There has never been a more exciting time to be attuned to the pulse of African music. Across the continent, young, talented musicians are displaying incredible ingenuity while subverting genre norms and putting fresh spins on popular sounds across hip-hop, R&B, and Afropop. Archiving and cataloging the work of these inspired acts has never been more important than it is now, and it continues to be central to what we do at The NATIVE. In March, we hosted the inaugural edition of our uNder live showcase, completing a journey that started as ‘Fresh Meat’ in one iteration before evolving to i ..read more

From the euphoric release of operating behind the mic to navigating the drama that unfurls at boardroom level, there is no Afropop without the contribution of its women. In the twenty-odd years since the genre has risen from a sub-regional powerhouse to a key component of global pop’s framework, women have been at the forefront of that evolution, working ardently to propel African music to the top of the charts and the minds and hearts of millions across the globe. The theme for 2024’s International Women’s Day was ‘Accelerate Progress,’ and our friends at Platoon and Femme Africa took this up ..read more

With the global music scene becoming increasingly interconnected, artists from all over the world are building relationships and reaching audiences far beyond their geographical boundaries.  To further this creative momentum, Scottish Whisky brand, Monkey Shoulder and online radio station Worldwide FM are joining forces to empower global grassroots music communities, through an initiative called Studio Monkey Shoulder.  The programme invites applicants from Nigeria, the UK, US, Taiwan, and India, to apply for a grant worth up to N100 million in rewards and sponsorship. Through Studio ..read more

For many, the makings of a great DJ rely heavily on their ability to tap into the energy of a space and determine just how to match or boost the mood in the room. From setting the mood with slow jams on night-time radio shows, to playing the hottest new songs on the block, the role of the DJ has always been to package the best sounds to suit the moment. With the rise of radio in major cities like New York and Memphis, DJs started to gain more cultural relevance, as well as an increased demand to have their sets heard in spaces other than your car stereo. But the origins of modern day DJing go ..read more

According to a 2022 report examining Inclusion In The Recording Studio, women make up 23% of the music creation process, showing that the goal of gender parity in the music industry still needs some heavy lifting. This is why initiatives like Platoon’s She Runs The Boards ring extra important in today’s climate, creating a direct pipeline for women in the music industry to be discovered, seen and heard.  She Runs The Boards is a global music programme created to challenge the status quo and provide the tools, time and opportunity for women in music to create and connect with each other. T ..read more

In the hyperproductive and inventive Amapiano scene, songs are churned out rapidly. On the average, an artist can release about three to five songs or  projects and appear as a guest on countless others. However, only a select few songs get to become bonafide hits that resonate beyond their primary audience. Their cross-market breakthroughs can be attributed to several factors, such as the quality of the song, contributors, release planning, roll-out strategy, promo, and sometimes just pure luck. In 2024, TitoM and Yuppe’s “Tshwala Bam” is the latest to have joined the premium list of Ama ..read more

Picture the scene: it’s a balmy night in 2021, and the lights are swirling around Zone 6 in Soweto, South Africa. Coloured in revelry, the faces are young and excited, and while the propelling force is the music, the focus, the visual centre of this scene, is Uncle Waffles. She’s dressed in a black crop top, moving affectionately to “Adiwele,” the hypnotic hit record from Young Stunna. When she points her hand to the right, the camera pans and the crowd emerges, a miracle of activity and compressed space. A star is born. And ever since, that star has shone even more remarkably, occupying a dis ..read more

At the NATIVE, our goal has always been to bridge the gap between the mainstream and underground, while championing tomorrow’s rising talent from the African continent: today. Through our annual end of year festival, we connect those home and abroad to the key cultural drivers and storytellers reshaping the face of music across the continent. For the December 2023 iteration of NATIVELAND, we showcased our dedication to the cause with our first uNder line up, transporting the alum of our monthly column spotlighting rising stars, to the mainstage. But for our inaugural uNder LIVE showcase, we’re ..read more

There was no song quite as ubiquitous throughout the 2023 installation of Detty December as “Cast”–the unmissable late year hit by Shallipopi and Odumodublvck–that got fans amped up from event to event as they tried to keep pace with every word of the song’s salacious lyrics.  Between the Benin-born star’s warped, syrupy flow and Odumodublvck’s acerbic verse, the pair managed to engineer a song that had audiences enraptured and underlined the unique skill sets– unpredictability, insouciance, and charisma–that made them 2023’s undeniable breakthrough acts.  Just as “Cast” divided audi ..read more

For almost a decade, The NATIVE’s mission has been to champion African youth culture while spotlighting underground and alternative creative communities with the of reshaping the mainstream output. This vision has been actualised in more ways than one, but particularly, our monthly column, uNder, which kicked off four years ago in March 2020.  Initially termed Fresh Meat, we spent some time every month curating a list of the best and most exciting new artists from around the continent. While some artists had gathered regional acclaim with a couple of releases, others were new to the block ..read more