The 77 Percent was at the Afro Nation music festival in Portugal and asked revelers which music genre should take the win - Afrobeats or Amapiano.
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00:00So we're here at the AfroNation 2024 in Portimao, Portugal
00:04and there is a lot of music, different music, vibes happening here.
00:09But there's totally like two different crowds.
00:12There's Amapiano and on the side Afrobeat.
00:16So we're just gonna find out exactly what's happening,
00:19who's for Amapiano and who's for Afrobeat
00:21and which one is about to take over the world.
00:25Come with me.
00:26Hey guys, how are you doing?
00:27Good, thanks for joining us all.
00:29So I'll start with you with the mic.
00:30Yes.
00:31So there is a stage down there which is Amapiano
00:34and then just right here is the lead stage, they call it.
00:38It's for Afrobeats.
00:38Yes.
00:40Do you think that is a good idea at a festival?
00:43I definitely do think because there are two different sounds
00:46and they both do have their audience.
00:48And you know, as someone who's South African, I'm a bit biased.
00:50I won't lie, I've been camped on the other side for Amapiano
00:53but I've definitely enjoyed quite a few Afrobeat sounds.
00:56Something new to listen to, learn a few new words also.
01:00So yeah, it's been very exciting.
01:01Tell us, what's your opinion?
01:02For me, I prefer Afrobeat.
01:05After the both of them, I enjoy the vibes, the sound.
01:12The sound is really different for me.
01:15When I listen to Amapiano, my body moves.
01:18Yeah, you always move.
01:19Yeah, like Afrobeat but it's different, you know.
01:21Yeah, Afrobeat is about lyrics.
01:23Yeah, and generation as well.
01:25Amapiano, I think it would be temporary.
01:31Temporary?
01:31Temporary, yeah.
01:32You think so?
01:34Yeah, I think.
01:36All right, is that what you think?
01:37Yeah, I'm not gonna lie.
01:39I'm with my friend here, Afro Nation.
01:42I'm not gonna lie, Afrobeat.
01:46Now, the reason why, let me tell you why.
01:47There's a lot more versatility that I feel like you can get with Afrobeat.
01:51In terms of, obviously, there's more lyrics, it's more just the beat, right?
01:54With Amapiano, you have to feel it, right?
01:57Like you said, you feel it, but after like two hours, it sounds repetitive to me.
02:02Yeah, but will it be temporary or not?
02:04Your friend just said it's temporary.
02:05Will it be temporary?
02:06Yeah.
02:07So when you say Amapiano won't last, I kind of maybe agree with you
02:10because it will continue to grow.
02:12It will evolve into something even bigger.
02:15Let me tell you that much.
02:16And like you said, the crowd is at the Amapiano stage.
02:20Afrobeat, I cannot hate on it.
02:22I love it, it's amazing.
02:23All the artists that have been here have been killing it.
02:25But if you're asked to choose one?
02:27It's not a choice.
02:30Amapiano to the world, baby.
02:31Amapiano to the world.
02:33They are killing it that side.
02:34They are killing it.
02:35Okay, yeah.
02:36And I'm sure she agrees with you, no?
02:38I'm actually a fan of Afrobeat.
02:40Okay.
02:40That's my favorite.
02:41That's what I grew up on.
02:43My siblings, my family, everything, Afrobeat.
02:46I like Amapiano, but my heart belongs to Afrobeat.
02:49I listen to both, but for different types of settings.
02:53I like listening to Amapiano when I have to really focus,
02:56because of the beats.
02:58It really does get you there, yeah.
03:00But I am Caribbean, so there's a closer connection to the Afrobeat.
03:04Okay.
03:04And I do prefer it.
03:06Right, interesting.
03:07You can give him.
03:08What's your opinion?
03:09It's my opinion.
03:11It's the thing where everybody's here comparing this, comparing that.
03:14Just enjoy them both.
03:15African music is taking over the world.
03:18I mean, it's making waves.
03:19It's not just Africans here.
03:20I've spoken to Americans.
03:22I've spoken to Jamaicans.
03:23This is the Afro nation.
03:26What have you got to say about that?
03:27Do you think we are overtaking as Africans in the world of music?
03:33What I would say is, obviously, I think it's a thing where it's grown steadily and slowly over time,
03:38but we are definitely overtaking in the world.
03:40And you're from the Caribbean.
03:42We are overtaking the world.
03:45Born and raised in Iceland.
03:46Okay.
03:47We listen to Rema on the radio in Iceland, out of all the places in the world.
03:51Reykjavik, Iceland.
03:52There are basically no black people there.
03:54But we still got Afro beats and I'm a piano.
03:56Okay.
03:56And you see the crowd.
03:57It's all different races, all different ages.
04:00Come on.
04:01We are taking over.
04:02Yeah, we are.
04:04Why do you think African music has risen this fast?
04:08I think more than anything, like she said, it's a community.
04:10You know, it tells a story.
04:12When you're traveling and you hear someone's from Ghana, you're like, oh my God, hi.
04:16You just get so excited, you know, just seeing our people.
04:19I think more than anything in the crowd, I was hearing languages and I was like,
04:22I don't know what they're saying, but it sounds good.
04:25I like it.
04:26So I think more than anything, it's community.
04:28It tells a story.
04:29And really, as Africans, we haven't had the easiest upbringing.
04:32So it really connects us as a people.
04:34And I think that's really what it is.
04:36I think for me, the key thing is we finally gained the confidence to enter those spaces.
04:41I think for a long time, you know, we gatekeeped our music to ourselves.
04:44It was fantastic.
04:46And then it's events like Afro Nation that have showed us the fact that, no,
04:49we can literally penetrate the international markets, do the most and gain the confidence.
04:53Yeah.
04:54But speaking of Afro Nation, I mean, this is happening in Europe, right?
04:58And we're talking of Africa, African music.
05:02Do you think this could also rock or, I mean,
05:05go big in Africa if it's to happen in one of the African countries?
05:09No, definitely.
05:09I think for sure.
05:10I definitely think the biggest crowd would be there.
05:13Maybe we should look more into penetrating the African market, you know,
05:16try different African countries.
05:18You know, we've got Afrobeats.
05:20There's so many kinds of Afrobeats.
05:22Come to South Africa.
05:23Absolutely.
05:24Let's do it.
05:24Let's stage it.
05:25I'm a piano.
05:26Let's do a bit more.
05:27Let's integrate a whole lot of artists and local artists more than anything else.
05:31And let's give our African artists a chance to literally show the world what we can do.
05:35Yeah.
05:35But do you think we should also do something in Africa?
05:38For sure.
05:38Yeah.
05:40To see our culture, music, everything.
05:45I hope if Afro Nation will be in Africa, I will be here for sure.
05:50Now to you.
05:52You spoke about upcoming artists.
05:54I mean, some have not even made it to these big stages and all.
05:58What do you think should be done to ensure that at least we
06:02embrace and actually look for all the talent that is hidden in Africa?
06:07I think I agree with what you guys are saying.
06:09That we should have one festival in Africa as well.
06:12Where since this only like this one, and I think one in America.
06:16Yeah.
06:16Yeah.
06:17There's not a lot of artists that can go to those two.
06:20So if you have more, maybe more small and upcoming artists
06:24have a chance to go on stage and showcase what they've got.
06:27Okay.
06:27There you have it.
06:2877 percent.
06:29It's happening yet.
06:30Afro Nation, as you've heard, African music is here to stay.
06:35Afrobeats to the world.
06:36Ama Piano to the world.
06:38There is no competition there.
06:39It's all about African vibes and African music.
06:42Stay tuned.
06:44You guys have strong opinions.