Afrobeats Head

Month: January 2024

  • Davido and Lojay earn their first Billboard Hot 100 entry with Chris Brown’s “Sensational”

    Davido and Lojay earn their first Billboard Hot 100 entry with Chris Brown’s “Sensational”

    Davido and Lojay have each made their debut on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to Chris Brown’s “Sensational”

    The October 2023 collaboration on which they’re both featured, has debuted on Number 96 on this week’s chart.

    They join Wizkid, Burna Boy Tems, Ckay, Fireboy DML and Rema as the only other Nigerians on the Billboard Hot 100.

    Burna Boy and Tems, who each have five entries jointly hold the record for the most charting Nigerians on the chart.

    Wizkid has four entries while Rema, CKay, Fireboy DML all have a single entry.

    Davido’s debut on the Billboard Hot 100 is the latest in a string of achievements for him, having recently earned his first Grammy nominations and performed a sold-out show at the O2 Arena for the third time.

    “Sensational” is his second collaboration with Chris Brown, having featured the American RnB star on his 2019 song “Blow my Mind”

    And there may be more to come as he had previously named the 34-year-old as the American artist he’d with whom he’d love to make a joint album

    “If I were to create a collab album with anyone from the United States, it would definitely be Chris,” he said while appearing on the Bootleg Kev podcast in May 2023.

    “Chris and I have a collection of ten unreleased songs. We have indeed discussed the possibility of creating an album together.”

    Nigerians with the Highest Entries on the Billboard Hot 100

    Tems

    1. Essence -Wizkid ft Justin Bieber and Tems (peaked at number 9)

    2. Move- Beyonce ft Grace Jones & Tems (peaked at number 54)

    3. Fountains by Drake (peaked at number 26)

    4. Wait for You – Drake ft Future and Tems (peaked at number 1)

    5. Free Mind – Tems (peaked at number 46). made her the only Nigerian female artist with a solo entry on the chart

    Burna Boy

    1. Last Last (peaked at number 44)

    2. Talibans II with Byron Messia (peaked at number 99)

    3. Loved by You -Justin Bieber ft Burna Boy(peaked at number 87)

    4. Just Like Me by 21 Savage ft Burna Boy and Metro Booming (peaked at number 67)

    5. Sitting on Top of the World (peaked at number 80)

    Wizkid

    1. One Dance -Drake ft Wizkid & Kyla (peaked at number 1)

    2. Essence with Justin Bieber and Tems (peaked at number 9)

    3. Brown Skin Girl- Beyonce ft Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN & Wizkid (peaked at number 76)

    4. Call Me Everyday- Chris Brown ft Wizkid (peaked at number 76)

    Ckay

    Love Nwantinti (peaked at number 80)

    Fireboy DML

    Peru Remix with Ed Sheeran (peaked at number 53)

    Rema

    Calm Down Remix ft Selena Gomez (peaked at number 3

    Davido

    Sensational- Chris Brown ft Davido and Lojay (debuted at number 96)

    Lojay

    Sensational- Chris Brown ft Davido and Lojay (debuted at number 96)

  • Burna Boy, Rema, Asake, Tyla and others score nominations at the 2024 Brit Awards

    Burna Boy, Rema, Asake, Tyla and others score nominations at the 2024 Brit Awards

    Burna Boy, Rema, Asake , Tyla and other African artists scored nominations in different categories at the 2024 Brit Awards.

    Grammy winner Burna Boy and first-time Grammy nominee Asake, are up for the International Artist of the Year Award.

    Other big names in the category include Taylor Swift, Sza, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Kylie Minogue.

    As for the Prince of Afrobeats, Rema, he’ll be hoping to beat mega stars like Billie Eilish, Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo to win the Song of the Year award for his global hit “Calm Down”

    He’ll also be up against relatively new cats Tyla and Libianca.

    21-year-old South African Tyla, was unsurprisingly nominated for her global hit “Water” while Libianca was nominated for, you guessed it “People”

    While the British rapper Little Simz clenched three nods at this year’s edition of the UK’s biggest music award: Artist of the Year, Grime/Hip Hop/Rap Artist of the year and Album of the Year for her album “No Thank You”,

    The 2024 Brits Awards will air on Sat 2 March on ITV1 and ITVX.

    Dua Lipa, who’s nominated in three categories, is the only artist who’s so far been has been confirmed to perform at the event .

    In the same vein, a host for the has not been announced for the ceremony which was anchored by Mo Gillian hosted in 2023, with Jack Whitehall in 2022.

  • FunFillage Releases Collaborative EP, “SOS Vol 1” (Smile On Sofa)

    FunFillage Releases Collaborative EP, “SOS Vol 1” (Smile On Sofa)

    The media agency FunFillage have dropped their collaborative EP, titled” SOS Vol. 1.”

    The primary goal of this release is to support and elevate the emerging artists that are a part of it.

    With its platform, FunFillage hopes to positively influence artists and brands. The amazing roster of twelve gifted artists for this endeavour is impressive. Seeing such a diverse and cooperative effort come together is amazing.

    The project features talented artistes from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, which includes Ella Gometi, D-Ennay, Ego, kurntian, Vinn Luka pryce, Adam Srae, Sean Ayce, Chibbs, Hanomalee, Dipcrazy, and Emaxee.

    By fusing the idea of sofas with artistic genius, the project aims to revolve around the emotions, comfort, and sentiments that surround the cosmos on a cosy sofa. It also uses the Fun Village platform to highlight the incredible skills in the project.

    Listen to the it on Apple Music or Spotify

    Follow FunFillage on Twitter and Instagram

    https://funfillage.lnk.to/sosvol1
  • Falz inspires me-Kaydee talks about his favourite rappers and his song “Utaka”

    Falz inspires me-Kaydee talks about his favourite rappers and his song “Utaka”

    I met up with rapper Kaydee, who’s last single “Utaka” has been getting rave reviews to talk about his inspiration and all-time favourite things.

    Check it out:


    Hi Kaydee, what’s up? How’ve you been?

    I’m good. Merry Christmas by the way 

    Yeah,  Happy holidays. How did you spend Christmas?

    It was okay, I went home and I saw parents. It was nice to see my family again after such a long time.

    Cool! So I want to talk about your song Utaka which I really love, by the way.  Lovely song.  What inspired it? John Utaka? I think, obviously. Right?

    Um, no. Actually. You’d think it was him but it wasn’t. It’s actually the Baba Suwe sample at the beginning of the song

    Really?

    Yes, where he says “Emi, (hahaha) ehhh!!!
    Abi tori pe o ti try e
    Abi ko gbe, Abi ko to wo.
    (Hehe)
    Wa mo pe Utaka, Attacker, Turaya.

    Oh

    So a friend of my loves that movie and one day I saw the clip on Twitter and I thought “I should be able to sample this on a song” 

    And I think I was doing laundry when the whole hook came together in my head.

    So I wrote it down and everything just came together from there.

    It’s a lovely song.

    Thank you 

    You’re welcome. So you’re working on a new mixtape and you just dropped a song “Juice”

    Yes, I wrote Juice in October 2021 but I wasn’t able to record it for the longest time.

    But this year I recorded some songs for my mixtape and thought “you know what, I’ll record this. And I did and it came out nice

    Cool. So when’s the mixtape coming out?

    February. I’m waiting for some of the featured artists to send in their verses

    Do you have a name for it?

    Not yet but I’m trying to think of one. I’ll take suggestions if you have any 

    Okay, let me see. I’ll think of something and share with you on Twitter 

    Okay

    So, you’re a student right?

    Yes

    Cool. Time for our quick fire questions: The Top Three

    Let’s do this 

    Top three future collaborations

    Droxx, King Pelz and hopefully Falz the  Bahd Guy

    Top three venues to perform in 

    Eko Convention Centre, UniLag main auditorium and the 02 Arena

    Why is it so important for you to perform in UniLag? That’s your school right?

    Yes, that’s my school and I’d really love to sell out my school.

    Chai, I hope it happens 

    So Top three ways to spend a fun day

    Movies, video games recording 

    Top three things you can’t leave the house without 

    Sunglasses, a face cap or a durag and my earphones 

    Holiday destinations 

    Dubai, The Maldives and my village

    Where is your village?

    It’s in Osun State. I’ve never been there before but I’ve been told that it’s actually a pretty cool place 

    Favourite things about your life right now 

    My family,  the catalogue of music I have coming soon and my friends 

    Aww. How sweet. So Most inspirational rappers. Dead, living, future and past.

    I’d say Falz the Bahd Guy, he’s my number one. My brother is here clapping for me 

    He loves Falz too? 

    Yes, so Falz, King Pells and Grimaldi Banks

    Favourite foods

    Beans, jollof rice and Jollof rice and beans 

    Wait, Beans, jollof rice and Jollof rice and beans ?

    Yes, exactly in that order

    Ok. Favourite songs of all time ?

    Soft Work by Falz, Bad, Baddo, Baddest by Falz and Laxer by Falz

    Favourite movies of all time 

    I don’t really like movies. I prefer series 

    Alright then. Series

    How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory 

    Alright. Thank you so much for talking to me, Kaydee. Good luck with your mixtape and enjoy your holidays 

    Thank you

    Check out Kaydee’s latest singles Juice and Utaka

    Follow him on Twitter and Instagram

  • Davido’s “Unavailable” with Musa Keys Certified Silver in the UK

    Davido’s “Unavailable” with Musa Keys Certified Silver in the UK

    Davido’s song “Unavailable” which features South African artist Musa Keys, has been certified Silver in the UK.

    The Grammy-nominated song, which is off his latest album Timeless, earned the title after selling 200 thousand copies in the country.

    This is the latest in a series of accolades for the record which was named the best song of 2023 by Rihanna.

    The Bajan superstar named it her all time favourite song of 2023 after she was spotted doing the viral “Unavailable” challenge at a recent event for her brand, Fenty.

    While answering questions from Complex Magazine, the singer revealed that she may not be an “album girl” when asked about her favourite project of the year.

    She, however, revealed that she can’t get enough of Davido’s “Unavailable”

    And Riri is not the only international artist who’s got the “ Unavailable” fever. Chris Brown has also joined the TikTok challenge.

    While Latto, Sean Paul and Major Lazer are featured on different remixes of the record.

    Davido reacted to the clip on Twitter, calling her “My Ri Ri”

    In addition to a nomination for Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammys, Unavailable has been certified Gold in Canada and Sweden.

    It also peaked at number 1 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart where it spent five weeks and reached number 3 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.