The 10 Greatest Africa-Diaspora Music Collaborations
The respect level between African artists and their diaspora peers have improved over the past decade, as highlighted by the selections on this list.
“Hypé,” the collaboration between French Malian singer Aya Nakamura and Nigerian Beninese singer Ayra Starr, has been certified diamond in France.
Screenshot from “Hype” by Aya Nakamura/YouTube.
Nearly every form of popular music can be traced back to Black people. The global Black community has always found a way to communicate and express through instrumental compositions and sung melodies, a shared experience that continues to manifest itself in collaborations between Black artists across continents. More than any time in history, this creative interaction has reached a level of frequency that has taken away any of the novelty of the past – particularly for those between African artists and Black artists in the diaspora.
This list of great Africa-diaspora collaborations especially highlights the increased back-and-forth over the last decade, an acknowledgment that a lot of history has been made close to the present in this context. It’s a celebration of true partnerships, songs that celebrate a shared sense of kinship between the artists.
Miriam Makeba & Harry Belafonte – “Malaika”
The 1960s marked the beginning of a three-decade long exile from home for the iconic South African singer Miriam Makeba. It also coincided with her commercial peak, one of the high points being her collaboration with the late, great American entertainer Harry Belafonte. Off their Grammy-winning joint album, An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba, their recording of the Swahili folk standard “Malaika” captured the ears of many and has continued to stir the hearts of many more since. Belafonte was as charming as he sang in Swahili and Makeba sang with a gentle storm she often brought to that landmark album.
D’banj – “Mr Endowed [Remix]” feat. Snoop Dogg
The most striking thing about “Mr Endowed (Remix)” when it was released is that Snoop Dogg seemed to have had the time of his life when making the song. This was also the time when a remix went beyond the addition of a guest verse; the bounce of Don Jazzy’s beat was rejigged to fit Snoop’s rap sensibilities and D’Banj delivered two new verses touting his invincibility. In its music video, Snoop welcomed the Nigerian duo into a glitzy mansion, mimicked D’banj’s dance moves and played hype man while Don Jazzy pulled out those infamous alanta moves.
Drake – “One Dance” feat. Wizkid & Kyla
The Afrobeats world seemed to momentarily stop when Drake crooned, “Are you feeling good tonight,” at the start of his feature on the surprise remix of Wizkid’s iconic “Ojuelegba.” Several months later, the Canadian rap superstar tapped Wiz for the global smash, “One Dance,” which featured a prominent sample of British singer Kyla’s “Do You Mind.” Rocketing to the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles chart, where it stayed for 10 and 15 weeks respectively, “One Dance” was the unanimous song of the summer for 2016, an inescapable dancehall slapper that is indelibly tied to the rise of Afrobeats within global pop music conversations.
Diamond Platnumz – “Marry You” feat. Ne-Yo
Diamond Platnumz stuffed his major label debut album, A Boy from Tandale, with dance-pop hits. The Tanzanian singer had a template that largely worked: booming beats, romantic themes and star guests. On “Marry You,” American R&B singer Ne-Yo is the chosen accomplice, and he embraces the assignment without reserve, up to the point of singing some of his lines in Swahili. After Ne-Yo’s introductory verse, Diamond takes center stage, his showman charm towering over the fast-paced beat.
Skepta & Wizkid – “Bad Energy (Stay Far Away)”
“Bad Energy” is as perfect as an ideal cut diamond piece. Some of the most memorable flexes by a rapper in the 2010s were delivered by Skepta, three inspired verses of pure boasting that never feels outsize. After all, “It’s in the blood, in the jeans [genes], in the stitching.” Then there’s Wizkid’s stunning hook, where hedonism sounds heavenly. The formula is simple, a rapper stunting like the coolest rappers are meant to, a singer delivering a chorus that sticks to the roof of listeners’ brains, and the beat – produced by Sarz – with a breezy swing. It all comes together in that perfect way that classics do.
Beyoncé, Wizkid, SAINt JHN & Blue Ivy – “Brown Skin Girl”
If it hadn’t been announced by the American pop superstar herself, news of a Beyoncé project featuring a long list of African collaborators would have sounded like a prank. The Lion King: The Gift was a soundtrack album to accompany the photorealistic remake of the classic musical drama film, The Lion King, which Beyoncé voiced a role in. “Brown Skin Girl,” a celebration of black women’s beauty, remains the album’s most culturally impactful highlight, but overall the album has aged quite decently, from the wizened garb of Burna Boy’s “Ja Ara E” to the fierce all-women, all-star stomp of “My Power.”
Dave – “Location” feat. Burna Boy
In 2019 Burna Boy set about doing African Giant things. The hits poured out of him unabated, and he worked with a solid list of artists, including Damian Marley, Jorja Smith and Future. None of his collaborations from that year touch the same level of cultural impact as his feature on Dave’s “Location,” striking a landmark partnership in a deep Afrobeats-UK rap relationship. Burna’s smooth baritone conjures the most heartening, freeing time ever, setting the tone for a singalong rap hit, while Dave also lands a slew of quotables over Jae5’s warm bounce.
Tyla, Gunna & Skillibeng – “Jump”
On her self-titled debut album, it was evident that Tyla had a firm grasp of what she wanted her sound to express. The South African singer is a hybrid popstar, folding sonic influences into a frictionless, distinctly engaging style. “Jump,” a standout off the project, leans dancehall and is underscored by amapiano-indebted log drums. Featuring Jamaican MC Skillibeng and American rap artist Gunna, it brings Johannesburg, Atlanta and Kingston into close contact for a seamless, straight-up banger.
Aya Nakamura – “Hypé” feat. Ayra Starr
There’s no need to squint to see the similarities between Aya Nakamura and Ayra Starr. Although Nakamura has been at it for longer, the two singers are incredibly talented song-makers that can get assertive and also be vulnerable. On “Hypé,” they bond over getting over partners that are no longer worth the excitement. Initially released as a solo single, Starr justifies her inclusion on the updated version, sending stinging kissoffs without needing to turn up the volume, like the unbothered queens she and Nakamura are. The mid-tempo zouk-love hit reached No. 2 on the French singles chart and has since been certified diamond.
Moliy, Shenseea, Skillibeng & Silent Addy – “Shake it to the Max (Fly) [Remix]”
Even before its release, Moliy’s “Shake it to the Max (Fly)” had started gaining traction, aided by a viral dance trend that involved winding waists. The hype only swelled after it dropped, inspiring a slew of cover freestyles. Delving further into the song’s dancehall bounce, the Ghanaian American singer went with Jamaican rappers Skillibeng and Shenseea for its official remix, a perfect decision that yielded great results. While Skillibeng is characteristically raw, it’s Shenseea that amps things up with her barn-burning verse, turning up the heat on an already blazing hit.
