Inside Africa: The Budding African Music Industry
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Africa is a region of many colors, languages, and sounds that come from its diverse population. The music coming from African artists reflect that diversity and is making its way into the international spotlight as more labels look to the continent for new musicians as the music industry grows with increasing access to music and video streaming services and technology. Afrobeats, Banku and other emerging music styles are emerging on the dance floors in West Africa, the music festivals in the South and in collaborations with popular Western artists like Drake and Beyoncé, and hitting the Billboard Hot 100 list.
Most notably, a collaboration between Wizkid, a Nigerian singer, and Canadian rapper Drake in 2016 made the Hot 100 list with their single “One Dance.” The hit song featured strong Afro-pop style that have been notable in African music, with variations depending on the country, for the past several decades when adaptations of local folk music became a part of the artists’ repertoire. As the African nations became independent, the musical shift became more apparent. More and more artists came up with their own styles since the 1950s, though few made it outside of the region with a lack of resources to export the music even out of their own countries. There are many styles that come from African artists, some depending on the region. There’s Afrobeats, highlife, hip-hop, R&B and Banku (Afrobeats with heavy influence from Ghana), and Wizkid could have set an example for artists to bring those styles to Western markets.
Def Jam Africa’s launch, a Universal Music Group label, was announced on May 26. The new label with bases in Nigeria and South Africa will be “dedicated to representing the best hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa,” according to a UMG press release. The label has already brought on several artists to its roster. They come mainly from South Africa and Nigeria, though the label’s “sound” will come from Africa, according to Sipho Dlamini, UMG Sub Saharan Africa/South Africa chief, in Quartz Africa. The label is known for its progress in the urban and hip-hop movements which include international sensation Rihanna, and the launching of an Africa-based label will bring the company’s resources including its creative, marketing, and artist and repertoire (A&R), the group dedicated to finding and recruiting artists, teams as well as its digital resources to the budding market in Africa.
Having started in a New York University dorm room, it is part of UMG’s new reach in the African music industry as it grows in the global market, marking the region as the place the “next musical revolution.” According to an IFPI report, Africa has been historically underrepresented, but an increase in smartphones and mobile broadband connections have helped the industry move forward in strides. International music streaming services such as iTunes, YouTube and others are becoming more accessible. Artists have new platforms like TikTok to give them broader exposure. It will take a continued investment in these services and broadband infrastructure which still struggles in getting across the digital divide.
The World Bank reports that the in order to achieve universal broadband access in Africa would mean bringing 1.1 billion more people online, a feat that would take an investment of U.S. $100 billion if the plan is to have it accomplished by 2030. There were approximately 400 million broadband connections across the continent in 2018, and mobile broadband coverage was at 70%. Unreliable or unaffordable access to electricity in many areas in the region pose a problem to the mission to connect Africans, even as great strides are being made. Connecting Africa to the internet would mean more work opportunities for a growing working-age population. The United News reported that internet access jumped from 2% to 24% from 2005 to 2018. Private sector investment in infrastructure and policy making can keep moving forward, keeping Africans connected and providing new opportunities for advancement in many areas.
The increased connectivity across African nations has paved the way for streaming services like Boomplay to gain popularity among Africans. Since its launch in 2015, 42 million users, mostly from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania, have been active on the Chinese venture. It holds 5 million songs from both African and international artists, such as Davido, Fela Kuti, Cardi B and Drake. Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal are also among the streaming platforms which are pushing the African music industry forward. Streaming makes up nearly half of the global music revenue, and Boomplay continues to get new subscribers. It is clear that work needs to be done to keep the services profitable and attractive to investors, but it could also be an opportunity for budding artists trying to get their foot in the door by getting onto international platforms. Some of the struggles include getting Africans to buy into paying for their streaming services and develop an understanding of intellectual property laws and use.
The industry continues to grow, especially in Nigeria. Wizkid was the first Nigerian act to have a solo act sell out in London’s Royal Albert Hall. UMG’s influence in the country’s music industry continues to move forward, and its projected to generate more than U.S. $70 million in 2021. The West African country with its abundance of new emerging artists and one of the largest economies in the region, is expected to pave the way for new artists from other countries.
