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Since 2020, Amapiano has been the most popular genre in Afrobeats with the South African export helping Nigerian superstars to churn out hit records that will expand Afrobeats' global reach.
First of all, it's important to note that Nigerian artists mostly don't make Amapiano. Instead, Afrobeats acts, make a variant of the genre through the adoption of the Log drum which is applied to mirror Nigerian local drums.
Amapiano is just not a genre. It's a culture. Aside from its speaker rattling baseline, syncopated breakbeats, and underlying melodies are the language, dance, energy, and spirit that channels it. These elements reside primarily and almost exclusively with the South Africans who merged House Music and Kwaito elements to create Amapiano which boasts of a party-starting variant and the soulful and stimulating variant. This is similar to how the lamba (slang and colloquial), technique, and bubbling spirit that drives Afrobeats resides primarily with Nigerians.
While Amapiano seems to just be scratching the surface internationally, especially in the West, it has spent 3 years defining the Afrobeats soundscape. Thus spent to an extent that might promise no inventions beyond what's currently obtainable. Therefore, this writer is convinced it's not presumptuous to examine the biggest beneficiaries of Afrobeats' interaction with the imported genre.
This article aims to examine the impact of Amapiano on the Afrobeats soundscape. To achieve this, this writer elected to examine the biggest beneficiaries of the Log drum-driven sound as their success presents a robust picture of Amapiano's far-reaching impact on Afrobeats.
Now, in ranking the biggest beneficiaries, the primary factor would be the effect of Amapiano on the success of an artist and the level of such success. That such an artist was able to build on the Amapiano-inspired success and go on to enjoy an extended time in the limelight is a plus.
To get a better grasp of this ranking, readers are advised to ask themself: "Without Amapiano, would this artist have had the moment that translated into the success they enjoy(ed)?"
Having gotten the fine details out of the way, it's time to get to the list. In descending order, here are the top 10 biggest beneficiaries of Amapiano in Afrobeats.
10. Rexxie
Before Rexxie produced the smash hit single 'Ko Por Ke' in 2020, several listeners were familiar with the works of the producer whose effort was shaping Street Pop. However, after tapping Mohbad for the Log drum-driven 'Ko Por Ke', Rexxie's fame would soar higher so much that he got South African superstar Sho Madjozi on the remix.
Three years down the line, Rexxie has proven himself deserving of a chapter in the book of Street music evolution in Afrobeats. In the early days of Amapiano in Afrobeats, Rexxie scored a mega-hit with 'Ko Por Ke' and in its commercial peak he repeated this feat with 'Abracadabra'.
9. Lojay
In June 2021, Lojay released the mesmeric 'LV N ATTN' EP in collaboration with ace producer Sarz. The EP delivered the smash hit 'Monalisa' and for Lojay, nothing was the same.
The fantastically talented artist crooned a classic Amapiano-inspired Afrobeats record with 'Monalisa' and the song instantly arrested the attention of listeners locally before crossing abroad and earning a Chris Brown remix.
With 'Monalisa' Lojay made his mark as a hitmaker ready to shape the mainstream. With his feet firmly planted on the scene, he hasn't looked back as his pen and vocals continue to offer mind-blowing music.
8. Davido
When South African superstar Focalistic desired to cross over into the Afrobeats scene with his hit record 'Ke Star', he reached out to Africa's most prolific hitmaker Davido aka OO1.
Davido's impact was instant and cataclysmic. Not only did 'Ke Star' become a continental hit, but Davido’s verse also ushered in Amapiano's dominance in Afrobeats.
The two would combine again for 'Champion Sound' for an Afrobeats and Amapiano classic. And when Davido made his comeback with his fourth record-breaking album 'Timeless', Amapiano made a decisive contribution.
7. Goya Menor
In 2021, there was nowhere one could turn to escape the fever that was 'Ameno Amapiano'.
While Night clubs and Hypemen played a part in making the Nektunez & Goya Meno collaboration popular locally, it was TikTok in a show of influence that blew up the song to global status.
'Ameno Amapiano' took Goya Menor from obscurity to stardom. In an interview with Pulse Nigeria, Goya Menor told this writer that he has lost count of the countries he has performed the song he watched become a hit from his house in Benin City.
And while Goya Menor might not have capitalized on this moment to become one of Afrobeats' heavy hitters, he can rest assured that the gains of 'Ameno Amapiano' will endure for a lifetime.
6. The South African Music Industry
While Afrobeats' adoption of Amapiano has assisted Nigerian superstars to extend their international domination even to the displeasure of some South Africans, it would be insincere and unfair to say that the originators haven't benefited from this adoption.
As "Afrobeats to the World" continues to receive a major boost, Nigerians are taking Amapiano with them and giving the South African genre and the originators a chance to share the global stage.
This writer believes that Afrobeats and Nigerians cannot be accused of taking without giving back. For example, Afronation, which is Afrobeats' foremost international festival, has an Amapiano side attraction that's headlined by major players in the South African ecosystem. With Afrobeats lift, Amapiano is set to global dominance and the originators can go on to offer the cultural side of the music that Afrobeats stars can't and doesn't attempt to replicate.
5. Magicsticks
Magicsticks has been in the corridors of fame before eventually getting mainstream attention. In 2020, Magicsticks produced DJ Neptune's 'Nobody' which won the Headies Song of the Year and finished top of TurnTable Charts End of the Year list. However, it was not until he struck a stirring partnership with Asake that the world would know his name.
"Tune in to the king of songs & blues" was a common denominator in Asake's 2022 unprecedented run of Log drum-propelled hits. And as Asake reached superstar status he took along with him his producer whose drum pattern, deployment of rattle, and violin altered the soundscape.
4. Zinoleesky
Zinoeleesky's rise to the top was soundtracked by his brilliant deployment of Amapiano to score smash hits.
Through Amapiano, smooth melodies, and brilliant songwriting in which he enjoys sharing the many lessons of his mother, Zinoleesky delivered party-starting hits that greatly increased Amapiano's popularity in Afrobeats.
While some might describe Zinoleesky's fascination with Amapiano as a chink in his armor, the Street Pop maestro has achieved career-defining success that can shoot down such criticisms.
And although some may think he ought to be playing at a higher level than he currently does, Amapiano has brought Zinoleesky this far and the Marlian Record signee has shown that he has enough talent to forge ahead.
3. Seyi Vibez
Seyi Vibez was looking at the mainstream from a close distance until he made 'Chance', an Amapiano-driven record that mirrored the style of the most commercial artist of the time, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Having tasted the mainstream success that has for long evaded him, Seyi Vibez didn't look back. The Ikorodu-born Street Pop star feverishly released projects that were equally consumed by listeners and speedily rocketed him to the top.
Through a Street variant of Amapiano that combines Apala, his Islamic roots, and White Garment Christian elements, Seyi Vibez would go from up-and-coming to a Pop star.
The huge impact of Amapiano on his success and the impact of his success on the Afrobeats soundscape makes Seyi Vibez one of the foremost beneficiaries of the South African export.
2. Asake
No Afrobeats act has managed to deploy Amapiano so brilliantly as the compelling superstar Asake. Hence it's only befitting that his success from the exploration stands heads and shoulders above the rest.
In January 2022, Asake emerged from relative obscurity with the Olamide-assisted Amapiano leaning hit single 'Omo Epe', at that point nothing could have prepared Asake or the music industry for the events ahead.
Through the assistance of Magicsticks with whom he embarked on a consistent exploration of Amapiano and a brilliant deployment of his Fuji, Hip Hop, and Gospel music influences, Asake delivered consecutive chart-topping hits in unprecedented fashion.
If other stars like KCee (2013), Davido (2017), and Naira Marley (2019) can boast of sensational one-year runs, they didn't cap it with a brilliant album as Asake did with 'Mr. Money With The Vibez'.
"Why would I change a working formula? After all it's my style and it's working so why should I change it?" Asake tells TurnTable Charts in 2022 when he covered their End of the Year Magazine.
And why should he when he has listeners eating out of his palm? Why should he alter the style that has seen him make a habit of topping charts so much that he was christened "Landlord"?
Why should he be expected to stop midway when his deployment of Amapiano is taking Street Pop to an international audience at a level his predecessors hoped for?
The sheer range he has shown with Amapiano, the pictures he paints with the music, the impact it has on the soundscape, and the impressive success he has recorded means Asake has drawn from Amapiano at a level his peers can't manage.
" I'm Happy I Know (Amapiano)," he said on his hit single 'Amapiano'.
A sentiment undoubtedly shared by everyone who has listened to his era-defining music.
1. Afrobeats Consumers and the Nigerian Music Industry
Since 2020, Afrobeats' consumers have been treated to stupendous hybrids of Amapiano and Afrobeats.
The exploration of Amapiano and the success of the stars that drive it has further propelled Afrobeats to a global audience.
There's nothing more to add. As the Latin maxim says - Res ipsa loquitur.