Nigerian and American artists are working together more and more as music becomes more international. While it may seem like these partnerships are a recent phenomenon, they have been taking place for years. Due to the success rate of collaboration between the US and Nigerian entertainment industries, Nigerian music has been able to access the largest entertainment markets in the world.
So far, we have already witnessed some amazing African-American collaborations. The success of these collaborations can be partly attributed to American audiences’ increasing interest in African music, which has caused naija music industry to gain some influence, resulting in some truly innovative and exciting music.
In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the most exciting African-American collaborations of recent.
Lojay and Chris Brown
The hit song “Monalisa” by Lojay, produced by Sarz, quickly became a fan favorite when it was released and topped various music charts in Nigeria. To add to its success, Lojay teamed up with American superstar singer Chris Brown, which caused quite a stir in the Nigerian music scene.
Even though Chris Brown has worked with Nigerian artists before, his latest collaboration with Lojay demonstrates his eagerness to collaborate with Nigerian musicians. In fact, Brown has collaborated with numerous Nigerian musicians, making him one of the foreign artists who have collaborated the most with Nigerian musicians thus far.
“Monalisa” remix with Chris Brown showcased the unique blend of Nigerian and American musical styles. Lojay’s soulful voice blending smoothly with Chris Brown’s signature R&B sound and his controversial lyrics about the convicted internet fraudster Hushpuppi all made the song quite popular.
Future ft Drake and Tems
In 2022, Future teamed up with Nigerian superstar Tems and Drake to release “Wait For U,” which immediately became a huge hit, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart. The song has been streamed over 40.2 million times and is also Tems’ second Top 10 hit, following Wizkid’s “Essence”.
Thanks to her collaboration with American artists Future and Drake in the hit song “Wait For You,” Tems won the best collaboration category at the BET Hip Hop Awards.
Adekunle Gold and TY dolla sign
Adekunle Kosoko, professionally known as Adekunle Gold, is one of the Nigerian artists with American collaborators. On his debut album in 2022, he released the song “One Woman,” which featured the American singer Ty Dolla $ign.
Ty Dolla $ign’s excellent delivery in the song and Adekunle Gold’s unique blend of Nigerian and Western music styles have made “One Woman” one of the best African songs with American collaboration.
The Afrobeat/R&B/Soul song has received over one million views on YouTube and was well received by both African and American audiences.
Fireboy DML and Madonna
Another best American Nigerian collaboration was with Fireboy and Madonna, and it was quite unexpected.
The two musicians teamed up to release a remix of one of Madonna’s classic hit songs, “Frozen.” Fireboy’s vocals on the track complemented Madonna’s perfectly, giving the song a fresh and modern twist.
Initially released in 1998, “Frozen” was already a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Madonna’s first single to debut at the top of the UK Singles Chart. However, Fireboy’s collaboration brought new life to the track, propelling it to new heights of popularity.
The song has already garnered over 16 million views on YouTube. Fireboy’s collaboration with Madonna was unexpected but definitely a match made in music heaven, proving that the best collaborations can come from the most unlikely pairings.
Beyonce and Wizkid
One of the most iconic collaborations between Nigerian and American musicians is the hit song “Brown Skin Girl,” which was written by Beyonce and Nigerian afrobeat star Wizkid, along with Saint Jhn and Blue Ivy.
The song was released on July 23, 2019, and achieved great success, debuting at number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 42 on the UK Official Singles chart. It also topped the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart and received a gold certification in Canada. The song celebrates the beauty of brown-skinned girls and has become an anthem for self-love and empowerment among women of color all over the world.
Tiwa Savage and Brandy
Another great collaboration with American artists was with Tiwa Savage and the legendary American singer Brandy. The two musical sensations joined forces to create the sensational track, “Somebody’s Son.”
“Somebody Son” was not only a hit in Nigeria but also globally and was amplified through social media platforms such as TikTok, where it became a sensation among content creators.
Tiwa Savage and Brandy’s partnership was a perfect fusion of their distinct musical styles, creating a captivating sound that resonated with fans across the world.
Fireboy DML and Ed Sheeran
Fireboy DML’s hit song, “Peru,” was undoubtedly one of the biggest records of , despite being leaked by his record label boss, Olamide. The Nigerian singer took things up a notch by collaborating with renowned British musician Ed Sheeran on the remix of the song.
The fusion of Fireboy’s Afrobeat sound and Sheeran’s pop sensibilities made the remix an instant global hit, with over 160 million views on YouTube. Fans and music lovers alike were thrilled by the unique and unexpected collaboration, which showcased the beauty of bringing together artists from different parts of the world to create something special.
“Peru” featuring Ed Sheeran is one of the best African and American collaborations and a testament to the power of collaboration in the music industry, especially between Nigerian and American musicians.
In conclusion, the collaborations between Nigerian and American artists have yielded some amazing results, resulting in some of the best music releases in recent times.
From Fireboy DML and Madonna’s unexpected pairing to Tiwa Savage and Brandy’s perfect fusion of distinct musical styles, these collaborations have proven that the best music can come from the most unlikely pairings. Nigerian music has greatly benefited from these collaborations, accessing the largest entertainment markets in the world, gaining influence in the process, and pushing the Nigerian music industry globally. With the increasing interest in African music by American audiences, we can only expect to see more exciting collaborations in the future.
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