Author: Nicolas-Tyrell Scott

NME

Some call the contemporary period in drill its ‘golden age’, as proponents of the varying sounds within the worldwide genre – like Chief Keef, Rowdy Rebel, Skengdo and AM and Headie One – are getting their undisputed praise. And amongst the acknowledgement of drill’s past and present, figures like west London’s Central Cee are informing the genre’s future.

The 22-year-old wordsmith has been cultivating his lyrical prowess since the mid ‘10’s, when he first graced Charlie Sloth’s Fire In The Streets series. Proving to retain his boldness as his skills progress, Cee now boasts millions of collective streams across releases – including breakout singles ‘Loading’ and ‘Commitment Issues’ – a seasoned ear and a harnessed cadence as he sculpts colourful anecdotes on his debut mixtape ‘Wild West’.

On the illuminating ‘6 For 6’, Central Cee justifies a shiny arrival and anticipates scepticism as it pertains to his come up in the scene. After soaring across the ominous score, his final line asserts that his is a work ethic we should never doubt: “Put in the work for years for this/I did have to take them trips.” There’s a nonchalance in Cee’s delivery as double-entendre foreshadows his tales of existence on road and in the booth.

The Shepherd’s Bush native makes it abundantly clear that sacrifices were made across his youth – he revels in speaking his mind across the project –  as well as a humorous and admirable approach to his recollections of these events. On ‘X-mas Eve’, he compares his commitment to his allegedly nefarious behaviour to cleaning the streets like detergent and although marinated in grit, his wordplay is witty, punchy and incessant – and he’s just as sharp in his delivery.

Beyond tales of his own life, Cee touches the societal cruxes of those around him. Like on the piano-serenade ‘Ruby’, where he insists that one should not judge a book by it’s cover; “You know what it’s like, you know how it goes” he murmurs as Ruby’s journey takes shape, delving into sexism, broken homes and drugs. Central Cee is intentional in getting his point of view on this project, notably addressing the surveillance of rappers from working class backgrounds on ‘Hate It Or Luv It’.

The most urgent performance arrives on ‘Wild West’s closer, ‘Gangbiz’. Central Cee hones in on his intricately devised plan while “on the phone to Atlantic [Records]”, and scorned by former tensions with his mother; “I came up from a gram” he finishes. Now that he’s caring his way out, he still warns that “this showbiz media game’s fake”, as he faces the obstacles that drill’s ascendant rappers often do. Central Cee clearly has the tenacity and notoriety to resonate, while leaving room for allure; it makes his approach to the mic all the more fascinating.

Details

• Release date: March 12
• Record label: Central Cee

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In recent years, grime has faced scrutiny from new-school rappers such as Aitch, who last May announced, “No one younger than me is bothered about grime,” sparking a debate across social media. Yet many genre pioneers, such as D Double E, are still releasing music to critical acclaim even as the likes of Novelist, KwolleM and Skepta reinvigorate the sound.

And now we have the latest big grime and UK-rap-infused project ‘Norf Face’, which sees rappers JME, Capo Lee, Frisco and Shorty – all Tottenham, north London natives – unite as a one-off collective across nine explosive tracks.

They open with ‘AGL’ (an acronym for ‘Ain’t Gotta Lie’), a track at once boastful and introspective, showcasing the distinctions between each artist – particularly where flow is concerned. Shorty, for example, is laser-sharp, on the nose and easily digestible; his nonchalant cadence only adds to his allure as he silences fake allegiances: “How random people shouting mandem but we ain’t even gang?” Elsewhere, JME is animated, loud and impassioned as he details his legacy as one of grime’s earliest henchmen, listing every radio station from Rinse FM to pirate radio station Freeze FM, all of which he graced during the ’00s as a freestyler.

‘Norf Face’ also compartmentalises each MC on short ‘Pattern’ solo cuts, allowing them to further extend their bragging rights. On ‘Frisco’s Pattern’, the rapper’s gravelly voice tears through a subdued soundscape; in under a minute, he takes in his prowess, conflict “on road” and his career, a testament to his range as a lyricist.

‘Look Both Ways’ finds each rapper delving into the hardships and motivation required to navigate their musical careers. Shorty juxtaposes his ascent as a rapper with staff greeting him warily when walking into their venues: “Uh-oh, here comes trouble,” he raps sarcastically. The line also evokes form 696, which the London Metropolitan Police used to stop grime gigs at short notice, and which was accused of being discriminatory (after much campaigning, it was scrapped back in 2017).

As ‘More’, with its tense, staccato strings, closes the record, it’s clear that ‘Norf Face’ is at its core a project defined by resilience — each act here has a cultural and musical legacy, which they continue to sculpt year-on-year. As JME says on the track: “Celebration we made it from back then”. Grime has persevered, nurturing both the emerging and established generation, as it continues to expand.

Details

Release date: March 5

Record label: Independent

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For Lagos-born, Bermondsey-raised lyricist Flohio, executing projects or songs half-heartedly is something that she simply refuses to do in her career. In fact, her inaugural 2018 release ‘Wild Yout’ EP served as something of spiritual-awakening. “Being a wild yout was about bringing 100% to the table, it had to be magical,” she tells NME. “I had to be in beast-mode and I gave every single bit of my energy doing it.”

The project birthed a transcendent rapper, unrestrained by genre or labels. “My first tape was like a party, but one where you’re going away with something, my listeners are saved after listening.” From the frantic introduction ‘Bop Thru’ and its cinematic, trap and hip-hop infused production to the braggadocious title-track, Flohio quickly became one of the most exciting acts in the UK’s underground scene. Soon after, she landed a spot in the on the NME 100 in 2019.

Battling through the pandemic, Flohio has remained tunnel-visioned while crafting her follow-up ‘No Panic No Pain’, which sheds even more of her skin for listeners across its ten songs. “There’s more to Flo – I’m unveiling pieces of me on this release. I’m evolving.” Led by its title-track number she builds on the momentum, acting every bit the renegade across the anthemic single. “I can’t complain / No panic, no pain,” she raps across super-producer duo TakeADaytrip’s backing.

The joy of embracing music came from an early age. As a child, Funmi Ohiosumah drew inspiration from music videos she’d watch on the TV – she constantly references grime, pop, hip-hop and R&B as genres that she particularly took an interest in. “I’d be there from start to finish, watching like 32 videos back to back.” Estelle’s ‘American Boy’ as one of her favourites – “when music videos like that came on, I’d be glued to the television.”

Gaining access to the internet during the latter years of her childhood led her to a fixation with Lil Wayne also became a constant fixation. “It’s his humour and wit and how clever he was able to be. He’s out of this world, he didn’t even try too hard,” she says. “He’s a mutant, a weirdo and I love that about him.” After her first performance at Salmon Youth Centre as a teen, where she received harsh feedback from the music mentors at the time – she ran home to study Lil Wayne videos, emulating his style and mannerisms on her next run. “His energy is just off the charts, that’s what I was able to really take from him,” she says.

But it was over a decade later, in recent years, that Flohio finally found her voice, channeling her distinct offering and learning to trust herself. “I’d say that I’m really coming into my own now. Before ‘Wild Yout’ I was just writing, I don’t really know. I think I was growing up and finding the best way of creating music for myself.”

Flohio shares that one of the lessons she discovered while cultivating her sound was that she enjoyed making music alone – “I just have to be in my own head.” Despite making headway with the unorthodox, 808-heavy ‘Bands’ she insists that ‘10 More Rounds’ is her first official single. “I had to give everyone the full package. When I can’t get a song out of my head that’s when I know it’s ready. ‘10 More Rounds’ is me saying ‘lets fucking go’. It’s powerful.”

The latter Cadenza-produced single arrived that summer and with its ominous-piano led foundations, Flohio pounces across the production, turning the number into her playground. “I give them more / Never less / Bring my fist up to my chest,” she boasts. An abundance of thrill fills the songs three minutes and eighteen seconds making it instantly infectious. As it stands, it’s one of her most popular singles on streaming platforms, nearing a million streams on Spotify. “Working with Cadenza is always a good time, he knows how to work with me,” she says.

“Electro-rap is where I want to go next – I have such a powerful voice, I need to exercise it more”

Releases like ‘10 More Bands’ and ‘Rounds’ emphasise Flohio’s robust appeal, and it’s this quality that she brought to collaborations with Mahalia and The Streets last year, particularly on the latter’s ‘How Long It’s Been’, she adds zest to the piano-led alt-hip-hop leaning release. On Flohio, Mike Skinner was quick to point out her “unpredictable” approach to the song, which he found refreshing.

New mixtape ‘No Panic No Pain’ ushers in an even more unhinged Flohio exploring her evolution and experimentation further. The strongest example of this is on ‘Active’ where she leans into her Nigerian ancestry. Produced by Genio Bambino (Cruel Santino), the alté, hip-hop crossover is ambient, with familiar British/American slang (like “tapped in’‘), helping to bridge the gap. “I wanted to create something that represented me in Lagos, I tried to go Afro in my own way, I wanna do more songs like that.”

There’s still nods to her enigmatic ‘Wild Yout’ beginnings in the distorted ‘Flash’. Standing as the most trap-leaning cut on the record, its intersection with electronica is welcomed, creating a colossal-number worthy of an imminent visual. Like the song’s name, she’s also rapping at pace, a skill she ironically learned when first experimenting with electronic beats. “Electronic instrumentals are crazy bro. They go off on 200 BPM and it keeps me on my feet. It’s my exercise to practice on them.”

Further afield, the likes of ‘Medicine’ that truly unearth brinks of Flohio’s vulnerability. Immersed in melodic guitar runs, she admits to her destructive coping mechanisms. “Took you off my mainline, broke off the arrangement, gone off the radar,” she raps. “It’s definitely a love song. It’s about when you know someone has bad vibes. I give people several chances and then I get upset when I should’ve learnt the other times. It’s about protecting myself, putting myself first.”

‘No Panic No Pain’ is unapologetic in its delivery, reigning as one of the most dynamic rap releases of the year. It also stands as a marker of Flohio’s future. A portal to be exact. “’No Panic No Pain’ is an example where I want to go next; electro-rap. I have such a powerful voice, I need to exercise it more. There are other ways to tell my story and I can’t wait to show the world more.”

At 28-years-old, Flohio is wholly embracing of timing and grateful for natural progression across her career. “Coming onto the scene for me happened a lot later, but I’m happy that it happened. If it happened earlier than I think it would be a mess. I’m still trying to find myself, figure out my writing style, even the beats that sound nice with my voice. It’s all continues to be a domino effect in terms of my growth.”

Flohio’s ‘No Panic No Pain’ is out now

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As a regular featured artist, Los Angeles musician Tyrone William Griffin Jr – aka Ty Dolla $ign – has helped to showcase R&B and hip-hop’s modern faces in a fuller way. That’s him, for instance, behind the scenes on Fifth Harmony‘s multi-Platinum 2016 album ‘Work From Home’ and adorning Kanye West‘s 2019 rap gospel record ‘Jesus Is King’. In the process, he has propelled himself to the heights of both genres in the latter half of the last decade. A Ty Dolla $ign verse has become most artists’ go-to weapon of choice.

On his third solo release, ‘Featuring Ty Dolla $ign’, he wholeheartedly leans into his contemporary legacy, seeming to poke fun at the music industry convention. Ironically, more than half of the 25-song project boasts featured artists, making the album instantly busy; everyone from Nicki Minaj to Kid Cudi and Kehlani has their say here. Still, beneath the noise, we gain a little insight into Tyrone’s identity as he references his 2015 debut album ‘Free TC’, which honoured his incarcerated brother. On the skit ‘It’s Still Free TC’, the pair praise human rights lawyer Jessica Jackson and Governor of California Gavin Newsom, who is outspoken on the flaws of the US prison system.

Ty is soon joined by super-producer Mustard and rapper Roddy Ricch for the buoyant ‘Real Life’. The former aided Ty Dolla $ign in forming his signature, slow and melodic iteration of West Coast R&B in his early career; here, the pair’s synergy is evident once more, Ty’s husky runs wedded to the plight of African Americans’ struggles. “Cops still killin’ n*ggas in real life,”  he sings across the chorus, later juxtaposing this theme with his success and milestones. ‘Real Life’ is a strong example of Ty’s duality.

Much of ‘Featuring Ty Dolla $ign’ boasts near-perfect sequencing, the early numbers – such as the the moody, Post Malone-assisted ‘Spicy’ and ‘Track 6’, a lithe track featuring Kanye West, Anderson .Paak and Thundercat – bleeding into one another with a calculated level of precision. The album is a playful ode to ’90s R&B, Ty marinading his third album in interpolation and sampling.

‘Tyrone 2021’ in particular, is a tongue-in-cheek nod to both his moniker and Erykah Badu‘s 1997 neo-soul classic ‘Tyrone’. While the original song was a playful sass-fest poking fun at a man who spent too much time and energy (and money) on his male friends, here Ty throws the baton back to women, joking that “girls like that be nothing but trouble.” Rapper Big Sean co-signs the message: “I can’t adapt to that habitat”. Later, the main man interpolates Mary J. Blige‘s 1993 rendition of funk classic ‘Sweet Thing’ for the smooth ‘Nothing Like Your Exes’; it’s satisfying to see him pay tasteful and consistent tribute to R&B’s past.

Is ‘Featuring Ty Dolla $ign’ perfect? Not by any means – there’s sure to be filler across 25-tracks. However, when Ty is at his best, he soars vocally and continues to prove that he is both a hook and melody juggernaut. The album is a little scattershot, the self-referential premise interrupted by musical interludes from the likes of Burna Boy and Brooklyn experimentalist Serpentwithfeet. Overall, though, it’s a victory lap for Ty Dolla $ign’s quietly influential career to date, the sound of an artist embracing the worldview he has helped to curate.

Details

Release date: October 23

Record label: Atlantic

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Megan Pete is more resilient than most of her peers. As scarlet lights mark Thee Stallion’s arrival at her virtual concert, the stage is aflame with the in-demand lyricist announcing that it’s her first day back. “Hot girl summer is not cancelled,” she boasts over the icy instrumentals of 2019’s ‘Realer’.

The song’s lyrics serve as a perfect clap-back to an industry and wider community that’s failed Megan Thee Stallion over the last few months. The rapper was shot earlier this year, an act that saw her mocked online and facing a serious invasion of privacy. As she perches atop the multi-layered staging, bopping along to the line “fuck all the critics and fuck how they feel,” it feels like Megan is rejuvenated and ready to prove naysayers wrong.

READ MORE: On the cover – Megan Thee Stallion: “I’m really working on my dynasty right now”

The Houston, Texas native quickly undresses, revealing a diamante corset, suspenders and thigh-high boots, looking every bit the star as she etches her way through ‘Simon Says’, a team of dancers complementing the jaw-dropping live-airing. Megan Thee Stallion is truly the ring-leader here, showing no-signs of vulnerability.

She makes sure to pay strong homage to her hometown and Southern hip-hop too: before ‘Tina Snow’ favourite ‘Freak Nasty’, she provides a dance break to the iconic street-hit ‘Slob on My Knob’ by Tear da Club Up Thugs. Even better, it’s choreographed by JaQuel Knight, who gave us the iconic dance routines to Beyoncé‘s ‘Single Ladies’ and ‘Formation’.

It’s testament to Megan The Stallion’s skill as a performer that she combines this glamour with more somber moments. At one point, she shows the audience clips of African American victims of police brutality. As the lights dim, names such as Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner beam across the screen before a banner asks ‘Why Is It So Hard To Be Black In America?’ The montage served as a stark reminder that the now-rising rapper carries her politics with her wherever she goes, unapologetically. This is a tasteful display of solidarity in the face of uncertainty.

Ultimately, Thee Stallion acts serves a beacon of hope. After providing a platform for team members such as dancer Ashley Seldon to deliver solo dance breaks near the one-hour mark, she performs fan favourites across her ‘Fever’ era. From her breath control to her consistency with the routines to her vocal projection as a rapper, it’s remarkable that Megan powered through the hour-and-a-half airing, only taking three brief breaks in between. Towards the end of her set she reveals she was unsure if she’d be able to deliver while still healing from the shooting.

Megan Thee Stallion is now a bonafide super-star. To see such an evolution as a performer during a pandemic is remarkable. Ultimately, though, Megan Pete’s secret weapon is that she embodies the spirit of the underdog achieving her true purpose.

Megan Thee Stallion played:

‘Realer Simon Says’
‘Freak Nasty’
‘Big Booty; (Gucci Mane)
‘Hot Girl Summer’
‘Pimpin’
‘Sex Talk’
‘RNB’ (Young Dolph)
‘Pose’ (Lil Uzi Vert)
‘Pole Dancer’ (Wale)
‘Freak’ (Tyga)
‘All Dat’ (Moneybagg Yo)
‘Nasty’ (DaBaby)
‘Big Ole Freak’
‘Cash Shit’
‘B.I.T.C.H.’
‘Girls in the Hood’
‘WAP’
‘Savage’

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Burna Boy has more than earned his place as one of Nigeria’s biggest contemporary exports. Quickly amassing a cult following in the UK with infectious early releases ‘Like To Party’ and ‘Yawa Dey’ in the early ’10s, he followed up after being allowed back in the country in 2016 (he was banned for alleged criminality) with his legendary sold-out Hammersmith Apollo ‘Homecoming’ concert.

Marinating a sound that encompasses traces of Afrobeat and throws in hip-hop, dancehall and afro-fusion for good measure, 29-year-old Damini Ogulu has spent the past few years concentrating on global expansion. He hypnotised with third studio release ‘Outside’, earned a Grammy nomination for last year’s international breakthrough ‘African Giant’ and now continues his reign with ‘Twice As Tall’.

The record was executive produced by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, but – the moody, operatic ‘Alarm Clock’ aside – the mogul largely leaves his charge to blaze his own trail. That track leans on hand-drums and saxophones as the mighty Burna Boy awakens, eager to mark his arrival and demanding attention. “You better set your alarm clock,” he warns as the song closes.

‘Way Too Big’ finds Burna Boy on self-confident form, as he relays his intention to avoid bad company: “I’m way too smart to be f*cking with you”. Here, Burna Boy acknowledges his roots, praising his homeland (and its “Nigerian breweries”) as subtle violin runs cushion his vocals. This standout songs proves just how experimental afro-fusion can be.

Burna Boy again delivers on ‘Twice As Tall’. While it’ll always be hard to top his magnumopus ‘African Giant’ and fan favourite ‘Outside’, the star’s latest album is a satisfying sequel. It’s admirable to see him balance his signature sound with hints of exploration in collaborations such as ‘Monsters You Made’, all while remaining true to his mother tongue.

Details

Release date: August 14

Record label: Atlantic Records

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Think you don’t know Victoria Monét? Think again.

The 27-year-old singer-songwriter has had a hand in writing colossal hit singles, including Ariana Grande’s ‘Thank U, Next’ and ‘7 Rings’ (her work with the superstar’s most recent album, also titled ‘Thank U, Next’, won her no less than four Grammy nominations last year), and has collaborated with artists as varied as Fifth Harmony and Nas since the early ‘10s. And she’s now ready to step out to the centre of the stage with her debut album, the fiercely titled and ‘70s-inspired nine-song collection ‘JAGUAR’.

The Georgia-born, California-raised musician has long enjoyed a friendship with R&B producer D’Mile and the pair are a match made in audio Heaven, Monét soaring with magnetic choruses across nostalgic soundscapes. Channeling the fearless attitude of the titular beast, Monét leans into her desires, expressing both lust and emotional intensity. “I just wanna make you feel big boss like 1000 dollar bills” she chants on album opener “Moment”, evoking the spirit of Keyshia Cole’s 2007 hit ‘Trust’, another song that explores the notion of selfless love.

The ‘70s funk-influenced title track finds Monét at her most vulnerable, admitting that she “lives on instinct”, and fittingly enough she seemingly spontaneously yells “let’s get wild” as distinctive horns – employed across the record – express unbridled joy. The funky ‘Go There With You’ sees her suggest that her passion, currently being used in an argument, could be transferred into the bedroom, an example of her twinkling sense of humour. The music is the message here, too, an electric guitar solo conveying a sense of reckless abandon. The song rolls around in the same bed sheets as Childish Gambino’s herculean 2016 hit ‘Redbone’.

Across ‘JAGUAR’, Victoria Monét unpicks the blurry line between lust and love, D’Mile’s impeccable and finely arranged production offering narrative stage directions such as the suggestive aforementioned guitar solo. Their relationship resembles that of R&B great Brandy and her frequent co-conspirator Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins, who has stood with the singer throughout most of her career (though the producer was notably absent from the recently released ‘B7’).

Victoria Monét reportedly delayed the release of ‘JAGUAR’ so as not to clash with the release of Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’ visual album. A shrewd move, perhaps, and this record heralds her as one of the most enticing acts in R&B’s contemporary canon, near-guaranteed to become a bonafide star in her own right.

Details

Release date: August 7

Record label: Tribe Records

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If you hadn’t already grasped it, afrobeats has arrived. Keep up. Over the last decade, the fluid style of music has captivated audiences across the Western world – particularly in London, where the term was first coined, and New York, which like the UK capital has a high numbers of West African immigrant communities.

Now the genre is getting some recognition. Earlier this week, The Official Charts Company (OCC) announced the birth of the Official UK Afrobeats Chart, set to be published weekly. Initiated by the popular festival-provider Afro Nation and launching on BBC 1Xtra and The Official Charts Company, the Afrobeats Chart will be compiled using “UK sales and streaming data from over 9,000 outlets, incorporating audio and video streams, downloads and physical sales”.

To get things started, the inaugural list – which lists the top 20 “afrobeats” artists” of the last 12 months – throws up some confusion as to where this chart might be going. The chart consists of a plethora of acts – including J Hus, Young T & Bugsey and more – but many of which sit within the pocket of afro-swing, as opposed to solely afrobeats. Upon its release, social media users noted that the “real” afrobeats artists, such as Fuse ODG and Tekno, sat at the bottom of the chart. This is a metric driven chart, of course, but raises questions as to where afrobeats is heading – and how it is perceived on a mainstream level.

Read more: So the Grammys have ‘dropped’ the ‘Urban’ music category. What took them so long?

The phrase was coined little over a decade ago and vocalised formally by DJ Abrantee in 2012. Afrobeats derives from the likes of Nigerbeats, juju music, hiplife and highlife melding with Western sonics such as rap, hip-hop and funky house. Not to be confused with afrobeat, there’s a distinction and update in afrobeats. “There’s a younger feel to it,” founder DJ Abantree asserted.

Despite the differences, afrobeats is constantly paired with its predecessor and has faced scrutiny from West-Africans in England and beyond. This muddying of the waters between the two musical styles confuses the histories and trajectories of both sounds.

In 2017, Nigerian megastar Burna Boy articulated his concerns with the conflation, stating that “I know what afrobeats is – afrobeats is not what you’re hearing today; it’s not that.” With one of the biggest names in the game outrightly rejecting the term – alongside peers and African musical publications including OkayAfrica – we see that the new chart is vulnerable when it comes to gaining the respect of the communities it seeks to represent.

On British soil, afro-swing has gained traction towards the end of the last decade as an established musical genre. Articulating the characteristics of afro-swing in 2018, acclaimed author and teacher Martin Connor said that it incorporates “Jamaican music in the rhythm” and melds with percussion and melodies from African sounds. British DJ and singer Afro B denounced this form of music being labeled as afrobeats because of the usage of aspects from dancehall and R&B.

One of the biggest acts within the Afrobeats Charts Top 20, J Hus, is also classified as an afro-swing pioneer, with Not3s and Yxng Bane in close proximity. The Official Charts Company – knowingly or not – erase these developments by not including afro-swing in the chart’s name and fail to acknowledge the unique elements of West Indian genres that are infused in afro-swing. They are crucial in their distinction.

The OCC’s statement announcing the chart briefly acknowledges afro-swing but uses the term afrobeats in reference to Kojo Funds – an act who has previously stated that he classifies himself as the former. Olive Uche, Audiomack’s Content Strategist for Africa, believes that both afrobeats and afro-swing deserve their own appreciation. “Properly labelling sounds and genres allows the mass to see the vastness of the scene and understand that there’s range within the music,” he tells NME.

It’s more frustrating once you realise that The OCC already have strong examples of doing this appropriately with other musical groupings. The Jazz & Blues Albums Chart incorporates projects from the varying forms of music, which allow room for clarity on both sides of the spectrum. Jazz, being a derivative of blues, is still a legitimate and pronounced genre in its own right; this is similar to the way in which afrobeats and afro-swing share their unique offerings. This approach ought to be adopted for the new Afrobeats Chart.

The UK has been one of the most welcome regions in the Western hemisphere when it comes to afrobeats. This is ultimately down to West-Africans on the ground helping to shift nightlife and radio over the span of 15 or so years. Platforms such as Choice FM and cultural moments like the meteoric rise of D’Banj’s track ‘Oliver Twist’ have helped to open the door for African-inspired foundations.

Is it, at its core, an ambitious and laudable move to honour this influence. Yet this chart needs to accurately reflect all of the sounds that it encompasses and name them accordingly. Failing to do this is a disservice and undermines the good-intentions of The Official Charts company, Afro Nation and BBC 1Xtra. The term “Urban” is beginning to be removed institutionally for its inaccurate labelling and ambiguous definition; the Afrobeats Chart and its missteps in precise representation feels like it’s cut from the same cloth.

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