Afrobeat

Afrobeat: 34 upcoming festivals, including 12 with tickets on sale.

Afrobeat is a vibrant, high-energy genre characterized by complex, interlocking polyrhythms, prominent horns, call-and-response vocals, and an infectious groove often driven by extensive percussion and a strong bassline, creating a trance-like, danceable atmosphere. It emerged in the 1970s, blending traditional Nigerian music, Ghanaian highlife, jazz, and funk, with its name coined by its founder, the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist Fela Kuti, following his return from an American tour. Fela Kuti, along with his bands Nigeria '70 (formerly Koola Lobitos), is the undisputed pioneer and most iconic figure of the genre. Afrobeat is deeply rooted in social and political commentary, using music as a powerful tool for activism and cultural expression.

Parent genreWorld