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Lil’ Wayne and other US artists recognize the power of Afrobeats and its audience

LIL’WAYNE

The “Afrobeats” music genre has become so mainstream that “mainstream” artists, or those most likely from the US and not directly associated with the genre, want to celebrate the genre and the millions who love it.

The largest outdoor Afrobeats festival is Afro Nation, and it’s back in Detroit, Michigan this year (2024) on August 17-18 at Bedrock’s Douglass Site. And while the lineup is mostly made up of Afrobeats artists, this year hip-hop superstar Lil’ Wayne will perform. So will Partynextdoor (who hails from Canada), two artists who know the power of performing to the Afrobeats audience. Around 40,000 people are expected to attend the two-day festival.

Last year (2023), mainstream US artists Latto and Ari Lennox performed at Afro Nation Detroit.

And when Afro Nation took place in Portugal in July 2022, we saw who drew the crowds: Chris Brown and Megan Thee Stallion, who hail from Virginia and Texas, respectively.

Some of the US artists are actually releasing Afrobeats tracks. Take for example “Sensational”, a 2024 summer jam by Chris Brown. Upon first listen, you can hear the Afrobeats vibe, not to mention that the song features Davido and Lojay, two Nigerian singer-songwriters. In 2022, Chris Brown released “Call Me Every Day”, which features Wizkid, another Nigerian singer-songwriter.

WIZKID AND CHRIS BROWN

One of the most famous artists in the Afrobeats world is Burna Boy. His single “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” was a huge hit in 2023, but it featured a popular US rapper named 21 Savage.

And a few years earlier, the incredibly popular rapper Drake released “One Dance” featuring Wizkid.

It is obvious that hip hop artists and Afrobeats artists are in the business of collaborating and promoting each other.

Afrobeats itself is a force that cannot be ignored. In 2022, the genre recorded 13 billion streams on its platform, according to Spotify. Several media outlets reported that the Afrobeats genre generated $100 million in revenue in 2023.

The vast majority of attendees at the Afro Nation Festival in Detroit on August 17 and 18 will be those who currently live in the United States. But what is astonishing, according to various radio program directors and people who follow the music industry professionally, is the growing Nigerian and overall African population in the US that is driving the general passion for the concerts. Just seven years ago, it was estimated that about 350,000 Nigerian immigrants called the US home. By 2024, it is estimated that there will be over 600,000.

Given this demographic and Afrobeats’ ability to top the charts with songs like “Essence” by Wizkid and Tems, “Calm Down” by Rema and Selena Gomez, and “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” by Burna Boy and 21 Savage, it means that more and more Americans are loving Afrobeats and attending concerts. In fact, in 2022, Burna Boy became the first African artist to headline a concert at the “most famous arena in the world,” Madison Square Garden in New York City. Wizkid followed that up with a sold-out show in November 2022, and Davido filled the home of the New York Knicks to a sold-out crowd in April 2024.

21 SAVAGE AND BURNA BOY

When tens of thousands of fans gather at Bedrock’s Douglass Site for Afro Nation Detroit on August 16 and 17, they won’t be expecting Lil’ Wayne to break out into the Afrobeats genre like Rema or Ayra Starr. But that’s OK. Audiences love Lil’ Wayne for his own style, and it’s obvious that non-Afrobeats artists like Lil’ Wayne understand the power of the Afrobeats genre and audience.

(Editor’s note: Other artists scheduled to perform at Afro Nation Detroit include Rema, Ayra Starr, Asake, Adekunle Gold, Kizz Daniel, Omah Lay, Shenseea, Amaarae, King Promise and Ruger. Artists scheduled to perform on the Piano People Stage include Scorpion Kings, Uncle Waffles, Musa Keys, DBN Gogo, Kelvin Momo, TXC, Kamo Mphela, 2WO-Bunnies, DJ Moma, Blakito, Donavan Glover and DJ Mobu. Detroit native Kash Doll is also scheduled to perform. For more information and tickets to Afro Nation Detroit, visit detroit.afronation.com.)

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By Olivia

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