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  • Shallipopi on Auracle, Global Success, Creating a Sub-Genre & Working with Wizkid

    Shallipopi on Auracle, Global Success, Creating a Sub-Genre & Working with Wizkid
    May 8 2026
    In 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 distinctive and commercially dominant voices. From his 2023 breakout with “Elon Musk” and Planet Pluto, to back-to-back #1 albums Presido La Pluto and Shakespopi, Shallipopi’s momentum shows no signs of slowing. His latest project, Auracle, continues the streak, debuting at #1 on Apple Music and further cementing his global reach.  Joey and Shallipopi dive deep into the realities of explosive success, the personal transition from dance video creator in Benin City (alongside his brothers) to chart-topping artist, and the relentless work ethic behind the music, including the story of making an album in just days. Shallipopi unpacks how he’s carving out a fresh sub-genre within Afrobeats, blending street energy, futuristic sounds, and his signature Plutomania style, while expanding the sound’s international footprint. They also explore high-profile collaborations with Wizkid, Burna Boy, Rauw Alejandro, and others, plus the mindset required to stay grounded amid rapid fame.  Raw, insightful, and full of industry wisdom, this conversation captures Shallipopi’s unique creative universe and his vision for the next chapter of Afrobeats. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Shallipopi Instagram: theycallmeshallipopi Snapchat: Shallipopi Website: https://www.theycallmeshallipopi.com/ Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by ⁠⁠OkayAfrica⁠⁠, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by ⁠⁠Martell.⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 Min.
  • Joshua Baraka on East Africa's Takeover, the Decline of Afrobeats & AI in Music

    Joshua Baraka on East Africa's Takeover, the Decline of Afrobeats & AI in Music
    Apr 24 2026
    Uganda 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 conversation, not as a footnote to Afrobeats, but as a creative force with its own sonic identity, emotional depth, and artistic integrity. His breakout hit "Nana" didn't just chart, it made a statement about what East African music can mean on a world stage. In this conversation with Joey Akan, Baraka goes beyond the geography debate. He breaks down the philosophical divide between East and West African music cultures, why he believes Afrobeats is showing signs of decline, and what it means to make art in an era when AI can replicate the sound but not the soul. He also speaks candidly about the industry's obsession with numbers over artistry, navigating social media scrutiny, and why this moment in African music history demands more from its creators. That live-first culture shapes his skepticism of AI's ceiling in music too. You can generate a track. You can't accumulate the human experience that makes a performance land. Joshua discusses: The realities of breaking out from a non-dominant market in African music The importance of identity in a globalized industry, How young artists are redefining what Afrobeats can sound like. Navigating early success, trusting your creative instincts, and building a career that travels beyond borders. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Joshua Baraka Instagram: itsjoshuabaraka Tik Tok: itsjoshuabaraka Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 Std. und 12 Min.
  • Kcee on The Limpopo Anthem & Ojapiano

    Kcee on The Limpopo Anthem & Ojapiano
    Apr 10 2026
    From 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 two decades shaping the sound of Nigerian music. He exploded globally with the infectious 2013 hit “Limpopo,” which became a dancefloor movement, then continued to reinvent himself with club anthems like “Pullover,” “Okoso,” and later experiments in Ojapiano and highlife. KCee discusses: His evolution: the shift from hip-hop and Afropop while embracing his Igbo roots through the groundbreaking Cultural Praise series, sonically diverse albums like Mr. Versatile (2024) and the fresh 2025 highlife-Afrobeats fusion Okonkwo and Sons Unlimited. Longevity in an industry that often discards veterans, The business of reinvention and family ties with his brother E-Money, Why he’s still dropping hits and packing international stages well into his 40s. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news.Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow KCee Instagram: @iam_kcee Facebook: kceeWebsite: Mr. Versatile Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 Std. und 11 Min.
  • Aniko on Revolutionizing Nigeria's Rave and House Music Scene

    Aniko on Revolutionizing Nigeria's Rave and House Music Scene
    Mar 27 2026
    In 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 scene. Known for her bi-monthly Group Therapy events, Aniko has built a community-driven movement that exists alongside, and sometimes outside of, the mainstream Afrobeats ecosystem. Aniko discusses: Her journey from aspiring DJ to international touring artist Building a name independently in a fast-changing music scene Bridging Afrobeats, electronic music, and Lagos nightlife culture Staying grounded while contributing to Africa’s evolving soundscape Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Aniko Instagram: aniko.xyz Web: aniko.live Soundcloud: anikoxyzCreated and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 Std. und 9 Min.
  • Wale on the Cost of Fame, Plans for Nigeria, Afrobeats’ Breakthrough Moment

    Wale on the Cost of Fame, Plans for Nigeria, Afrobeats’ Breakthrough Moment
    Mar 13 2026
    In 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 Nigerian household in Washington, D.C., Wale reflects on how African music shaped his instincts as an artist long before Afrobeats became a global phenomenon. He discusses why he believed early on that African sounds would eventually dominate global pop, the key moments that accelerated the genre’s global breakthrough, and the importance of protecting local African music markets as the sound expands worldwide. Wale also shares personal reflections on visiting Nigeria for the first time as an adult and reconnecting with the culture that has always influenced his music. The conversation offers a thoughtful look at diaspora identity, musical evolution, and the future of African music on the world stage. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Wale: Instagram: @wale Facebook: Wale Web: Everythingisalot Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 Std. und 10 Min.
  • Sarz talks Global Success, Making Pop hits, and Cultural Ownership

    Sarz talks Global Success, Making Pop hits, and Cultural Ownership
    Feb 27 2026
    In 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 African sound. This episode of Afrobeats Intelligence is powered by OkayAfrica, the pulse of African culture, and sponsored by Martell. Don't miss a beat of Season 5. Join the community by subscribing now and tell us your favorite Sarz-produced track in the comments! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 Std. und 19 Min.
  • Afrobeats Intelligence Returns with Season 5 Today!

    Afrobeats Intelligence Returns with Season 5 Today!
    Feb 27 2026
    Hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence Season 5 dives deeper into the stories, systems, and sonic architecture shaping Afrobeats’ global takeover. Featuring conversations with Shallipopi, Wale, Sarz, Ladipoe, Kcee, Joshua Baraka, BOJ, Aniko, Dr. Sid, and more, Season 5 delivers sharper insights and bigger access to the artists, executives, and culture builders defining African music today. Presented by OkayAfrica and sponsored by Martell, this season expands the conversation around how Afrobeats really works from Lagos to London to the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 Min.
  • Peruzzi on Losing His Mom, Industry, Making “Assurance” & “Risky” w Davido | Afrobeats Intelligence

    Peruzzi on Losing His Mom, Industry, Making “Assurance” & “Risky” w Davido | Afrobeats Intelligence
    Jul 25 2025
    In 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’ biggest records. From penning classics like 2Baba’s “Amaka” and Davido’s “Assurance” and “Risky,” to shaping his own standout tracks like “Majesty,” “Gunshot,” and “Southy Love” with Fireboy DML, Peruzzi pulls back the curtain on the creative highs, industry pressure, and internal battles that shaped his sound — and nearly broke him. Peruzzi opens up about the moment he realized he was no longer making music from the heart. Though his Huncho Vibes and Rum & Boogie eras produced fan-favorite tracks and expanded his global fanbase, he admits he got lost in the amapiano wave and the financial rush that followed. Chasing chart-toppers and chasing trends began to cloud the original voice that made him special. The fans were dancing. The streams were climbing. But deep down, the music no longer felt like him. In an era of algorithm-driven creativity, Peruzzi shares what it means to disconnect, go silent, and rediscover your core. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 Min.