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<div class="generic-info"><div class="title"><h1>How Afrobeats Artists Are Using Fashion To Tell Us Who They Are</h1>
<h3 class="subtitle">Breaking down the evolution of Afrobeats fashion, and today's defining trends, with some of the creatives behind the looks.</h3></div>
<p class="author">By Nelson C.J</p>
<p class="publication-date">04/12/2022</p>
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<img src="img/img articolo 2 gaia/Wizkid-Dolce-Gabbana-2018-billboard-1548.webp" alt="man walking on a runway">
<figcaption class="img-description">Wizkid walks the runway at the Dolce & Gabbana show during Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019 on June 16, 2018 in Milan, Italy.</figcaption>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">T</span>his piece was created in partnership with <a href="https://www.billboard.com/t/afro-nation/">Afro Nation.</a> Billboard and Afro Nation
<a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/billboard-us-afrobeats-songs-chart-1235046800/">recently launched the first-ever official Billboard
Afrobeats U.S. Songs Chart</a>, tracking the most popular rising new <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> in the rapidly growing genre. The 50-position Billboard U.S.
<a href="https://www.billboard.com/t/afrobeats/">Afrobeats</a> Songs chart, which went live last month on <a href="https://www.billboard.com/">Billboard.com</a>, ranks the most popular Afrobeat songs in the country based on a
weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of leading audio and video <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>
services, plus download sales from top <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> retailers.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">W</span>hen alté <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>, a genre defined by its <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/origins-of-the-alte-movement">inability to be conclusively defined</a> as it moves through different genres and maintains a highly
experimental form, began to enter mainstream Afrobeats <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> in the late 2010s, the <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> side of that genre, known as the alté
subculture, also thrived. That subculture is less of a set of dressing styles and more of an ideology that encourages young Nigerians to
tap into honest self-expression — essentially dressing how they would personally like to, and not in the ways that conform to the
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/23/alte-nigeria-pop-santi-odunsi-lady-donli">socio-cultural dictates of the country.</a></p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">I</span>t is that same ideology that is defining the role of <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> in Afrobeats <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> today, particularly for artists like <span class="person" id="Rema"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rema_(musician)" target="_blank">Rema</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Ckay"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKay" target="_blank">CKay</a></span>,
<span class="person" id="Cruel-S"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruel_Santino" target="_blank">Cruel Santino</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Wkid"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizkid" target="_blank">Wizkid</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Burna-B"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burna_Boy" target="_blank">Burna Boy</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Amaarae"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaarae" target="_blank">Amaarae</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Tems"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tems" target="_blank">Tems</a></span> and <span class="person" id="Adekunle-G"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adekunle_Gold" target="_blank">Adekunle Gold</a></span>. With the genre gradually staking a claim on the global <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>
scene, Afrobeats artists are learning to define their sense of <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> more by personal sensibilities and less by popular trends.</p>
<p><span class="keyword" id="fashion">Fashion</span> has always played a vital role in how Afrobeats artists express their artistry. In the late 1960s, when <span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela Anukulapo Kuti</a></span>
returned to <span class="place" id="Nigeria"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria" target="_blank">Nigeria</a></span> from studying at the <span class="place" id="London"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London" target="_blank">London</a></span> School of <span class="keyword" id="music">Music</span> in <span class="place" id="England"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England" target="_blank">England</a></span>, he returned as a different artist. While away, <span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span> had
become heavily influenced by American jazz, which he would go on to combine with didactic cultural Yoruba <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>, upbeat West African
highlife and funk to create what we now know as Afrobeats <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>. </p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">B</span>ut it wasn't just <span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span>'s <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> that found redefinition over time: his politics - which focused on mental slavery, corruption,
economic disparity, and the many ways in which Black leaders in Black nations mistreat their people while championing white supremacy —
also took a pivotal turn. And a part of <span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span>'s artistry that ties this all together, however, was the way in which his physical appearance —
through his intentionally pan-African and anti-colonial <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> choices — complemented his <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>.</p>
<p><span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span>'s <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> is often the next thing, after his <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>, that people mention when they talk about him. “[<span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span>'s] style of sequined/Ankara
tight pants with tight shirts was a statement,” <span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Ayomide Tayo</span>, a senior entertainment editor at <i>Opera News</i>, explains. “The Afrobeat
creator was highly pan-African, and his dressing doubled down on his belief that African culture is supreme. It also separated him from
other artists in the Nigerian <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> scene. He loved being a rebel.”</p>
<p><span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Tayo</span> also argues that, aside from simply grounding himself in his roots, <span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span> was also particular about breaking the rules around
<span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> and setting future-facing trends. “For someone whose <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> was highly African, It would have made more sense if he dressed in
traditional attires like <span class="person" id="KingSunny"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Sunny_Ad%C3%A9" target="_blank">King Sunny Ade</a></span> or <span class="person" id="ChiefEO"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebenezer_Obey" target="_blank">Chief Ebenezer Obey</a></span>,” says <span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Tayo</span>. “<span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span> instead decided to dress in an Afro-futuristic way to
let people know he was a trendsetter who wanted to take Africa forward.”</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">B</span>ut <span class="person" id="FAK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti" target="_blank">Fela</a></span> wasn't the only one who tapped into <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> to complement his sound. Many Afrobeat artists in his time — and in fact, several
other Nigerian artists who dabbled in genres like reggae or rock — often embodied the <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> senses typically associated with the genres
they were working in.</p>
<div class="subtitle"><b><a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/billboard-us-afrobeats-songs-chart-1235046800/">Billboard Teams Up With Afro Nation to Launch New U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart</a></b></div>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">I</span>n the '80s, for instance, <span class="person" id="MajekF"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majek_Fashek" target="_blank">Majek Fashek</a></span> often donned typical Rastafarian outfits, complete with long dreadlocks when performing his
reggae-inspired tracks. At the time, <span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Tayo</span> explains, “Reggae was used to speak about the hardship in the country, so the style of dressing
suited the theme.”</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">A</span>s time went on, between the late '90s to the early 2000s, the themes and preoccupations of Afrobeats began to take on a lighter,
more luxurious tone. While songs sometimes touched on socio-cultural concerns, much of the <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> coming out at that time also touched on
love, success, friendship and community.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">T</span>here was an uptick in Afrobeats artists of that time wearing designers and brand names, with much of their sound also heavily influenced
by hip-hop culture. At the time, “American urban <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> was trendy,” <span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Tayo</span> says. “Teenagers and young adults wore shirts and jeans from
designers like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo by Ralph Lauren and others. Hip-hop culture was in full swing in <span class="place" id="Nigeria"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria" target="_blank">Nigeria</a></span> at this time.
Radio stations played the latest songs from <span class="person" id="Puff-Daddy"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Combs" target="_blank">Puff Daddy</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Jay-z"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay-Z" target="_blank">Jay-Z</a></span>, <span class="person" id="2pac"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur" target="_blank">2Pac</a></span> and others. TV stations showed rap and R&B videos. American hip-hop
stars were idols, and everyone wanted to dress like them, including the foundational Afrobeats acts.”</p>
<p><span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Tayo</span>cites Afrobeats legends such as <span class="person" id="Idbia"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2Baba" target="_blank">2face Idbia</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Tetuila"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Tetuila" target="_blank">Tony Tetuila</a></span> and <span class="person" id="AbdulK"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eedris_Abdulkareem" target="_blank">Eedris Abdulkareem</a></span> as some of the artists for whom appearing in these
types of clothing was a strategy to make them appear on par with beloved American stars. And for that time, their strategy worked.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">I</span>n no time, however, <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> in Afrobeats began to take a more self-defined turn, with artists returning to the core of expressing
the specificity of their <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> — not necessarily the genre they worked in — through their clothing. Whether it be in Afropop,
Afrorock or contemporary highlife, artists prioritized what they liked over what was immediately fashionable.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">T</span>here was <span class="person" id="Dbanj"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27banj" target="_blank">D'banj</a></span>, who would go shirtless in most of his shows as a reinforcement of his sex-symbol image, and <span class="person" id="Psquare"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-Square" target="_blank">P-Square</a></span>, taking inspiration
from <span class="person" id="MJ"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson" target="_blank">Michael Jackson</a></span>'s form-fitting, militant clothing. These styles often matched their highly danceable tunes, but were reinterpreted
in a very Nigerian — and refreshingly personal — way.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">M</span>eanwhile, female Afrobeats artists like <span class="person" id="TSavage"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiwa_Savage" target="_blank">Tiwa Savage</a></span>, <span class="person" id="YAlade"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemi_Alade" target="_blank">Yemi Alade</a></span>, <span class="person" id="GHarvey"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldie_Harvey" target="_blank">Goldie Harvey</a></span> and <span class="person" id="SSHay"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seyi_Shay" target="_blank">Seyi Shay</a></span> have all used <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> as a direct tool
to dismantle conservative ideas of womanhood in the country. By opting for clothes that presented them as women assured in their
sexuality and desires, these artists often <a href="https://dailypost.ng/2014/05/28/tiwa-savages-raunchy-video-wanted-sparks-controversy/">stirred controversies</a> but significantly paved the way for the full and unbridled expression
that emerging female acts now possess.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">T</span>hat individualistic approach has trickled over into the way the new generation of Afrobeats stars aligns their <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> sensibilities
to their artistry. Now more than ever, many are leaning towards high <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span>, favoring both loud and understated looks from prestigious
brands. Think <span class="person" id="Wkid"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizkid" target="_blank">Wizkid</a></span> on the Dolce & Gabbana runway, or <span class="person" id="Burna-B"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burna_Boy" target="_blank">Burna Boy</a></span> hanging out with the late <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> icon <span class="person" id="VAbloh"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Abloh" target="_blank">Virgil Abloh</a></span>. Brands such as
Gucci, Fendi, and Bottega Veneta are name-checked on many records. And on an artistry level, “it has influenced them to create lush and
sultry records to match their image,” <span class="person" id="Ayomide-T">Tayo</span>adds.</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">T</span>wenty-two-year-old stylist <span class="person" id="BEdo"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Idahosa" target="_blank">Benson Edo</a></span> is one of the rising talents crafting the sartorial image of Afrobeats artists, one outfit at a
time. Having worked with some of the major stars in the genre — <span class="person" id="Davido"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davido" target="_blank">Davido</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Ckay"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKay" target="_blank">Ckay</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Badboy"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Boy_Timz" target="_blank">Badboytimz</a></span> and <span class="person" id="BellaS"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Shmurda" target="_blank">Bella Shmurda</a></span> are among his clients — <span class="person" id="BEdo"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Idahosa" target="_blank">Edo</a></span>
has grown to understand the different ways in which the <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> these artists create directly influences what they choose to wear.</p>
<p>“If you're making more emotional <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>,” <span class="person" id="BEdo"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Idahosa" target="_blank">Edo</a></span> says, “You will go for more colors and softer silhouettes.” With <span class="person" id="CKay"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKay" target="_blank">CKay</a></span>, for instance,
<span class="person" id="BEdo"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Idahosa" target="_blank">Edo</a></span>'s approach to styling has been to explore colors that complement the love-tinged elements of his songs, while for artists like
<span class="person" id="Davido"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davido" target="_blank">Davido</a></span>, <span class="person" id="BEdo"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Idahosa" target="_blank">Edo</a></span> would typically go for pieces that accentuate his personal style, while remaining comfortable and still in touch with luxury
products.</p>
<p><span class="person" id="Dwright">Dunsin Wright</span>, who styles some of the continent's established female stars including <span class="person" id="Tems"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tems" target="_blank">Tems</a></span>, is also taking note of the self-defined,
honest approach most Afrobeats artists are attempting - opting to stay true to their identities, rather than join the flock.</p>
<p>“<span class="person" id="Tems"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tems" target="_blank">Tems</a></span>' aesthetic can be described as pretty casual, classic but always chic. She leans towards darker, muted tones generally,”
<span class="person" id="Dwright">Wright</span> explains. “She loves layering and balance, so like an oversized jacket with a crop or sheer top underneath, or a cute co-ord.
We have been experimenting a lot more lately with different styles and silhouettes, her style is constantly evolving, which for me
reflects the dynamism in her <span class="keyword" id="music">music</span>.”</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">H</span>owever, stylists like <span class="person" id="EfeA"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efe_Ajagba" target="_blank">Efe Asagba</a></span> — who has also worked with <span class="person" id="Davido"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davido" target="_blank">Davido</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Rema"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rema_(musician)" target="_blank">Rema</a></span>, <span class="person" id="Ckay"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKay" target="_blank">CKay</a></span> and others — believes that complete individualism is
still lacking for some Afrobeats artists, and more needs to be done for Afrobeats to create personalized styles. “Honestly, I'll say
only a few artists have really personalized their style,” <span class="person" id="EfeA"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efe_Ajagba" target="_blank">Asagba</a></span> says. “For example, when I think of a <span class="person" id="Wkid"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizkid" target="_blank">Wizkid</a></span> outfit, I think of
breathable pieces, button-ups, slip-on and string of monochromatic Issey Miyake fits he wore throughout his <span class="place" id="USA"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" target="_blank">U.S.</a></span> tour.”</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">T</span>he rise of Afrobeat artists paying attention to their <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> choices also comes at a time when the African <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> industry,
from <span class="place" id="Nigeria"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria" target="_blank">Nigeria</a></span> to <span class="place" id="Ghana"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana" target="_blank">Ghana</a></span>, is seeing a positive explosion on the globe. This makes it easier for Afrobeats stars to align with established
African designers while also staying grounded in their artistry.</p>
<p>“I just think in general the progression of <span class="keyword" id="fashion">fashion</span> in <span class="place" id="Nigeria"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria" target="_blank">Nigeria</a></span> will cut across industries,” says <span class="person" id="Dwright">Dunsin</span>, about what this represents
for the future of the industry. “The rise in social awareness, as it always has, will continue to influence the value that people
place on freedom in style and expression, and so we'll see bolder, more experimental choices. We're beginning to shop more with so
many talented emerging designers across West Africa. I believe we'll see a lot more intention across the board, from social media to
<span class="keyword" id="music">music</span> videos. Style is acknowledged more now as an integral role to the story or theme an artist is communicating at any given point.”</p>
<p><span class="myFirstletter">N</span>elson C.J is a Nigerian culture journalist published in The New York Times, TIME Magazine. Rollingstone, Eater, BuzzFeed, Architectural
Digest, Teen Vogue, I-D, Dazed, Vice, and other places. You can find him on <a href="https://twitter.com/nelsoncj3">Twitter.</a></p>
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