logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
13m 8s

Is Ghana the new king of drill music?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Red bandanas. Gold chains. Gang signs.

A new generation of Ghanaian drill artists has taken the music charts by storm.

Inspired by US drill and UK grime, they created “Asakaa” - Ghana’s fresh take on drill music.

Their critics say they’re making a cheap replica of American gang culture.

But on streaming platforms their songs have been played millions of times.

So what’s behind the rise of this new movement?

And how did Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city, came to be at the heart of it all?

Hosted by Alan Kasujja (@Kasujja on Twitter) #AfricaDaily

Up next
Aug 22
Focus on Africa: Exploring Africa-Japan trade ties
Japan has pledged to work more closely with African countries at global summit on economic development. How can Africa benefit from stronger ties with Japan?The former prime minister of Chad is facing a 20-year prison term after being convicted of hate speech, xenophobia and havi ... Show More
32m 3s
Aug 20
Focus on Africa: Increased concerns over missing Ethiopia journalists
Two prominent journalists in Ethiopia, Abdulsemed Mohammed and Yonas Amare, have been missing for more than a week after being abducted by what reports say, were men wearing masks and military uniforms. There has been no news about their whereabouts but their disappearances have ... Show More
27m 44s
Aug 15
Focus on Africa: Nigeria negotiates $346m arms deal with US
The US government has approved a $346m arms deal with Nigeria which would include munitions, precision bombs and precision rockets. What is behind the change in a decade-long US policy about selling certain kinds of weapons to Nigeria?The mining of gold has been a key driver of S ... Show More
33m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
Why are Guinness World Records being smashed in Ghana and Nigeria?
Hundreds of people have been trying to set new world records in Ghana, with applications flying in since July 2023.Earlier this week a Ghanaian chef, Faila Abdul-Razak, completed the longest non-stop cook-a-thon, chopping and frying for more than 227 hours. She hasn’t yet officia ... Show More
14m 52s
Mar 2024
Have Haiti’s gangs launched a coup?
Gangs freed thousands of prison inmates and attacked the country’s main airport, all while Prime Minister Ariel Henry is absent from the country. Haiti is under a state of emergency. What comes next? In this episode:  Harold Isaac (@haroldisaac), Freelance Journalist  For more: H ... Show More
19m 19s
Jul 2020
Afrobeats
The UK’s first official Afrobeats chart has been launched by BBC Radio 1Xtra. For many it’s recognition that’s been a long time coming. But there are some who think a new British chart could dilute the authenticity of the genre. The Next Episode follows the journey of Afrobeats f ... Show More
33m 12s
Mar 2024
How gangs took over Haiti
Haiti’s latest crisis is being driven by something new: The country’s gangs have united, and they are demanding political power. Financial Times journalist Joe Daniels and peace activist Louis-Henri Mars explain.This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, f ... Show More
25m 16s
Jan 2024
How do African athletes train for the Winter Olympics without ice?
Nigeria’s youth curling team, the Broomzillas, are Africa’s first curling team to reach a Winter Youth Olympics. Their journey to the 2024 Gangwon Games in South Korea hasn’t been easy. They’ve struggled with funding and of course, as Nigeria doesn’t have freezing weather, access ... Show More
14m 3s
Sep 2023
From BTS to Beyoncé - why do “world” tours skip Africa?
What do Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, BTS and Olivia Rodrigo’s “world tours“ have in common?…None of them are going to Africa. And only two of them are going to Asia.Many international stars seem to skip huge parts of the world even though fans are desperate for them to come and perform ... Show More
14m 49s
Mar 2024
What’s happening to music on TikTok?
If you’ve made a TikTok recently, you might not have been able to add your favourite artist’s music. That’s because Universal, a massive record label that represents a third of all music in the world, won’t let TikTok use music by any of its signed artists - or songs that were wr ... Show More
13m 28s
Jan 2022
African music goes global
This is a big moment for African music on the global stage. African artists are winning international awards and embarking on tours to the US and Europe. And major record companies want a piece of the action. They’ve been busy doing deals to sign African stars with Warner Music b ... Show More
17m 28s
May 2021
Why Nicki Minaj is Key in the Music Industry + Collab with Rihanna & Beyoncé ?
What’s up legendaries, it’s Ameenha Lee. In this podcast episode, I discuss the evolution of Nicki Minaj. Known as the “ Queen of Rap,” Nicki Minaj has pushed barriers in multiple industries. This includes fashion, beauty, and beyond. In addition, what can the world expect Nicki ... Show More
5m 8s
Mar 2023
Afrobeats: A multi-million dollar industry
Arguably the fastest growing music genre in the world, Afrobeats artists are playing to sold out crowds in the most coveted venues across the globe.What started as an umbrella term in London, UK, to encapsulate pop music of African extraction has become a major force in pop cultu ... Show More
18m 22s