Otile Brown

Hometown: Kisumu, Kenya

A child prodigy in his hometown of Kisumu, Kenyan singer Otile Brown has been familiar with local fame since his youth. In 2012, he moved to Nairobi to pursue his dreams of nationwide renown, spending years shadowing artists, writing songs, and playing the guitar while he subtly released rap music. His 2020 album Just In Love marked a switch from rapper to Bongo Flava and R&B singer, embracing the more popular East African genre, and immediately cementing his status in Kenya’s music scene. On “I Need You,” he’s crazy in love and compares the affair to the tale of Romeo and Juliet.

Young Jonn

Hometown: Ibadan, Nigeria

Anyone paying attention to the rise of Nigerian street-hop in the 2010s would’ve heard Young Jonn’s producer tag “The Wicked Producer” on hits by Olamide, Naira Marley, Lil Kesh, and more. He took the leap from producer to recording artist in March 2022, signing a record deal with Chocolate City and dropping his debut EP, Love Is Not Enough. The project’s lead single “Dada” quickly took off and earned a remix with Afrobeats superstar Davido, which currently has over 12 million streams on Audiomack.

Bruce Melodie

Hometown: Kicukiro, Rwanda

Bruce Melodie is hardly a newcomer to Rwandan music, having sealed his name in the East African consciousness since 2013. His consistency paid off in 2018, emerging as a winner in Rwanda’s premier televised talent show, PGGS. Soon after, he founded a label, Igitangaza Music, and signed some of Rwanda’s most promising talents including 10 African Artists You Should Know alum Juno Kizigenza. On “Nyoola,” Bruce Melodie encapsulates the serenity of classic Bongo Flava.

Magasco

Hometown: Bamenda, Cameroon

Magasco started singing in the church when he was six in his hometown of Bamenda. His first public appearance was at a talent show in 1999, and a year later he formed a rap group called T-Drops, which lasted until 2009. Eleven years on, he caught a big break in 2020 through “Sokoto,” an uptempo fusion of Afrobeats and Highlife where he infuses his native Kom dialect to woo a woman. “Yes I Do,” from his March album Affection, is a proclamation of love and a willingness to spend life together with his partner.

Jizzle

Hometown: Bakau, Gambia

Contemporary Gambian music has spawned stars such as T Smallz Suso, Mighty Joe, Sophie Byass, and more, but the ascent of Jizzle is unique thanks to his use of Wolof, Mandinka, Fulah, and English in his music. Born Jereh Jallow, the 28-year-old’s childhood passion was soccer but his interest in music was piqued as he watched his older brother write and record his own work. Jizzle refers to himself as “The Scorpion,” alluding to his physical stature, meaning “small but dangerous.” “Go Low” is a melodic, multilingual conveyance of courtship.

Kusah

Hometown: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Salmin Ismail Hoza, widely known as Kusah, has been rocking in the Tanzanian music scene since his 2015 debut “Dakika.” He’s best known for his vulnerable and poetic lyrics. On “No Time,” he describes the feeling of finally finding a soulmate, simultaneously taking the opportunity to throw jabs at his ex. His latest single “Tamu” charmingly courts a romantic interest in Swahili.

Kwaku DMC

Hometown: Kumasi, Ghana

Kwaku DMC is one of the pioneers of Ghanaian drill music, Asakaa. A co-sign from Virgil Abloh in 2020 put a spotlight on him and the scene when the late designer reposted him on Instagram and sent Off-White gear overseas. Fittingly, his next single was a hard-hitting ode titled “Off White Flow.” Kwaku’s latest project Road to the Jungle is a collection of steely and spirited songs that channel the energy of the streets of Kumasi. On “Faith,” Kwaku DMC advises listeners to believe in the power of destiny and consistently work towards it because that’s what worked for him.

YKB

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

YKB, formerly known as yusufkanbai, is a well-known name in Nigerian underground scenes. Commanding Afrobeats, R&B, hip-hop, and trap, experimentation comes naturally to YKB, who lives to find the fun in making music. Last year’s “Dey Your Dey” with Nigerian street-hop icon Zlatan was the seal of approval that gave YKB his first viral smash, while February’s “Imagine” is a mid-tempo Afrobeats song addressing a past lover returning to him a little too late.

Winnie Nwagi

Hometown: Kampala, Uganda

Ugandan Bongo Flava singer Winnie Nwagi started to channel her creative energy in elementary school as a solo singer, dancer, and player of the Engalabi (long drum). In efforts to support her newborn daughter, she registered for a Coca-Cola Next Rated talent show in Uganda and finished secondnd runner-up. Ugandan label Swangz Avenue caught wind of her potential, signed her in 2014, and then came hits “Musawo,” “Matala,” and “Jangu.” On “Malaika,” Winnie Nwagi sings about a consuming love affair.

Roki

Hometown: Harare, Zimbabwe

Blending soca, dancehall, urban groove, Afropop, and house music, Roki is revered in Zimbabwe for his diverse sound. In 1996, he was discovered singing with friends on a bus by a local musician, and he’s subsequently shuffled between music and his career as a reality TV star. His music usually touches on themes of mortality, presence, love, and Western and African cultural juxtapositions. His June drop “Mjolo” borrows a South African slang for “relationship,” and speaks to society’s haste for romance, along with its inability to handle commitment.

10 African Artists You Should Know (August 2022)

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