Sometime last week, South African rapper Nasty C sparked controversy when he compared Hip-hop music to Afrobeats and Amapiano, saying the latter sounded better than other tunes he considered “a disgrace.”
He went ahead to commend Afrobeats artistes for making quality videos and has since come under fire for the comment. But that does not negate the fact that many African musicians spend good money making eye-catching videos to go with their songs.
Talking of Afrobeats videos, here are a few well-produced visuals that have been watched over a million times on YouTube less than a year after they were released.
Who’s Your Guy (Remix) – Spyro, Tiwa Savage
Released about eight months ago, talented Nigerian singer Spyro premiered the music video for his well-patronised soundtrack after introducing Tiwa Savage on the remix.
Both artistes brought their resonating vibes to sound, which has attracted positive reviews and has so far amassed 104 million views on YouTube as of November 27, 2023.
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The craft and visuals of this song, put together by director Tariebi Joel, has been described as top-notch, syncing well with the energy and excitement inherent in the audio version of ‘Who’s Your Guy.’
Unavailable – Davido
The visual for this hit track has reached 75 million views. Showstopper and Grammy nominee Davido went public with this tune off his Timeless album in May 2023, featuring Musa Keys.
Unavailable started going viral days after it was released, and it is not surprising the number of hits the video has recorded in a short time. Davido, prior to dropping the video, released some teasers on social media, and that, to some extent, played a role in the streaming figures available so far.
Davido’s fourth studio album Timeless has guest appearances from international acts, including Skepta, Angelique Kidjo, Asake, Focalistic, and The Cavemen. It is one of the works being considered for the 2024 Grammys.
The Fall hitmaker recently completed his Are We African Yet (A.W.A.Y) Tour in the United States, treating fans to a spectacular performance at the State Farm Arena.
Charm – Rema
‘Prince of Afrobeats’ Rema needs no introduction as he continues to prove his mettle on the continent and beyond. Sometime in April this year, he served his huge following with the official video for Charm — a record on his Rave & Roses album. The visual, as of today, November 27, has reached 55 million views and is likely to increase by the end of the year.
Charm, like other chart-topping songs, is one of the works which brings Rema’s exceptional abilities to life and why he continues to gain international recognition.
In November, he entertained footballers at the Ballon d’Or, following which his Calm Down (Remix) with Selena Gomez won the Best Afrobeats song at the Billboard Awards early in November. As the year winds down, fans will be expecting more action for the Bounce crooner who has been nothing but phenomenal in his craft.
Soweto (Remix) – Victony, Don Toliver, Rema, Tempoe
Early this year, Nigerian Afro-fusion singer, Victony announced the remix of his hit track, Soweto featuring American singer, Don Troliver alongside Rema. The captivating rhythm has served its purpose with the video, with 46 million views, making fans ask for more.
The original song, Soweto, went viral as Victony made good use of the instrumentals with his mesmerizing vocals. It became one of the hit songs on TikTok and was listed among top charts in his home country and other regions.
Remarks following Soweto and other songs named above and their official videos indicate the overall public acceptance of the compositions.