Afrobeats Intelligence
by Joey Akan/OkayAfrica
Latest episode
Jeriq on Community, Culture and the Business of Music
Jeriq on Community, Culture and the Business of Music
About this podcast
Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is the podcast extension of the popular music newsletter, Afrobeats Intelligence. Presented by OkayAfrica and sponsored by premium cognac brand Martell, Afrobeats Intelligence explores the intersection of art, humanity, and the processes that give birth to African sonic excellence.
Through eclectic interviews that spotlight creativity from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and beyond, Joey invites listeners every other Friday to take a snapshot into the soul of an industry pushing toward global greatness. Together, we examine the past, present, and future of African music, democratizing access to the ideas, people, and movements shaping its evolution.
If you are new to Afrobeats Intelligence, start here!
Episodes
The newest 20 of 79 episodes
- Jeriq on Community, Culture and the Business of Music · 1 h 5 min · Season 5 Episode 18Jeriq has built a career by staying deeply connected to where he comes from while finding his place in the mainstream. In this conversation with Joey Akan, Jeriq reflects on…
- Jyde Ajala on Visual Architecture, Working with Legends & Why Music Videos Still Matter · 1 h 4 min · Season 5 Episode 16Jyde Ajala is one of the most in-demand music video directors in Afrobeats. After studying film production at Full Sail University in Florida and working for over a decade in the…
- FOLA on Locking In, From Betting Shop to Paid Crowds & Building ‘Catharsis’ on His Terms · 54 min · Season 5 Episode 15FOLA sits down with Joey Akan and goes all the way back; Ibadan, the betting shop, the pen and notepad days when nobody was watching. He talks about locking in early, the people…
- Winny: Finding Your Voice, Creating Without Fear & Trusting the Process · 42 min · Season 5 Episode 15In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Winny sits down with Joey Akan for a conversation about finding her voice, trusting her instincts, and learning to create on her own…
- Alhaji Popping: Excellence, Strategy & Building in Entertainment · 1 h 15 min · Season 5 Episode 14In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Alhaji Popping sits down with Joey Akan for a wide-ranging conversation about the principles that have shaped his career across…
- TG Omori on Greatness, Creativity, Legacy & The Future of Music Videos · 56 min · Season 5 Episode 13In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits with TG Omori, one of the most prolific and influential music video directors of his generation, for a raw conversation…
- Shoday on Hit Songs, Industry Pressure & Building a Lasting Career · 1 h 11 min · Season 5 Episode 12In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with one of Nigeria’s fastest-rising stars, Shoday, to unpack the journey behind his breakout run. From the viral…
- MAVO on Escaladizzy, Building His Own Lane & What It Means to Lead a New Generation · 1 h 3 minIn this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with rising Afrobeats artist MAVO, the optometrist turned pop star who has quietly built one of the most…
- Dr. Sid on Mo’Hits, Career Pivots & The Reality of Longevity in Afrobeats · 1 h 18 min · Season 5 Episode 10In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with veteran artist and longtime friend of the show, Dr. Sid. Dr. Sid reflects on his journey, from choosing music…
- Excel Joab: Nigerian Music Industry ROI, What We Didn’t Learn from Afrobeats to the World & The “Now What” Moment · 1 h 9 min · Season 5 Episode 9In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Excel Joab, Senior Manager of A&R and Artist Development at AWAL (Sony Music) for West Africa, former Content Acquisition Manager at…
- Ladipoe: What Stayed the Same in Afrobeats, Rap Beef, & New Album · 1 h 21 min · Season 5 Episode 8In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Ladipoe , Mavin Records signee, Headies award-winning rapper, and one of the leading voices in Nigerian hip-hop and Afrobeats, reflects…
- Wale Davies (Tec): Palmwine Pioneer, Show Dem Camp Legend & BAFTA-Winning Writer of My Father's Shadow · 1 h 15 min · Season 5 Episode 7On this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with Wale Davies (Tec), one half of the revered rap duo Show Dem Camp, cultural architect of the Palmwine Music…
- Shallipopi on Auracle, Global Success, Creating a Sub-Genre & Working with Wizkid · 57 min · Season 5 Episode 6In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence (powered by Martell 🥃), host Joey Akan sits down with Shallipopi, the Pluto originator who has rapidly become one of Afrobeats’ most…
- Joshua Baraka on East Africa's Takeover, the Decline of Afrobeats & AI in Music · 1 h 11 min · Season 5 Episode 2Uganda has always had the culture. Now it has the moment. Joshua Baraka is the Kampala-bred artist making a case for East Africa's place at the center of the global music…
- Kcee on The Limpopo Anthem & Ojapiano · 1 h 10 min · Season 5 Episode 4From the gritty streets of Ajegunle in Lagos, where he once dreamed of a football career, to winning the Star Quest talent show with his duo KC Presh in 2002, Kcee has spent over…
- Aniko on Revolutionizing Nigeria's Rave and House Music Scene · 1 h 9 min · Season 5 Episode 3In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with rising DJ and cultural curator Aniko, one of the key figures shaping Lagos’ growing electronic music and rave…
- Wale on the Cost of Fame, Plans for Nigeria, Afrobeats’ Breakthrough Moment · 1 h 9 min · Season 5 Episode 2In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with rapper Wale for a candid conversation about identity, culture, and the global rise of Afrobeats. Raised in a…
- Sarz talks Global Success, Making Pop hits, and Cultural Ownership · 1 h 19 min · Season 5 Episode 1In this season opener, Joey Akan sits down with the legendary, award-winning producer Sarz for an unfiltered deep dive into the mechanics of a hit record and the evolving DNA of…
- Afrobeats Intelligence Returns with Season 5 Today! · 2 min · Season 5Hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence Season 5 dives deeper into the stories, systems, and sonic architecture shaping…
- Peruzzi on Losing His Mom, Industry, Making “Assurance” & “Risky” w Davido | Afrobeats Intelligence · 53 minIn this unfiltered episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, award-winning host Joey Akan sits down with Peruzzi, the DMW star and songwriting mastermind behind some of Afrobeats’…
