And Tuma Basa, YouTube’s director of urban music, says the growing number of collaborations between hip hop artists and African artists is a way for artists to expand their audience without alienating their core fans.
LISA EVERS, Host and Executive Producer, Street Soldiers https://twitter.com/lisaevers
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