The Thin Line Between Afrobeat and Dancehall
You may wonder how could two music genres as Afrobeat and Dancehall which are from totally different backgrounds have similarities but a close look at this would reveal to you the line between two genres is so thin.
Afrobeat and Dancehall are two different music genres that originated from two different continents: Afrobeat was invented in Nigeria by late music icon, Fela Anikulapo Kuti in the late 1960s and according to some sources, was created out of a Nigerian music genre named Highlife, Jazz and Calypso. A number of artistes as the offspring of the Afrobeat legend, Femi Kuti, D’banj, Wizkid and Airboy still do this genre of music today. On the other hand, Dancehall is popularly believed to be a music genre with Reggae roots. It emanated from Jamaica and has been in existence since the 1970s. There are thousands of artistes who do the music genre nowadays but the pioneers include but not limited to Jaimacan dancahall legends, Shabba Ranks and Bennie Man.
As dissimilar as they may seem, in actuality, these two different music genres have two major similarities that make them sound alike. One similarity is the use of brass instruments as sax, trumpets and harmonica which are a set of instruments commonly played in the production process of Afrobeat and Dancehall records. The second similarity is the heavy bassline which is achieved by the use of drums and keyboards. These instruments give the two sounds a very groovy and banging feel with the drums creating an up-tempo beat.
While the belief that Dancehall is derived from Reggae may be true, I strongly believe Afrobeat, had some sort of influence on the Jamaican-born music genre because of the way they sound and the very similar qualities they share.
Related Posts
About The Author
What a terrible article. “You strongly believe afrobeat had an influence on dancehall” How can you believe this when both dancehall and reggae are originated independently and predate felas afrobeat? It must also be noted that felas The fact is, the diasporan music has influenced that which is coming out of the continent on the last 30 years. Not the other way round.
Jambroni, I feel your pain but you can’t just come on here and call our efforts ‘terrible’ simply because you are a bit ignorant. Let me make some things clear here. One: While ‘I strongly believe’ means a personal opinion. it is very possible a music genre is influenced by another which is from a totally different zone or origin. Fela’s Afrobeat was influenced by a number of exotic music genres as Jazz, Calypso, Ghanaian Highlife and more but that does not strip Afrobeat of its independence. Two: It is wrong to say Dancehall music predates Afrobeat. While Reggae predates Afrobeat, Dancehall does not. Pls go and do more research.
Please don’t go around spreading alternative facts, the real fact is that Dancehall came from Reggae and not Afrobeat and Afrobeat in it’s infancy as you stated was influence by jazz,calypso and ghanian highlife, but Afrobeats today is infused with Dancehall and people need stop going around acting like it’s not, out of the 2 genres Dancehall is the more popular so there is no way Afrobeat influenced Dancehall, when Reggae was flourishing in Jamaica on vinyl where was Afrobeat? Then it transitioned to the Dancehall and versions(riddims) were developed on records which was exported to NY Bronx by a Jamaican DJ Kook Herc and formed the foundation for Rap/Hip-Hop so I think you need to do more research, I won’t discredit your work but it is not factual.
Mik D, you seem not to have the understanding of the difference between Afrobeat and Afrobeats which I call Afropop. Since you don’t, please search my website for this article: ‘Is Afrobeat the Same as Afropop?’
I bet you will be more informed. Cheers.
My continental cousin it is you who are ignorant and I am amazed that you could sincerely make the mental leap and believe afrobeat influenced dancehall as opposed do to the other way round. It is the most revisionist and disingenuous opinion I have heard.
First off. Felas Afrobeat bears little resemblance to today’s afrobeat. This is said by the older generation and some have even argued that it should be called AfrobeatS with an S as a means to distinguish it from Felas Afrobeat. Others have used the name “AfroPop”. I’d argue that whilst some musical influences can be heard they are mostly in part completely separate genres. This can clearly be heard so to say today’s afrobeat predates dancehall is simply dishonest. It is also dishonest to say that afrobeat influenced Jamaican or Black American music also. Influence did flow but it flew one way and it wasn’t from the continent to the west but from the west to the continent.
It is you who needs to do more research. Dancehall influenced what is today called Afrobeats and it is a style that is coming mainly out of Nigeria and somewhat Ghana. It needs a new name and an honest account of its stylistic origins. If you have heard 70s,80s even 90s dancehall than you would hear the continuity.
Jambroni, I can see you have little knowledge about the genres called Afrobeat and Afropop. But the truth is you still confuse Afrobeat with with a genre some call Afrobeats. I already wrote about the difference and you can learn more if you search my website for ‘Is Afrobeat the Same as Afropop?’.
I never argued the most popular music genre in Nigeria today ( Afrobeats) which I call Afropop influenced Dancehall. How can that be when Afropop only emerged a couple of decades ago? What I am telling you and that which I still maintain is: Fela’s Afrobeat ( NOT AFROBEATS), a music genre which a few Nigerian artistes still do, has some kind of influence on Jamaican Dancehall.
Next time read my article well, do more research before you jump to the comment box to use words as ‘terrible’ and ‘disingenuous’. Cheers.
I will read your article and in response to what you said not many Nigerians make be distinction. They tried to falsely claim that today’s afrobeat is a direct continuation of Felas from the 70s which is straight falsehood.
I’ll ask you again what do you have to support your claim that Felas afrobeat influenced dancehall? All your article says is you strongly believe. Strongly believe doesn’t cut it.
Whoa. Whoa!!!!
Did you just say Afrobeats influenced Dancehall???????? The dishonesty is REAL.
Jamaican patois and style is ALL OVER Afro beat… not to mention African American r&b and hip hop. The influence did NOT come from afro beat. The influence INSPIRED afrobeat.
Yes Soraya. I just said Afrobeat ( Not Afrobeats) must have had some sort of influence on Dancehall. Since to state the difference between Afrobeats and Afrobeat is not why I’m here I would suggest you read my article ”Is Nigerian Afrobeat The Same As Afropop?
Back to the influence issue. If you read this article very well you would see my basis for connection is the instrumentation of the two music genres and not language ( Patois). The inventor of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, never sang in Patois. My focus is not on the language but rather, on the rhythm. Maybe you should get a Dancehall record and an Afrobeat record, play and listen attentively, you would realize this similarity I’m talking about. Since they sound so much alike and Afrobeat predates Dancehall, I maintain the former must have had some sort of influence on the latter.
Afrobeats is not a style, per se, like Afrobeat. It simply means the new sound of Africa, which takes in diverse influences that take inspiration from its African roots and is combined with the sounds of rap, reggae/dancehall, and even R&B. It’s an extremely eclectic combination that makes for quite the enjoyable sound.
source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/an-conversation-with-the-queen-of-afrobeats-tiwa-savage_us_59c3ff70e4b0ffc2dedb5bdb
Afrobeats is not a style, per se, like Afrobeat. It simply means the new sound of Africa, which takes in diverse influences that take inspiration from its African roots and is combined with the sounds of rap, reggae/dancehall, and even R&B. It’s an extremely eclectic combination that makes for quite the enjoyable sound.
source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/an-conversation-with-the-queen-of-afrobeats-tiwa-savage_us_59c3ff70e4b0ffc2dedb5bdb
Afrobeat did not influence dancehall it’s the other way around. I noticed that some Africans and even some latinos are attempting to re-write history to try and take Jamaica out of the equation. Some are even going as far as trying to take credit for Jamaican creativity. This is a dishonest article, Afrobeat as it is today came after dancehall and is heavily influence by dancehall.
Rick, I assume you are talking about Afropop which many non-Nigerians mistake for Afrobeat. If you read up, you would see I have already stated, severally, the differences between these two popular, world-accepted African-born music genres. Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s Afrobeat is actually older than Dancehall. Could you please tell me how old the Dancehall genre is? I know how old Afrobeat is…
Has anyone heard the term”Jafakans?” The was coined by Jamaican living in the Uk especially for Nigerians acting like they were from Jamaica,along with the patios, dress code and music
LOL. What has your imaginary ‘Jafakans’ got to do with the similarity between Afrobeat and Dancehall instrumentation??
You still haven’t told us how afrobeat influenced dancehall? What you call Afrobeats only came around in the last 10 years and it came about from Africans from Ghana and Nigeria emulating dancehall and hip hop. These are just the facts. If you go back and listen to the earlier songs you can hear the progression. Back then it sounded more like copying before they infused pidgin and their own musical styles.
keep challenging them and don’t let them take our culture and try to rewrite history. They take from Dancehall so much that they’re now just basically doing Dancehall and trying to claim it’s Afrobeat. So now when we do our music they say we’re doing their music and get influence from them as opposed to the other way around. Don’t allow them to do that just because they’re Africans and we supposed to worship them because they’re from the “motherland”. All that mama Africa stuff is just romanticism and we aren’t brothers to Africans living in the west we are competition. They are jealous of Jamaica’s cultural influence and they’re using our own culture to try and replace us.
Sorry to say this was dumb asf… your beloved afro beats back then didn’t sound like the modern one now just admit you Africans are inspired by dancehall. Y’all nudge me the wrong way acting as if you’re above and beyond Caribbeans and African Americans.
Neeky, the problem I have with you guys is you can’t distinguish between Afrobeat and Afrobeats. You can search my website for ”Is Nigerian Afrobeat The Same As Afropop” to learn about the difference. The term ”Afro beats” was coined just few years ago by non-African music analysts while AFROBEAT genre was invented decades ago by globally known music legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti and what you call ”modern Afro beats” is actually Afropop. AFROBEAT is still being done by some of our musicians here. Wizkid and D’banj still do AFROBEAT. It is only fair to admit that Dancehall influenced the sounds of a few of our artistes today but it would be unfair not to acknowledge the TRUTH of some sort of influence of AFROBEAT on your sound.
Right Neeky he is not being honest at all. Every source that mentions the origin of BOTH Afrobeat and AfrobeatS link African American and Jamaican music genres as being partially responsible for the establishment of both genres. Some Africans have a hard time giving us credit. For what reason I don’t know.
This article is not accurate. The afrobeat from the 60′,70’s,and 80’s borrows from jazz, funk, and calypso. (Fela Kuti) Not really anything original. It does not sound like dancehall or reggae. It sounds more like curtis mayfield or some other American artist from those times. The ‘afropop’ that Davido, wizkid, or tekno does borrows directly from dancehall/reggae. Nothing wrong with that but afrobeat or afropop is not an original music.
It’s like saying reggaeton, or rap/hip hop is original. Those forms of music also borrow from dancehall.
Rod, I guess Dancehall is the oldest music genre then and the only ‘original music’ existing. You almost said Calypso, Jazz, Funk, Country Pop Music and Alternative Music all borrowed from Dancehall lol. While it is true that Afrobeat is infused with a bit of Calypso and Jazz, it is absolutely false that Afrobeat sounds like any American artiste- Afrobeat is DISTINCT. If you take your time to listen to and compare the instrumentation of Afrobeat and Dancehall you would see the ‘thin line’ I maintain exists between them. And since the former was birthed before the latter?….Burna Boy’s Gbona is a typical Afrobeat record. You can download it from this blog and compare its instrumentation with any Dancehall record of your choice. Please come back to tell me your thoughts after comparing. Cheers.