Miriam Makeba was the first African to win a Grammy, but only when she partnered with a US star, Harry Belafonte.
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African artists with major US industry support have the advantage - now more than ever.
Nigerian star Tems performs at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK in 2022.
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Afrobeats truly conquered the globe, influencing music styles, packing out stadiums and lifting awards.
Beyoncé on stage in South Africa in 2018. Her new album is called Renaissance.
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With Renaissance, Beyoncé is again shaping pop culture, honouring black disco pioneers and Africa’s rise.
Nigerian musician Fela Kuti and his band in Harlem, New York, 1989.
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Nigerian popular music - Afrobeats - is storming the world’s stages. But it’s just the latest stage in a vibrant century of recorded music in the country.
Made Kuti performs in Lagos in 2021.
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Of a record nine nominees, seven are from West Africa. The global rise of Afrobeats music owes its soul to Nigeria’s iconic star Fela Kuti.
Tems performs in London in 2021.
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Afrobeats emerged when West African pop music became cool. It has been boosted by the diaspora, big name collaborations and American culture.