Psst! Cool Stuff: 7 African Artists To Listen To
-Sharon
Trust us to help you discover some of Africa’s richest talents and pockets of quality music. In this edition, we bring to your ears out-of-the-norm sounds that are bound to expand your music pallet. From Gengetone to Swahili tunes, it’s time to explore a different universe of sounds.
Adekunle Gold – 5 STAR (NG)
AG Baby is one of Nigeria’s artists who has built a legacy on his own terms; blending Afrobeats and highlife seamlessly. In the last couple of years, we have all tried to take notes as this superstar went through what is perhaps the most powerful rebrand of all time?. On this Kel-P-produced track, he shares the emotional but inspiring account of battling sickle cell while still managing to stay atop game in both his personal and public life. The soft melody paired with its radiant lyric video is right on par with his soulful brand.
MOONGA K. – honeybee (ZAM)
With music as fluid as his identity, Moonga K is truly a love child of the Pan Africa. The Johannesburg based artist was born in Zambia while raised in Botswana. In his signature sapphic voice texture, he croons in desperation over a love interest that pays no mind to him. In his words, the song is for all the awkward souls who go through having feelings for folks that don’t reciprocate. There’s no shame in that, and no shame in admitting it.”
Through the self-directed visuals, Moonga closes listeners in on his feelings of anxious desperation and a tad bit of delusion. The DIY feel contributes to the moodiness of the neo-soul track.
Cruel Santino – DEADMAN BONE ft Koffee (NG)
Santi is the king of stunning his audience with genre-altering surprises. You had to be there when the internet broke in a frenzy after he dropped a snippet of Koffee’s verse on his IG story. This year, after a torturous wait, the highly anticipated track along with his otherworldly album, ‘SUBARU BOYS’ was finally released. On the edgy layered track, Santi and Koffee blend their individual styles of patois; erupting in insane chemistry. The ambient beats were produced by Monster Boys.
If you were wondering what the term, “deadman bone” is, apparently, it’s a strain of weed Geniowya and GMK smoked when they were younger. Once again, these rule benders have given critics and fans alike something to talk about.
TRESOR – Sondela ft Msaki (SA)
South African artists have hacked transcending language barriers through the nostalgic quality and immersive storytelling of their music. This airy duet in Swahili and Xhosa is no different. The love ballad purely captures that sweet pocket of shyness when falling in love. Can’t lie, Msaki’s earthy and ethereal cadence was the star of the song. You should check her out – she’s a lovely folk soul vocalist. It’s lovely how they use each artist’s character to illustrate the love connections between extroverted and shyer. personalities with the visuals. This is a song, you’d want to replay over and over again.
Producer: How many flowers do you want?
Trevor and Msaki: yes
Tay C – D O D O ft Adekunle Gold
This Afro-French dancehall from Cameroon’s Tay C and Adekunle Gold is a collab we didn’t know we needed. Over catchy beats, the song is clearly celebrating all the African girlies. D O D O on a sunny beach day, what’s not to love?
Mbogi Genge – Zamali (KE)
Mbogi Genge is a 3-man Gengetone music group from Nairobi, Kenya. On this reggaetón track, they rap in Shey and allude to their love of older gangster artists in the video.
Costa Titch & Dee Koala – We Deserve Bettr (KE)
Fire fit, fire flows. This song broke Dee Koala into mainstream rap in South Africa. The vibrant track along with the kaleidoscopic video shows the Gen Z culture of hustling to stack that zaga (money) while looking fly AF in street fashion. The record was released as part of the Bettr bank marketing campaign to educate young adults on savvy ways of financial freedom.
Listen to the Psst! Cool Stuff playlist today.