The self-proclaimed Leader of the Revival has been tirelessly working all year long, trying and testing the boundaries of his pen game with his weekly freestyles as well as a string of singles, which each had their solid moments. It’s difficult to engage in any conversations about rappers delivering on their best form this year without considering Mavin’s Ladipoe as a shoo-in for the famed title. Much like he usually does, he tells the tale of the underdog who continues to suffer at the hands of the powers that be, and judging by what we’ve seen so far, we expect him to only build on that momentum in 2021 where he’s teasing his debut full length LP. This year has been a good time for D O to flext his muscles, and for him the highlight of the year was the rapper landing a killer verse from Olamide on “Wetin You Smoke” and the debut of his latest socially-inclined number “Jungle Justice”, a hard-hitting rap song that spoke to the times we’re currently living in. The new project is excellent, teeming with a wider stylistic range than he has previously employed, as we see the singer effortlessly dancing over menacing and boisterous production while delivering hip-hop perfection. 2018’s ‘Everything Pretty’ arrived with a bang at the time of its release, proving D-O’s knack for cadence, storytelling, and melody, but this year, he’s dialled it up a few notches with the release of his highly-anticipated follow up ‘Wildfire’. His mix of bruising raps and dancehall-inspired melodies alongside his energetic personality has garnered him a cult-like following since his entry into the scene. With several features and a contender for hardest rap song of the year, “Akobam”, Joey put in a stellar shift in 2020.Īt 28, Prettyboy D-O might be one of the most consistent and intriguing characters in the Nigerian hip-hop scene. ‘Lava Feels’ is a trip through several, varying sounds, ranging from synthy trap to breezy G-Funk, with Joey’s ability to effortlessly navigate through each sonic choice serving as the magnetic element. Even with this low-stakes billing, the 9-track tape is an arrogant display of Joey’s increasing command of his powers, and one of the most enjoyable rap projects this year. In May, Joey put out ‘Lava Feels’, his second-ever project which he simply described as “a collection of songs”. Over the years, the Ghanaian rapper has been building a catalogue driven by versatility, emphasising variety in his music, and becoming one of the best at adapting his voice to features, no matter the sound. Joey BĪs far as sheer range, there aren’t too many others rappers on the continent who operate on Joey B’s level. It’s a celebration of not just the best rappers of the year, but also the variety and boundary-pushing ethos that will keep rap music in its upward trajectory. To reflect the wholesomeness of rap music in Africa this year, our list pulls in hit-makers, lyricists, experimental stylists, and everything in between. To anyone that paid attention to rap music across the continent in 2020, it’s obvious that the genre contributed its fair share to the sonic landscape, spawning hit songs, laudable projects, and continued growth in craft. There’s a widespread belief that rap is several steps below varying forms of afropop in terms of commercial acclaim, which isn’t entirely unfounded, but that idea undercuts all of the positives, from the overflow of rap artists around, to the infinite, ever-evolving range of styles. With that, it’s only right that rap music continues to find ways to thrive across the continent. From contemporary Nigerian pop music, to hiplife in Ghana, and kwaito in South Africa, hip-hop has had a profound influence on the fabric of African music in the last three decades. As it inches towards five decades of existence, hip-hop (both as a culture and music genre) has made its way, from its institution in the Bronx, to every corner of the world. Augmarked the 47 th anniversary of DJ Kool Herc’s iconic party on Sedgwick Avenue, a date which has been adopted as the official birth date of hip-hop.
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