The official South African Music Awards (SAMA) 2021 logo.
SAMAs (Finally) Recognise Gqom and Amapiano as Separate Categories
The South African Music Awards (SAMAs) have announced that gqom and amapiano will be officially recognised as standalone music categories at the 2021 instalment of the awards show.
According to the SowetanLIVE, the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) have officially added gqom and amapiano categories for the 2021 edition of the awards show. This comes after the two categories were forced to compete in the 'Best Kwaito Album' category in previous years. The SAMAs organisers have reportedly stated that the growing number of gqom and amapiano nominee entries have called for the separation of the homegrown South African genres. SAMAs spokesperson Lesley Mofokeng confirmed in a public statement that kwaito, gqom and amapiano are officially standalone categories for the upcoming 27th annual SAMAs.
"In our extensive consultations with the industry as we planned for SAMA27, it became abundantly clear that the general feeling was to separate these categories. This is testament to the popularity of these genres and the growth of our local music industry. We are delighted to witness this step in the right direction and believe that these categories will be hotly contested."
While gqom is the antecedent to amapiano, the latter genre has grown even more with loyal fanbases. Babes Wodumo, Moonchild Sanelly, MFR Souls, Kabza De Small, Distruction Boyz and DJ Maphorisa are just a few artists that have expanded gqom and amapiano. The genres has seen Nigerian artists Niniola, Patoranking, Dbanj and others merging their signature Afrobeat sound with gqom. The recognition of Kwaito, gqom and amapiano as separate categories admittedly adds the much needed respect to the growing evolution of South African music.
The 2021 SAMAs will be hybrid virtual event with a small number of guests in attendance due to COVID-19 protocols. Entries for nominations opened on November 26th of 2020 and will close on January 31st 2021.
The awards, which were held at the Dakar Arena, saw the likes of Nigerian superstar Davido take home three trophies in one night as he won the Best African Collaboration, Best Duo or Group in African Electro, and Best Male Artiste in African Inspirational Music categories.
Egyptian rapper Marwan Moussa followed closely, nabbing two wins for Best African Rapper/Lyricist and Best Duo or Group in African Hip Hop.
In other notable moments, Senegalese icons Youssou N’dour, Baaba Maal, and Ismaël Lô were given the AFRIMA Legend Award, which is selected by the awards' international executive committee.
All of the winners across the remaining 39 categories for the 8th AFRIMA in Senegal were decided by popular vote across a pool of 9,067 submitted entries.
South Africa's Costa Titch and Frrench-Congolese artist Dadju lead the group, with each artist earning six nominations. Burna Boy, KIzz Daniel, Tiwa Savage and Fireboy DML bagged nominations each.
This year, the organization received its highest number of entries ever recorded since the award show began in 2014. The award show's jury chose 382 nominations across 39 musical categories, to underscore five African regions and the musical talents that represent those regions.
South African jury member Adam Tiran, said that he was confident that he and other members had made the right selections this year for talent.
“We are confident in our selection this year, after carefully reviewing all 9,076 entries. We are sure this is an accurate and inclusive representation of where the African music industry currently is," said Tiran. "We have put in the effort to ensure that AFRIMA’s nominations remain as credible and authentic as always.”
West African countries led the charge with a total of 134 nominations, and this was followed by the Eastern African region, whose artists came to 69 nominations. Southern African artists followed behind with 68 nominations and Central African artists had 52 nominations, while Northern African artists had an entry totaling to 49 nominations. The global region for this year's award show representing non-Africans pulled in 10 nominations.
The nominations fall into a variety of categories, according to Angela Martins, Head of Culture, African Union Commission on the Jury:
“The nominees list comprising 29 continental award categories and 10 regional award categories released for public voting on www.afrima.org. The remaining category for the “Legend Award” will be announced at the awards. Also, we brought back the “Best Soundtrack in a Movie, Series or Documentary” category, this year, due to the availability of quality entries for this year’s edition. Recall that we had to suspend it, last year, due to a shortage of quality entries, said Martins. “Overall, we are very proud and confident in our work, and we would continue to intensify our efforts to ensure AFRIMA remains the ultimate recognition of African music globally in line with its vision.”
See the full list of winners below.
Here are all the winners at the 8th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA)
REGIONAL WINNERS
Best Female Artiste in Western Africa
Asa
Ocean
Nigeria
Gyakie
Something
Ghana
Josey Ft. Bonigo (Winner)
Zambeleman
Cote d'Ivoire
Manamba Kante
Bhouloun Djouri
Guinea
Oumou Sangare
Wassulu Don
Mali
Simi
Woman
Nigeria
Soraia Ramos
BKBN
Cape Verde
Tems
Crazy Tings
Nigeria
Tiwa Savage Ft. Brandy
Somebody's Son
Nigeria
Viviane CHIDID Ft. Bass Thioung
Sweet Game
Senegal
Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa
A-Reece
Couldn't Have Said It Better, Pt.3
South Africa
Blxckie feat A-Reece
Sneaky
South Africa
DJ Tarico Ft. DJ Consequence, Nelson Tivane & Preck
Number One
Mozambique
Gemini Major Ft. Ayra Starr
Ooh Lala
Malawi
Focalistic X Madumane and Mellow & Sleazy feat. DJ Maphorisa
16 Days No Sleep
South Africa
Kabza De Small Ft. DJ Maphorisa
Abalele
South Africa
Musketeers Ft. Azmo
Danko feat. Azmo
Namibia
Master KG x Wanitwa Mos Ft. Nkosazana Daughter, Basetsana, Obeey Amor
Dali Nguwe
South Africa
Winky D (Winner)
Happy Again
Zimbabwe
Zakes Bantwini Ft. Kasango
Osama
South Africa
Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa
DJ Yessonia Ft. Boohle
Ngifuna Wena
Namibia
DJ Zinhle Ft. Black Motion, Kabza De Small & Nokwazi
Siyabonga
South Africa
Kamo Mphela
Ghost
South Africa
Makhadzi (Winner)
Mama
South Africa
Nadia Nakai Ft. Lucasraps
Not The Same
South Africa
Nomfundo Moh Ft. ShaSha & Ami Faku
Phakade Lami
South Africa
ShaSha Ft. Kamo Mphela & Felo Le Tee
iPiano
Zimbabwe
Simmy
We Were Here
South Africa
Tamy Moyo
Sare
Zimbabwe
Uncle Waffles & Tony Duardo Ft. Sino Msolo & Boibizza
Tanzania
South Africa
Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa
A.L.A (Winner)
30
Tunisia
Ali Loka
Matkhafesh Yamma
Egypt
Ahmed Saad Ft. 3enba & Double Zuksh
AlMoulouk
Egypt
DJ Snake
Disco Maghreb
Algeria
Draganov
Chichi
Morocco
El Grande Toto
Salade Coco
Morocco
Marwan Moussa
Batal 3alam
Egypt
Snor
Kasseta
Morocco
Soolking
Suavemente
Algeria
Wegz
Albakht
Egypt
Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa
Faouzia (Winner)
RIP Love
Morocco
Jaylann
Oui Oui
Morocco
Kenza Morsli Ft. DJ Adel
Moustahil
Algeria
Lyna Mahyem
Mal De Toi
Algeria
Manal
Makhelaw Magalou
Morocco
Marwa Loud & Moha K
Ghir Ntiya
Morocco
Ruby
Namet Nenna
Egypt
Rym
Stylo Warqa
Morocco
Best Male Artiste in Central Africa
C4 Pedro
Posa
Angola
Dadju
Ambassadeur
DRC
Fally Ipupa (Winner)
Bloqué
DRC
Innoss'B
Mortel-06
DRC
Gaz Mawete
500
DRC
Matias Damasio
Como Antes
Angola
Ninho
Jefe
DRC
Roga Roga & Extra Musica
Bokoko
DRC
Tayc
Dodo
Cameroon
Tenor Ft. Innoss'B
Mami Wata
Cameroon
Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa
Addis Legesse
Enja
Ethiopia
Bien (& Aaron Rimbui)
Bald Men Anthem
Kenya
Diamond Platnumz Ft. Zuchu
Mtasubiri
Tanzania
Eddy Kenzo
Songa
Uganda
Kassmasse (Winner)
Sewasew
Ethiopia
King Saha
Zakayo
Uganda
Marioo Ft. Jovial
Mi Amor
Tanzania
Mbosso Ft. Costa Titch & Phantom Steeze
Moyo
Tanzania
Nyashinski Ft. Femi One
Properly
Kenya
Rayvanny Ft. Vjollca
Pele Pele
Tanzania
Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa
Betty G
Addis Semay
Ethiopia
Frida Amani
Fala Mimi
Tanzania
Hewan Gebrewold
Shemuna
Ethiopia
Muthaka (Winner)
Sorry
Kenya
Nandy
Siwezi
Tanzania
Nikita Kering
Last Name
Kenya
Rosa Ree
Watatubu
Tanzania
Spice Diana Ft. DJ Seven
Tujuoge
Uganda
Tanasha Donna
Maradonna
Kenya
Zuchu Ft. Bontle Smith & Tyler
Kitu
Tanzania
CONTINENTAL WINNER
Song of the year
Black Sherif
Kwaku The Traveller
Ghana
Burna Boy
Last Last
Nigeria
Costa Titch feat. Banaba Des, Alfa Kat, Man T, Sdida, C’Buda M
Big Flexa
South Africa
Dadju
Ambassaduer
DRC
Didi B (Winner)
Tala
Cote d'Ivoire
DJ Snake
Disco Maghreb
Algeria
Fireboy DML feat. Ed Sheeran
Peru (Remix)
NIgeria
Kizz Daniel feat. Tekno
Buga
Nigeria
Marioo feat. Jovial
Mi Amor
Tanzania
Rema
Calm Down
Nigeria
Soolking
Suavemente
Algeria
Wegz
Elbakht
Egypt
Album of the year
Brymo
9: Esan
Nigeria
Burna Boy (Winner)
Love Damini
Nigeria
Dadju
Cullilan
DRC
Diamond Platnumz
First of All
Tanzania
Didi B
History
Cote d'Ivoire
Kabza De Small
KOA II
South Africa
Nomfundo Moh
Amagama
South Africa
Oumou Sangare
Timbuktu
Mali
Soolking
Sans Visa
Algeria
Rema
Raves & Roses
Nigeria
Producer of the year
C4 Pedro
Posa C4 Pedro
Angola
CKay & BMH
Emiliana by CKay
Nigeria
Kimambobeats
Mi Amor by Marioo feat. Jovial
Tanzania
Nyadjiko & Dadju
Ambassaduer by Dadju
DRC
Rahal
Elbakht by Wegz
Egypt
Reward Beats
Buga by Kizz Daniel feat. Tekno
Nigeria
Sdida & Man T
Big Flexa by Costa Titch
South Africa
Serge Beynaud
C'est Dose by Serge Beynaud
Cote d'Ivoire
Shizzi (Winner)
Peru (Remix) by Fireboy DML
Nigeria
Stan-E Kibulu & William Grigahcine
Disco Magrehb by DJ Snake
Algeria
A Artist of the Year
Burna Boy (Winner)
Last Last
Nigeria
CKay
Emiliana
Nigeria
Dadju
Ambassaduer
DRC
Diamond Platnumz feat. Zuchu
Mtasubiri
Tanzania
Fireboy DML feat. Ed Sheeran
Peru (Remix)
Nigeria
Kabza De Small feat. DJ Maphorisa, Ami Faku
Asibe Happy
South Africa
Manal
Makhelaw Magalou
Morroco
Tiwa Savage feat. Brandy
Somebody's Son
Nigeria
Wegz
Elbakht
Egypt
Zakes Batwini feat. Kasango
Osama
South Africa
Songwriter of the Year
Bridget Blue & Jibiril Blessing
Woman by Bridget Blue
Kenya
Daniel Baron
How To Feel by Daniel Baron
South Africa
Iba One (Winner)
Hommage a mes parents
Mali
Lloyiso Mandlovandile Gigana, Luke Goliath
Seasons by Lloyiso
South Africa
Martin Obudho, Muthaka
Sorry
Kenya
Matias Damasio
Como Antes
Angola
Mordecai 'Dex' Mwini
Reason by Wanavokali Ft. H_art the Band
Kenya
Olawale Olofo'ro
Fura Sára by Brymo
Nigeria
Rokia Kone, Garret Lee
Kurunba
Mali
Sidy Diop
Ngalam
Senegal
Winner
Breakout Breakout Artist of the Year
Asake (Winner)
Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)
Nigeria
Camidoh
Sugarcane (Remix) feat. Darkoo, King Promise, Mayorkun
Ghana
Costa Titch
Ma Gang feat Champuru Makhenzo, Phantom Steeze, ManT, Sdida & C'BUDA M
South Africa
Daliwonga
Abo Mvelo feat. Mellow And Sleazy & M.J
South Africa
El Grande Toto
Salade Coco
Morroco
Fior 2 Bior
Godo Godo
Cote d'Ivoire
Hewan Gebrewold
Shemuna
Ethiopia
Marwan Moussa (Winner)
Batal 3alam
Egypt
Nomfundo Moh
Phakade Lami feat. ShaSha & Ami Faku
South Africa
Pheelz
Finesse feat. BNXN
Nigeria
Most Promising Artist
Ans-T Crazy (Winner)
10 Na ifari feat. Ibro Gnamet
Guinea
Dafencii
King Alhalaba
Sudan
Fave
Baby Riddim
Nigeria
Frida Amani
Fala Mimi
Tanzania
Jeeba
Lamou Saff
Senegal
Khanyisa
Bheka Mina Ngedwa feat Tsiki XII, Marcus MC and Lady Du
South Africa
Kikimoteleba
Tigini feat. Franglish
Cote d'Ivoire
Lloyiso
Speak
South Africa
Magixx
Love Don't Cost A Dime feat. Ayra Starr
Nigeria
Zara Williams
Posa feat. C4 Pedro
DRC
African Fans Favourite
Bello Falcao
Dibango Dibanga
Cote d'Ivoire
Ch'cco, Mellow, Sleazy
Nkao Tempela
South Africa
Goya Menor & Nektunez
Ameno Amapiano
Ghana & Nigeria
Joeboy
Sip (Alchohol)
Nigeria
Lojay X Sarz feat. Chris Brown
Monalisa (Remix)
Nigeria
Mavins; Ayra Starr, Boy Spyce, Crayon, LADIPOE, Magixx
Featuring Spinall, Sarkodie x Bob Marley, Joeboy, AKA x Khuli Chana and more.
Every Friday, we highlight the top releases through our best music of the week column, Songs You Need to Hear. Here's our round-up of the best new tracks and music videos that came across our desks.
If you like these music lists, you can also check out our Best Songs of the Month columns following Nigerian, Ghanaian, East African and South African music.
SPINALL "Bunda" ft. Olamide & Kemuel
Nigeria'sDJ Spinall has announced his forthcoming new album, Top Boy, due February 17 via TheCAPMusic/Venice. In conjunction with the album announcement, Spinall is sharing a sleek new single and music video for "Bunda." The track blends afrobeats, amapiano and electronic elements for a dance floor-ready production that features Nigerian star Olamide and Kemuel. Its accompanying music video, directed by TG Omori, takes the party to ancient Egypt and beyond. Get into it above.
Sarkodie x Bob Marley & The Wailers "Stir It Up"
Ghanaian rap star Sarkodie kicks off his year with a massive collaboration as he reimagines a new version of Bob Marley & The Wailers classic "Stir It Up." The new version of the track, produced by MOG, injects Marley & The Wailers' iconic reggae original tune with new verses from Sark. It comes along with a Ghana-shot music video that showcases the relationship between Jamaica and Ghana. "Definitely one of the highest moments in my career/life," Sarkodie mentions. "Such a blessing to lay my vocals right next to the original vocals of the legend."
Joeboy "Body & Soul"
Joeboy returns with the E Kelly-produced single "Body & Soul." The Nigerian hitmaker's latest tune follows his penchant for penning love songs with a distinct afrobeats and Caribbean feel. "Body & Soul" will appear on Joeboy's much-anticipated sophmore album, which will aim to build on the massive success of singles like "Sip (Alcohol)."
AKA & Khuli Chana "Prada"
South African heavyweights AKA and Khuli Chana team up for the head-nodding new joint "Prada." This is the latest track we hear ahead of AKA's forthcoming album Mass Country, which is due February 24. It follows previous singles "Lemons (Lemonade)" and "Paradise." "For me, it’s about vibes right now in my career.... I want to make music that I can ride around and listen to in the future," AKA mentioned to SA Hip Hop Mag last year. Listen above.
Minz x BNXN x Blaqbonez "Wo Wo (Remix)"
Minz shares a star-studded remix to his silky, saxophone-flanked single "Wo Wo" (which is pidgin for "ugly"). The new "Wo Wo" remix features appearances from Nigerian breakout stars BNXN, formerly known as Buju, and Blaqbonez, as they each look back at their rise in the music industry. "In this sober moment I’m grateful to my maker for bringing me this far to where I can proudly say I’ve overcome," says Minz. "I don’t take the blessings for granted and I hope to inspire someone who’s in an ugly place in their life that they too can someday look back on these moments with thanksgiving.”
The Nigerian director saw a vision of Mami Wata, then made a film that became the toast of Sundance and won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography.
C.J. Obasi’s third feature length film MamiWata has taken Sundance by storm. The mesmerizing fable, which marks the first time a home-grown Nigerian film scores a competition prize at the Sundance Film Festival, delves into the myth of the Mami Wata folklore, a terrifying mermaid goddess popular across West Africa. Obasi’s MamiWata tells a simple enough story of good versus evil, and the importance of maintaining balance while hurtling towards societal change. But Obasi is not your basic filmmaker, and his interpretation of this well-known folklore is a startling cinematic achievement that advances his singular vision.
Shot in dazzling black and white, and envisioned as an expressionist exercise, MamiWata tells the story of a beach-side community that must interrogate previously held beliefs when a stranger washes up ashore and forces a reckoning. At Sundance, Mami Wata impressed jury, critics and audiences alike. The film won the special jury award for cinematography for Brazilian DOP Lílis Soares’ striking work.
OkayAfrica spoke with Obasi from Park City, Utah about the seven-year process that brought Mami Wata to life.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
C.J. "Fiery" Obasi took seven years to make 'Mami Wata,' which he started writing in January 2016.
Photo: The Sundance Institute
You really saw a vision of Mami Wata and lived to tell the tale?
After the lackluster reception of my 2015 film, O-Town, I was at a place where I was worrying about what to do next. I have had three or four encounters all through my life where even though I am awake, I kind of zone out and recall no presence of time. I went to this beach where I saw this vision of a goddess whom I believe to be Mami Wata. If you see a giantess standing in the ocean with red glowing eyes staring at you, you kind of assume she is Mami Wata. She was beckoning on this young woman who was walking into the ocean. I said to myself that I am going to make MamiWata as my next project. That began a process of figuring out what kind of Mami Wata movie I wanted. I envisaged an emotional narrative that speaks to individuality and our identity as (West) Africans. Instinctively I realized that to go on that path I would need to follow the journey of the young woman and not necessarily Mami Wata. Who was this woman? Where was she coming from? If I could find the journey of the young woman, then that would lead me to Mami Wata.
Guitar Boy, the classic song by Sir Victor Uwaifo about his encounter with a Mami Wata readily comes to mind.
Of course. And to my credit when I saw Mami Wata I did not run away…
Sir Victor Uwaifo’s music appears in the film also. This was deliberate?
Absolutely, those who know, know. I did not want to use Guitar Boy because that would be too on the nose, but I also feel that Victor Uwaifo’s style of music imbibes the style and aesthetic of the film. And if you notice the scene at the bar, we call the bar Joroma but it is obviously a node to this Joromi genre which he created.
Pidgin language, which is native to various communities in Africa, and the diaspora even, is central to the film’s narrative.
For me it is about the history of Pidgin and how the language came to the West African region. Before even the slave trade, the West African coast was a commercial hub and people had to find a common language. Then we had the Europeans colonizing this region for hundreds of years. There had to be a common language and Pidgin morphed out of that necessity. There is a misconception that Pidgin is derived from English - and there is Pidgin English - but Pidgin is not necessarily a broken form of English. It is a mash up of several local languages including English. If you go to Delta state in Nigeria, the Pidgin is different from that spoken in say Ghana or Liberia. The idea of Pidgin as culture is what I wanted to reflect in the film, which is why as a Nigerian you will understand the Pidgin but will not necessarily call it Nigerian Pidgin.
Even when the film is specific to the West African region, it travels because there are versions of Mami Wata in several cultures that people can connect to.
We hope that it translates. You start from Nigeria, Benin Republic, rest of West Africa, Africa, the diaspora and beyond, because, like you observed, even non-Africans have a mermaid story. But they also have stories about their folklore, about spirituality and tradition. So, whether the mythology is Greek or Nordic or Celtic, you will find common themes.
You mentioned spending five years on this project…
That was just for the writing process. It took seven years to complete the film. I started writing in January 2016, and we premiered at Sundance in January 2023. I wrote about eight or nine drafts, maybe even 10. It started as a traditional genre film because I am a fan of genre and that was easy for me to do. But I soon realized I had put myself in a box. Looking back, I guess this maybe could have worked but that isn’t the direction I was going for. I wanted to do something that had more layers of meaning. After trying and failing multiple times, I decided to destroy all those drafts and start from scratch. And this led me to the development labs like Ouaga film lab and Less is More.
The setting is such that the film appears timeless and could be happening anytime in the past, present or future.
This was always there from the beginning, even when it was still in the genre drafts. We had this line in the script where the description was, “set in a West African village frozen in time.” I did not keep that line but that allowed me get into that world, and I think that is intricate to the story. I love period pieces, but I did not want to make one because I think there is something about them that can put up a chasm, and prevent the audience from going fully into the experience. The mind engages with stuff it finds relatable. We didn’t want that for this film, and one way we went about this was with the symbols that are related to the present. And also, with conversations around modernity, such as wanting schools and hospitals, that are present in the film.
The performances are great but also framed and delivered in a certain stylized way. The lead, Evelyne Ily Juhen, is a revelation, and Rita Edochie who is a Nollywood veteran has such a strong presence.
I have always been a huge fan of Rita Edochie, from just watching her in stuff. She is someone who elevates whatever she is in. But I always felt like she could do a whole lot more. When MamiWata presented itself, and she agreed to do it, I was excited to try. It is actually the first time she is doing a project that is cinema and she is very proud of that, which makes me very proud. I remember when she first came on set for her costume and makeup test. She put them on and everyone on set went crazy, and this was just the screen test. In terms of the framing and the stylistic choices, these are things that were already rudimentary to the storytelling. How do you capture the intermediary between the people and the water goddess? How do you capture the people themselves? This is all rooted in the cinematography and the conversations I had with DOP Lílis Soares. We wanted a specific gaze to capture Africans, one that is more empathetic rather than sympathetic, which is usually the go to style whenever rural Africa is represented on film.
Not only is the cinematography amazing, but also, everything from production design to costumes, hair and makeup is stunning.
I am glad you said this because the cinematography is great, but it works because of all these other elements. They had to come together to make it work.
What were your influences for Mami Wata?
We watched a lot of stuff, I must say, but mostly to understand what not to do for our film. We did not have a lot of direct references for what we were trying to do so we were watching things and consciously eliminating them. On the other hand, we watched things that inspired us in terms of innovation, but even those were not directly related. We would watch western genre films and classics from Asia. There are a lot of African filmmakers that inspire me, and my favorite film of all time will always be Yeelen. It is a very different film from MamiWata but the thing I love about it is Souleymane Cissé’s unabashed way of telling African folklore. That kind of audacity will always be influential to me.
You mentioned at the premiere that it was tough convincing people to back a MamiWata story because of the spiritual dimensions.
It was hard convincing investors. We actually had one who was interested in investing in my film but as soon as we said MamiWata, she actually said, “Holy Ghost fire,” and sent us packing. This is not a joke. But with the actors, there was no push back. They had questions certainly, concerning what I was doing but they were mostly excited. The job as a director is to constantly reassure your collaborators that they are in good hands, and I am pretty good at that.
Renowned dancehall artist Popcaan has released his album Great Is He, via OVO Sound, and it features none other than Burna Boy.
Jamaica's Popcaanhas shared his anticipated album Great Is He, and the body of work features Nigerian superstar Burna Boy on the track "Aboboyaa."
The album showcases the Jamaican musical giant's signature dancehall sound, while also exploring the depth of genre's versatility. In addition to featuring Burna Boy, Great Is He includes features from OVO Sound's boss Drake, Jamaica's Chronic Law, and Toni-Ann Singh, among others.
On "Aboboyaa," the two musical powerhouses merge their signature rhythmic melodies and intonations in a way that is both compelling to listen to on the first listen, and in turn inspires a second and third listen.
Ever since he released his debut album in 2014, Popcaan has become an international dancehall sensation, and his repertoire includes a list of impressive features.
His album Forever, which was released in 2018, debuted at number two on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums. Commercially, Popcaan has made a mark on the music scene too. His last project FIXTAPE — which included “Twist & Turn,” the mesmerizing dancehall hit featuring Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR — has garnered over 191 million streams and continues to receive accolades from outlets like Pitchfork, who described the body of work as “a testament to his place at the forefront of the genre.”
"Aboboyaa" is not Popcaan's first international collaboration. In the past, the Jamaican icon has worked with several international music acts including Davido, Jamie xx, Young Thug, Gorillaz, Kano, Jorja Smith and a host of others. He also founded Jamaica’s annual Unruly Festwhich brings stars across the globe to experience Jamaican culture.
The Nigerian American director has long used the tools of his multi-hyphenate trade to expand the ways Africans are seen. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, 'Bravo, Burkina!' gives him a larger canvas on which to paint.