Five Afrobeats Intelligence Podcast Episodes to Catch up On

The fourth season of Afrobeats Intelligence launched last Friday. The first episode features a breezy conversation with Nigerian superstar and budding label boss, Joeboy. Now presented by OkayAfrica, with new episodes every Friday, the podcast keeps its ethos of roving, captivating conversations, bringing our community and the wider audience firsthand access to the unfiltered stories of key players shaping the local growth and global appeal of afrobeats.

For those unfamiliar with the podcast show, here are five previous episodes to serve as primers as this new season unfolds.

Asa

For years, Asa was widely regarded as a recluse. It wasn't until the COVID-19 lockdown that more people saw the Nigerian-born singer's lighter side, mainly through video posts on social media. In the inaugural episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, that jovial side comes through, without dampening the thoughtfulness always perceived of the singer. Akan recently shared that the conversation was recorded between whiskey sips and cigar smokes, and the loose nature of the interview carries through as Asa discusses coming back home to live in Lagos for an extended period and working on the lustrous pop tunes on her 2022 album, V.

Zlatan

Akan and Nigerian street-rap acolyte Zlatan were at each other's throats for a couple of years. Akan lambasted Zlatan on several occasions, critiquing his thematic choices on social media and sharing a barbed opinion piece on the artist's style of music. Over a nearly three-hour conversation, both men officially bury the hatchet, telling their uncomfortable truths and reaching a mutual level of respect that's affecting. Zlatan shares his struggles from the inner hoods of Lagos to becoming a successful artist, and Akan shares parallels between their experiences. It's an absorbing episode deserving of its sprawling run time.

Omah Lay

Omah Lay has been one of the most bankable hitmakers since his breakout in 2020; at the same time, very few artists in African music today are as emotionally poignant as the Port Harcourt-raised artist. As open as he is in his music, that only mirrors a fraction of the many experiences that have shaped him. In this conversation with Akan, Omah Lay pulls back the curtain to let listeners in on his turbulent childhood and young teenage and post-teen years marked by troubles and exuberance. The singer is casually, sometimes painfully, honest about sleeping under bridges and in abandoned cars, working in illegal refineries, getting into trouble for the sake of hedonistic pleasures, and much more. It's a rollercoaster.

Don Jazzy

Since he shed his mysterious aura post-Mo'Hits, Don Jazzy is one of the more extroverted celebrities in Nigeria, which means everyone feels they know the Mavin Records founder. On his feature episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, listeners realize there's more beyond the online memes, skits, and Instagram collab posts. We see and hear an astute, passionate, and ambitious businessman who doesn't take his successes for granted. Don Jazzy explains his all-out approach to promoting his artists and businesses, and things get emotional when he and the host discuss the topsy-turvy nature of grief.

Llona

Llona's music sounds like the microphone is plugged directly into his heart's right ventricle, transforming past experiences' ruggedness into profound symphonies. Following the release of his cult classic debut album, Homeless, Akan sat with the singer to excavate the source of all the expelled pain, and the ensuing conversation is a near tearjerker. Llona is incredibly open, narrating the humiliating and harrowing circumstances that led to him dropping out of school early, working as a gateman, moving to Lagos, and scraping by, as well as realigning his purpose as an artist.