Why Africa’s global music boom still leaves much of the continent unheard

When people speak of an African music "global moment," they often refer to a narrow slice of the continent, with Nigeria and South Africa dominating international charts. Afrobeats and Amapiano are elevating African sounds worldwide, yet this global presence remains concentrated in only a few nations, despite Africa's vast musical diversity across over 50 countries.

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Nigeria and South Africa are dominating the most.

Tuma Basa, a former director at YouTube's Black music culture division, points to structural and cultural reasons for this. "English-speaking countries still make a difference in terms of international acceptance of music," he noted, highlighting Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana. Strong diasporas from Nigeria and Ghana have been instrumental in exporting their music internationally. While South Africa may have a smaller diaspora, its dances have spread rapidly via social media.

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Firstly, they are all English-speaking and right now that still makes a difference in terms of international acceptance of music.

Events in cities like Lagos and Accra, such as "Detty December" and Ghana's "Year of Return," have drawn visitors from the United States and United Kingdom, boosting music exposure. These visitors often carry the music back, further expanding its global reach. Basa acknowledges that many regions and genres remain overlooked but expresses optimism that technology will eventually level the playing field. The decreasing cost of production technology, the reach of social media, and global streaming platforms are dismantling traditional barriers for artists from emerging markets.

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Strong diasporas of Nigeria and Ghana are key in getting this music popular.

However, Basa emphasizes that technology alone is insufficient. Local infrastructure, effective licensing systems, and African decision-makers are essential to truly support artists on a global scale. Drawing from his own experience as a "perpetual foreigner", born in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Rwandan parents, raised in Zimbabwe, and educated in the U.S., Basa developed empathy and intercultural competence. This perspective informed his influential work at MTV, Spotify, and YouTube, where he championed African and diaspora sounds. He cautions against shortcuts, stating, "Gaming the system is what backfires."

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South Africa doesn’t have as large diaspora, but their dances spread through social media like wildfire.