Street Debate: Can Amapiano push Afrobeats off its throne?

DW (English)

The 77 Percent was at the Afro Nation music festival in Portugal and asked revelers which music genre should take the win - Afrobeats or Amapiano.

Transcript

00:00So we're here at the AfroNation 2024 in Portimao, Portugal

00:04and there is a lot of music, different music, vibes happening here.

00:09But there's totally like two different crowds.

00:12There's Amapiano and on the side Afrobeat.

00:16So we're just gonna find out exactly what's happening,

00:19who's for Amapiano and who's for Afrobeat

00:21and which one is about to take over the world.

00:25Come with me.

00:26Hey guys, how are you doing?

00:27Good, thanks for joining us all.

00:29So I'll start with you with the mic.

00:30Yes.

00:31So there is a stage down there which is Amapiano

00:34and then just right here is the lead stage, they call it.

00:38It's for Afrobeats.

00:38Yes.

00:40Do you think that is a good idea at a festival?

00:43I definitely do think because there are two different sounds

00:46and they both do have their audience.

00:48And you know, as someone who's South African, I'm a bit biased.

00:50I won't lie, I've been camped on the other side for Amapiano

00:53but I've definitely enjoyed quite a few Afrobeat sounds.

00:56Something new to listen to, learn a few new words also.

01:00So yeah, it's been very exciting.

01:01Tell us, what's your opinion?

01:02For me, I prefer Afrobeat.

01:05After the both of them, I enjoy the vibes, the sound.

01:12The sound is really different for me.

01:15When I listen to Amapiano, my body moves.

01:18Yeah, you always move.

01:19Yeah, like Afrobeat but it's different, you know.

01:21Yeah, Afrobeat is about lyrics.

01:23Yeah, and generation as well.

01:25Amapiano, I think it would be temporary.

01:31Temporary?

01:31Temporary, yeah.

01:32You think so?

01:34Yeah, I think.

01:36All right, is that what you think?

01:37Yeah, I'm not gonna lie.

01:39I'm with my friend here, Afro Nation.

01:42I'm not gonna lie, Afrobeat.

01:46Now, the reason why, let me tell you why.

01:47There's a lot more versatility that I feel like you can get with Afrobeat.

01:51In terms of, obviously, there's more lyrics, it's more just the beat, right?

01:54With Amapiano, you have to feel it, right?

01:57Like you said, you feel it, but after like two hours, it sounds repetitive to me.

02:02Yeah, but will it be temporary or not?

02:04Your friend just said it's temporary.

02:05Will it be temporary?

02:06Yeah.

02:07So when you say Amapiano won't last, I kind of maybe agree with you

02:10because it will continue to grow.

02:12It will evolve into something even bigger.

02:15Let me tell you that much.

02:16And like you said, the crowd is at the Amapiano stage.

02:20Afrobeat, I cannot hate on it.

02:22I love it, it's amazing.

02:23All the artists that have been here have been killing it.

02:25But if you're asked to choose one?

02:27It's not a choice.

02:30Amapiano to the world, baby.

02:31Amapiano to the world.

02:33They are killing it that side.

02:34They are killing it.

02:35Okay, yeah.

02:36And I'm sure she agrees with you, no?

02:38I'm actually a fan of Afrobeat.

02:40Okay.

02:40That's my favorite.

02:41That's what I grew up on.

02:43My siblings, my family, everything, Afrobeat.

02:46I like Amapiano, but my heart belongs to Afrobeat.

02:49I listen to both, but for different types of settings.

02:53I like listening to Amapiano when I have to really focus,

02:56because of the beats.

02:58It really does get you there, yeah.

03:00But I am Caribbean, so there's a closer connection to the Afrobeat.

03:04Okay.

03:04And I do prefer it.

03:06Right, interesting.

03:07You can give him.

03:08What's your opinion?

03:09It's my opinion.

03:11It's the thing where everybody's here comparing this, comparing that.

03:14Just enjoy them both.

03:15African music is taking over the world.

03:18I mean, it's making waves.

03:19It's not just Africans here.

03:20I've spoken to Americans.

03:22I've spoken to Jamaicans.

03:23This is the Afro nation.

03:26What have you got to say about that?

03:27Do you think we are overtaking as Africans in the world of music?

03:33What I would say is, obviously, I think it's a thing where it's grown steadily and slowly over time,

03:38but we are definitely overtaking in the world.

03:40And you're from the Caribbean.

03:42We are overtaking the world.

03:45Born and raised in Iceland.

03:46Okay.

03:47We listen to Rema on the radio in Iceland, out of all the places in the world.

03:51Reykjavik, Iceland.

03:52There are basically no black people there.

03:54But we still got Afro beats and I'm a piano.

03:56Okay.

03:56And you see the crowd.

03:57It's all different races, all different ages.

04:00Come on.

04:01We are taking over.

04:02Yeah, we are.

04:04Why do you think African music has risen this fast?

04:08I think more than anything, like she said, it's a community.

04:10You know, it tells a story.

04:12When you're traveling and you hear someone's from Ghana, you're like, oh my God, hi.

04:16You just get so excited, you know, just seeing our people.

04:19I think more than anything in the crowd, I was hearing languages and I was like,

04:22I don't know what they're saying, but it sounds good.

04:25I like it.

04:26So I think more than anything, it's community.

04:28It tells a story.

04:29And really, as Africans, we haven't had the easiest upbringing.

04:32So it really connects us as a people.

04:34And I think that's really what it is.

04:36I think for me, the key thing is we finally gained the confidence to enter those spaces.

04:41I think for a long time, you know, we gatekeeped our music to ourselves.

04:44It was fantastic.

04:46And then it's events like Afro Nation that have showed us the fact that, no,

04:49we can literally penetrate the international markets, do the most and gain the confidence.

04:53Yeah.

04:54But speaking of Afro Nation, I mean, this is happening in Europe, right?

04:58And we're talking of Africa, African music.

05:02Do you think this could also rock or, I mean,

05:05go big in Africa if it's to happen in one of the African countries?

05:09No, definitely.

05:09I think for sure.

05:10I definitely think the biggest crowd would be there.

05:13Maybe we should look more into penetrating the African market, you know,

05:16try different African countries.

05:18You know, we've got Afrobeats.

05:20There's so many kinds of Afrobeats.

05:22Come to South Africa.

05:23Absolutely.

05:24Let's do it.

05:24Let's stage it.

05:25I'm a piano.

05:26Let's do a bit more.

05:27Let's integrate a whole lot of artists and local artists more than anything else.

05:31And let's give our African artists a chance to literally show the world what we can do.

05:35Yeah.

05:35But do you think we should also do something in Africa?

05:38For sure.

05:38Yeah.

05:40To see our culture, music, everything.

05:45I hope if Afro Nation will be in Africa, I will be here for sure.

05:50Now to you.

05:52You spoke about upcoming artists.

05:54I mean, some have not even made it to these big stages and all.

05:58What do you think should be done to ensure that at least we

06:02embrace and actually look for all the talent that is hidden in Africa?

06:07I think I agree with what you guys are saying.

06:09That we should have one festival in Africa as well.

06:12Where since this only like this one, and I think one in America.

06:16Yeah.

06:17There's not a lot of artists that can go to those two.

06:20So if you have more, maybe more small and upcoming artists

06:24have a chance to go on stage and showcase what they've got.

06:27Okay.

06:27There you have it.

06:2877 percent.

06:29It's happening yet.

06:30Afro Nation, as you've heard, African music is here to stay.

06:35Afrobeats to the world.

06:36Ama Piano to the world.

06:38There is no competition there.

06:39It's all about African vibes and African music.

06:42Stay tuned.

06:44You guys have strong opinions.

Category

Transcript

Recommended