Studying the Sounds of the African Diaspora, from Toronto

As I write this, I'm listening to an Amapiano mix online from Jay Tshepo. Amapiano, a genre I knew nothing about a few years ago, and could have never predicted the way it would capture me. I am pleased that we can still be amazed, impressed, and discover new sounds, practitioners, and audible movements. Continuously, with infinite amounts of song combinations accessible to us. 

As we inevitably become closer, globally, the exposure of sounds is also becoming closer. The great thing about African-based sounds gaining newfound popularity in this current era of music, is that it's so much deeper than just one country or aesthetic. South Africa has a buzz right now, but Nigeria does also.

Music of the African diaspora feels comforting to my soul. Instantly. It reminds me that we all groove to the same heartbeat (forgive the obvious analogy), but that even within our similarities, there are such important, intricate details that make each demographic even more special. Each country. City, even. Borough. Block.

I decided to see how many genres I could research and list from the Continent and the Caribbean, and was blown away by how long the list quickly became (I capped it at 40), and also how within each of the 40 listings, there was the possibility to break most genres down even further.

 

Multitudinous.

Hip hop, for example, has many lanes of distinction, that we've become familiarized with over the years. Most music lovers can differentiate between a West Coast sound, a Down South sound...or a Midwest vibe. Toronto style. New York energy. UK spirit. We're familiar because of the music, and also the performers who have personified these energies.

So to now start to feel the difference (for example) to distinguish between Amapiano, and house music, and then also learn how Afrobeats can be further broken down into regional sounds...Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria of course, and other countries like Cameroon also have their own sound.

That's just within the continent of Africa. Over in the Caribbean, we can do the same. We know the differences fundamentally between reggae/dancehall and soca/calypso, let's say. But as we go deeper, we can break reggae into multiple categories (lover's rock, ska, rockas, etc.) and we can take soca into different levels based on island (Trini soca is definitely a different vibe from Grenada's). Bajan soca. Even Jamaican soca has a different-but-similar vibe. Then we have Jab Jab. Chutney Soca. We know this, if we've lived to see and feel the difference in sound, instrumentation, movement, and use.

Which brings me to my list of genres. I let hip hop and jazz, and our more mainstream and familiar Black/African musical genres exist on the list without going into their subgenres. But I did take some time to list many of the genres found within the continent of Africa, and also from specific Caribbean islands and countries like Columbia as well. Puerto Rico.

Here are 40 I selected, that were of interest to me. Many I knew, and many brought fresh sounds to me that I have previously not been able to identify, or appreciate.

The list is for sure not comprehensive, but it is definitely extensive...in sound and composition.

Afrobeats/pop	Nigeria
Amapiano	South Africa
Assiko	Cameroon
Bachata	Honduras
Benga	Kenya
Blues	United States
Bongo	Tanzania
Bouyon	Dominica
Cabo-Love	Cape Verde
Calypso	Trinidad
Chimurenga	Zimbabwe
Chutney	Guyana
Cumbia	Colombia
Dancehall	Jamaica
Gwoka	Guadeloupe
Highlife	Ghana
Hip Hop	United States
Hiplife	Ghana
Jab Jab	Grenada
Jazz	Cuba
Juju	Nigeria
Junkanoo	Bahamas
Jwe	St. Lucia
Kaseko	Surinam
Kizomba	Angola
Kompa	Haiti
Kwaito	South Africa
Makossa	Cameroon
Mbalax	Senegal
Mbaqanga	South African
Merengue	Dominican Republic
Punta	Belize
R&B	United States
Reggae	Jamaica
Reggaeton	Puerto Rico
Salsa	Cuba
Semba	Angola
Soca	Trinidad
Soukous	Congo
Zouk	French Antilles

I write this to say: we are such a powerful people. Our music emanates an abundance of soul, and life. And I am so grateful for this blessing.

This song, from Nigerian brothers P Squared, is the vibe I crave indefinitely from my music: hope, inspiration, heavy bass, positive energy, and sweet melodies. 

It makes me feel proud to hear it, and know that the power of our ancestors is so beautiful, and so uplifting. If we continue to unify, find commonalities, and rejoice collectively...we are unstoppable in anything we approach. This music, to me, represents the confidence and brilliance that we embody as Black people, and I have never felt more connected to the Diaspora than I do through the music it inspires and produces.

 

Written by SM Robinson for Kya Publishing's "Reflection & Reason" blog.