If you haven't listened to Nigerian DJ/producer Spinall yet, time to cue up his beats. He's been spreading the good vibes globally with his sunny, uplifting brand of Afrobeats ever since releasing his debut album, My Story, and launching his label and management company TheCAPMusic in 2014.

In November 2020, he dropped his vibey fifth studio album, Grace, on his label in partnership with Apple's Platoon. The collab-rich project features both new and known talent from Nigeria and beyond, including Tiwa Savage, WizKid, Crayon, R2Bees, and many more.

Now, Spinall's first release of 2021 brings Atlanta to Lagos, as moody R&B heavy-hitter 6LACK hops on the "Sere Remix." Both the original, as featured on Grace, and the brand-new remix feature fellow Nigerians Fireboy DML (on vocals) and Kel-P (on production).

Listen to an exclusive first listen of "Sere Remix" below before it officially drops tomorrow, May 7, and read below to learn more from the powerhouse producer Spinall about the collab, representing Nigeria, his influences, and more.

"Sere Remix" feels like being on vacation. What was the vibe you were trying to create for the track?

The song itself has done all the talking. It's literally the exact mirror to my vibe at the time. I have always made records that connect with the soul. Big love to my brother Fireboy DML & 6LACK and my ever-relentless team. 

I have a personal connection with the music I make. From my discography, you can tell I can show you better than I can explain.

Watch: Behind The Board: Catch Up With Afrobeats Hitmaker Kel P In Nigera To Talk Music Production

What was it like collaborating with Fireboy DML and Kel-P on in?

Amazing. Those are brothers and I'm not just saying that because we made a record. We all have history together, so creating magic was meant to be. I'm grateful to them and my team.

To you, what is the quintessential Nigerian sound and vibe?

You are going to need all the grammar in the world to describe Nigerian sound. It is a constantly evolving powerful sound. Our sound has all the elements of great music you can possibly think of. We are actually just getting started. 

"You are going to need all the grammar in the world to describe Nigerian sound."

What does it mean to you to represent Nigeria on the global stage?

I'm extremely grateful. I have dreamt of days like this and now I'm particularly even more excited about the bigger picture for all of Afrobeats culture as a whole.

Who are some of your biggest influences in music and life?

Music itself. Music is the winner here. We are all just messengers. I'm also inspired by the legends and the amount of unnoticed efforts behind the scene. Additionally, I'm inspired by anyone who is fighting for a better life but, more importantly, a genuine soul always inspires me.

How Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Burna Boy & More Made History At The 2021 GRAMMY Awards Show

Ayra Starr has a message for the haters: "Dem no fit kill my vibe." It's the empowering statement at the center of her 2021 single "Bloody Samaritan."

The song was released as the lead single off the West African songstress' debut album, 2021's 19 & Dangerous, and even earned a guest feature from Kelly Rowland on its official remix. 

In this episode of Global Spin, Starr hits the stage in Los Angeles to perform the confidently defiant Afropop track. She's backed by a full band with a hype man, who got the enthralled crowd amped for the performance by shouting, "Alright L.A., let's turn this place into an Ayra Starr party, alright?"

"Vibe killer, bloody Samaritan/ Protect my energy from your bad aura/ Na my pastor say I be my healer/ Everythin' I desire, I go receive," the Benin native sings in a sparkling pink minidress and diamond choker as a wind machine gives her long locks the Beyoncé effect.

Adding to her rising profile as one of West Africa's most promising young talents, Starr most recently collaborated with Tori Kelly on the two-time GRAMMY winner's new self-titled EP, adding her distinct Afropop flair to album cut "unbelievable." 

Press play on the video above to watch Ayra Starr's performance of "Bloody Samaritan," and check GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Global Spin.

Meet The Latest Wave Of Rising Afrobeats Stars: AMAARAE, BNXN, Oladapo & More

Burna Boy, WizKid, Tems — more and more, the GRAMMY-winning stars of Afrobeats are becoming household names. 

Based in Nigeria, the genre has exploded in popularity internationally. Billboard recently started a chart for Afrobeats singles, and the Recording Academy recently added a brand new category, Best African Music Performance, to honor the continent’s best musicians. 

The pan-African pop movement has generated lots of fresh and interesting talent in recent years. Red on for 10 Afrobeats artists who are bringing their unique voices and perspectives to the scene.

AMAARAE

Born in the Bronx, Ghanaian American AMAARAE was raised between Atlanta and Accra — and it shows in her unapologetically sexy music. Bridging the gap between African and American sounds is AMAARAE's M.O.; she’s collaborated with artists on both continents, from Blaqbonez and Stonebwoy to Kaytraminé and Kali Uchis. 

On songs like "Wasted Eyes" off her latest album Fountain Baby, AMAARAE effortlessly blends Afrobeats with R&B and neo-soul, alongside raps that reverberate with trap braggadocio: "Fresh to death, I’m beyond heat / Activist in my Dior jeans." 

Speaking of designer clothes, she’s also becoming something of a fashion icon, having been profiled in British Vogue about her style and teaming with Shygirl and Arca on a campaign for H&M’s collab line with Mugler.

AMAKA

All over the world, forward thinking musicians are introducing new innovations to pop music. Take NewJeans, for instance — the K-pop quintet introduced global club influences and Western collabs into their music, resulting in rave reviews and massive hits. 

Nigerian American R&B singer AMAKA, formerly of the sister act VanJess, also wanted to do something different for her solo debut, recruiting Haitian Canadian producer/DJ KAYTRANADA, whose woozy take on house music has earned him two GRAMMY Awards. The resulting EP, Oasis, is incredibly interesting, blending suave R&B with Afrobeats influences for an irresistible, sensual combination that feels like an exciting new direction for African pop music. 

Asake

You don’t have to look far to find the next major Afrobeats superstar, the next Burna Boy or Wizkid — it’s Asake. This month he sold out London’s O2 Arena. Before that he took Miami’s inaugural AfroNation festival by storm with a showstopping set that saw the audience tearing off his clothes. And even before that he had booked appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "Good Morning America." 

He is incredibly talented and charismatic, as his rapid rise proves. But what makes the deep-voiced Lagotian so compelling isn’t just that — it’s also the embrace of a musical pan-Africanism that feels special. He blows open the Afrobeats formula by introducing influences from all over the continent. "Dull" from his debut Mr. Money With the Vibes interpolates the traditional Yoruba genre of fújì, but he also includes séga, a traditional genre from Mauritius and Réunion, on "Yoga," from this year’s Work of Art.  Of course, there’s also his primary influence, South Africa’s massive house offshoot amapiano — he even named a song, which became a massive hit, after the genre

Aya Nakamura

Most big Afrobeats and amapiano stars tend to perform mainly in English, with many also mixing in African languages like Yoruba, Igbo, and Zulu. But with a massive portion of the continent speaking French, it makes sense that a few Francophone Afrobeats musicians have risen up.

Born in Mali and raised outside of Paris, Aya Nakamura comes from a family of griots (musical oral historians), meaning music runs in the family. She’s had a string of massive hits in France and elsewhere in Europe, including 2018’s massive "Djadja," a bold breakup anthem which topped the charts in France and the Netherlands. 

This year, she’s returned with a new album, DNK, and rather than take on the trendy amapiano influences embraced by the rest of the Afrobeats world, she’s offering her own take on zouk, a French-Caribbean dance genre. In our borderless era of pop music, this is one talent that certainly deserves more attention in the states. 

BNXN

Formerly known as Buju, BNXN (a stylization of his last name Benson) can count Burna Boy as a mentor, having quarantined with the King of Afrobeats during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Like his mentor, BNXN describes his sound as Afro-fusion, taking cues from R&B, dancehall, and traditional genres from Nigeria. 

It’s this Naija identity that truly powers his distinctive songwriting voice, however. A song by BNXN will feature plenty of local witticisms and lyrics in pidgin and local languages, as well as standard English, and his faculty as a storyteller ranges from tales from the gritty streets to childhood recollections of Lagos. 

Fireboy DML

Afrobeats is full of romantics, from Burna Boy to "Africa’s number one boyfriend" Ckay. With his own "Afro-life" take on songwriting, Fireboy DML certainly occupies that lane well, taking on a Casanova persona and weaving tales of love and heartbreak that frequently see him top the charts. 

His track "Peru" resulted in remixes from Ed Sheeran and 21 Savage, topping the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart last year and making it to 53 on the Hot 100 and all the way to number two on the Global 200. Fireboy DML’s reappeared this year with the uptempo, dancefloor-ready "Someone" and amapiano-influenced "YAWA," both taking his sound in interesting new directions.  

Mr Eazi

Though he’s been a star in Nigeria and Ghana for some time, it’s taken Mr Eazi until now to announce a debut album, currently due in October. Lead single "Chop Time, No Friend," with a title taken from a pidgin phrase meaning "live in the moment," is a breezy, catchy take on Afrobeats with a vibrant video paying tribute to local life in Dakar, Senegal. 

It’s only one part of the artist’s ambitions. He’s also joined BBC Radio 1Xtra selector DJ Edu to create the ChopLife Soundsystem, a new project designed to highlight sounds from across the continent. Their first release Chop Life, Vol. 1: Mzansi Chronicles delves into amapiano, featuring stars of the genre such as Focalistic and Major League DJz. 

Lisa Yaro

An actress, singer, and songwriter, Lisa Yaro is a triple threat. She’s acted alongside Vanessa Hudgens in movies like Asking For It, and written for the likes of will.i.am. Now she’s turning her attention to music with her debut EP My Way. It’s a pivot that may prove her most exciting move yet: Single "SAVAGE" bristles with amapiano-influenced brawn, while the title track offers a confident take on the Afrobeats sound. With the scene remaining dominated by male artists, it’s exciting to see a female singer arrive with such a clearly-defined sound.

Oladapo

With a style incorporating highlife, R&B, and pop with lyrics in English, Yoruba, and Nigerian pidgin, Oladapo is another up-and-coming musician in the Afro-fusion lane. He got an early boost when his 2019 single "Mango" was shortlisted by Mr Eazi’s Empawa Africa initiative, and since then he’s refined his style on bright and romantic hits like "Proud." 

His latest single, "IF AT ALL," adds amapiano log drums and blends a wistful instrumental with contemplative lyrics. 

Ruger

In pop music it sometimes helps to have a signature look. There’s Missy Elliot’s bulbous "Supa Dupa Fly" fit, or KISS’ black-and-white face paint. Pharrell had his vintage Vivienne Westwood hat, and Dame Viv herself helped defined the punk aesthetic by styling the Sex Pistols. Nigerian singer Ruger has…an eyepatch. 

To be clear, he’s not visually impaired in any way, he just wears it because it’s hard. Specifically, as he once told an interviewer, it’s a tie-in with his artist name — taken from the Ruger firearms company — and his persona as a sniper, as well as a tribute to a friend in the Nigerian military who really did lose an eye. Of course it’s not all about the eyepatch, because Ruger’s bubbly blend of dancehall and Afrobeats on songs like "Bounce" is a winning pop formula. 

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Harvey Mason jr. didn't just visit Africa — he was transformed by it.

In 2022, the Recording Academy CEO visited a number of African countries, where he met with leaders in the local music communities and intently listened to what each had to say.

"Mind-bending. Game-changing. Eye-opening," Mason jr. said of his trips to Africa. "There's so much music, so much creativity over there. Africa is the birthplace of, well, everything, but definitely music."

Accordingly, the universe of sounds coming out of the African continent can't be boiled down to just those having an international impact today, like Afrobeats or Amapiano. No, every corner of Africa is a fount of brilliant musical offerings. So it's incumbent on the Recording Academy, the world's leading community of music professionals, to reflect the momentum happening across Africa.

With this as the engine, the Recording Academy has revealed a thrilling new GRAMMY category in time for the 2024 GRAMMYs: Best African Music Performance.

Announced in tandem with two other exciting, new GRAMMY categories, including Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording, the category elevates all flavors of African music — from Afrobeats to kizomba to Ghanaian drill to South African hip-hop — without regard to borders. Musical excellence from anywhere and everywhere in Africa will be carefully considered in this progressive category. 

While this development is a forward-thinking expansion for the Recording Academy, the GRAMMYs, and the international music industry as a whole, the new Best African Music Performance category is the "first step toward a much bigger, more fruitful journey ahead," Mason jr. tells GRAMMY.com. "And we're not done as an Academy: We're making sure that we represent music from that region fairly and accurately."

Read More: 2024 GRAMMYs: 4 Things To Know About The New Categories & Changes

To celebrate the new category, GRAMMY.com sat down with industry leaders — including Mason jr. — to discuss the story behind the brand-new Best African Music Performance GRAMMY category, its impact on the global music industry, and the future of African music.

These interviews were edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.

Harvey Mason jr. Photo: Emma McIntyre by Getty Images

Harvey Mason jr. 
CEO, The Recording Academy

Harvey, you've spoken extensively about your recent travels to a number of African countries. I've got to imagine those trips informed the new Best African Music Performance category.

Absolutely. I've done three trips to Africa in the last year. I spent a lot of time listening to and hearing from the music community there. There's such a massive amount of talent and creativity in that region, and we're starting to see that penetrating the U.S. market and global market — with Afrobeats and Amapiano and other African genres becoming so popular, driving the sound, and dictating the creativity of artists that are not from that region. You're seeing collaborations and features happening around those genres, which are becoming so popular and are moving the music landscape.  

During my time there, I heard from the African music industry, and they all felt like they weren't being represented in our GRAMMY Awards process. It was an eye-opening experience to see the love and respect for the GRAMMYs and the Recording Academy from the continent of Africa. But it was also disheartening to think that they weren't being heard in our process. 

That's why I'm really excited about this new GRAMMY category. And I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of submissions we get and what impact that has on the genres coming from Africa. 

It's great to see the Recording Academy's purview spanning the entire African continent — not just popular sounds like Afrobeats or Afro Pop. 

It was important for us to make sure we tried to include as many genres as possible, knowing that we were not going to be able to put all the genres being created across the continent.  

We can't cover every genre as much as we'd like to and as much as they deserve to be recognized, so this is the first step toward a much bigger, more fruitful journey ahead. And we're not done as an Academy: We're making sure that we represent music from that region fairly and accurately. 

Read More: Love Burna Boy & Wizkid? Listen To These 5 African Genres 

Can you tell me about the deliberations behind the scenes at the Recording Academy that led to the creation of the Best African Music Performance GRAMMY category? 

Deliberations were pretty brief and succinct. Everybody acknowledged the importance of the music coming from that region, and everyone was supportive of the idea. The conversation really centered mostly around the nomenclature — what we were going to call the category — and how we were going to ensure that we represented all the different music that's coming from the region fairly, accurately and inclusively. 

Once we realized we couldn't cover everything, we tried to find the sweet spot for making sure that the category was named properly and fairly and in a way that would invite participation from as many people as possible. 

Where would you like to see the Recording Academy go from here, as per its embrace of African music from across the continent? 

I'd love to see the Academy continue to make sure that we're respecting all music, not just Western music. And I'd like to see us continue to evolve as we have been these past three years: remaining fluid and accommodating, quickly and swiftly, as new genres and new markets emerge. 

We need to go deeper and in more detail within different genres of music. We know there are multiple different types of music — hundreds of genres, in fact — coming from Africa and from all 54 countries on the continent. I'd love to see us be able to honor even more music from Africa and other areas of the world. 

The future of the Recording Academy is going to build on equity. We're not just honoring music breaking in our country — we're celebrating music from around the world. 

Read More: 7 Incredible Sets From AfroNation Miami: WizKid, Uncle Waffles, Black Sherif & More 

Ghazi. Photo: Jessica Chou 

Ghazi 
CEO/Founder, EMPIRE 

Tell me about the deliberations behind the scenes at the Recording Academy that led to the creation of the Best African Music Performance category.  

When we first had Shawn Thwaites, [the Recording Academy's] genre manager for Global Music & African Music, at our EMPIRE headquarters in San Francisco, we discussed the potential for this category to come to life. Not only has African music exploded on a commercial level, which warrants recognition, but on a cultural level, its impact has been immeasurable. Behind the scenes, we focused on sharing information with the Recording Academy that would be valuable to their committee deciding on this category, the consumption and the growth, specifically in North America.  

One could spend several lifetimes exploring the diversity of African music. How do you begin to boil all those sounds down to a small list of nominees?  

I think we'll see expanded categories in African music in the years to come, but this is a great start toward recognizing the merits and impact of African music. In the meantime, we look forward to working with the Recording Academy in putting together programming to help educate the current membership on the nuances and history of African music.  

This new GRAMMY category shows how the Recording Academy is truly a global entity with a global mission to support all music creators and professionals. Where would you like to see the Recording Academy go from here in its global mission to support the international music community? 

This is an exciting time in music. Fans are able to access any genre of music from any region of the world at any time. With that, it's inevitable that we'll see large-scale growth in international music in the coming years. It'll be imperative for the Recording Academy to establish a footprint, large or small, on every continent to work side by side with growing music communities around the world and support these artists and creators.  

Tunde Ajaba-Ogundipe. Photo: Harvard Business School 

Tunde Ajaba-Ogundipe 
GM, African strategy at Sony Music 
Co-founder, No Wahala

Tell me about the deliberations behind the scenes at the Recording Academy that led to the creation of the Best African Music Performance category.

With the Latin community as a reference, we knew that if we could assemble a group of like-minded folks to push the inclusion of diverse African music categories using a long-game strategy, we would be able to try, learn from the misses, optimize, and try again until we found ourselves reaching our goal. We successfully saw that change greenlighted, with the [Best World Music Album] category officially being renamed to [Best Global Music Album] [in 2020].

Throughout the process of appealing to the Recording Academy to have this category added, a key factor was finding like-minded individuals within the organization to form cultural bonds, exchange knowledge, and champion the goal as a unit. We formed think tanks with key allies across the African, American and U.K. music industries, like Angelique Kidjo, Don Jazzy, John Legend, Juls, Riggs Morales, Sevi Spanoudi, Joy Wayodi, and Falu.

After the inclusion of the [Best Global Music Album] category in 2020, we were able to gauge how to collectively push for more inclusion via African music categories. I am grateful that everyone really rallied together to reach the end goal.

In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry?

I always remain an optimist [regarding] African music continuing to influence the global pop scene. With recent waves of music dominance from the current generation of African stars, like Burna Boy, CKay, Oxlade, Black Coffee, etc., I've witnessed many in the industry [mistakenly believe] that similar waves of global recognition of African Music haven't occurred in the past across genres.

I think it means more because of the way music is consumed today and how the African music business — and the business overall — has evolved. It's a lot more challenging to break acts with the attention spans of listeners being more finite now than ever before. Yet, African labels are finding their way into the current landscape.

That said, we should recognize the African icons of the past generations, like Babatunde Olatunji, Sade Adu, Ali Farka Touré, Angélique Kidjo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Seal, Sikiru Adepoju, Youssou N'Dour, RedOne, and more, for their wins across GRAMMY categories in the past. It's hard to imagine African music having this moment across the industry without those pioneers opening the doors in an era where it was harder than ever to gain a global audience. They still laid the groundwork, which inspired this generation — directly and indirectly.

[The Recording Academy has] always recognized the opportunities for amplification of African artists, songwriters and producers. I'm a direct witness to their advocacy, championing, and, in some cases, direct education in the past few years to ensure that gaps are bridged between African and diaspora communities and the organization. I'm excited to see the evolution that lies ahead for African music within the Recording Academy and beyond.

Shawn Thwaites. Photo: Reid Fowler

Shawn Thwaites
Project Manager, Awards, The Recording Academy 

Why is it important that the Recording Academy created the Best African Music Performance category?

African music has been a direct influence on America [and other countries]. The unique musical styles and traditions of Africa are too undiluted not to have its own category. Giving African music its own category would highlight and celebrate the diversity and richness of Africa. This is a great step forward! 

Can you tell me about the deliberations behind the scenes at the Recording Academy that led to the creation of the Best African Music Performance GRAMMY category? 

We met with African music leaders, including artists and executives, and had in-depth conversations on ideas like the name of the category. This collaboration and discussion was a valuable way to ensure that the category for African music was created and remains healthy.

One could spend several lifetimes exploring the diversity of African music. How do you begin to boil all those sounds down to a small list of nominees?

The Recording Academy is a peer membership organization. Tracks will be considered by the merit of a song among the voting membership, regardless of its country of origin. This process includes a listening component where screeners are carefully selected to screen the music. 

Our product eligibility period for the 2024 GRAMMYs is Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 15, 2023. Eligible tracks/singles include vocal and instrumental performances, with strong elements of African cultural significance that blend a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical representation found in Africa and the African diaspora.

In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry?

By celebrating the diversity of African music, we can spread awareness through cultural exchange: more collaborations between artists of different genres and more artist relations between labels and executives in America. 

Where would you like to see the Recording Academy go from here in its global mission to support the international music community? 

By recognizing the talent and creativity of musicians from diverse backgrounds, the Recording Academy can promote greater understanding and create a more inclusive and diverse global music community. 

Rikki Stein. Photo: Chantal Azari 

Rikki Stein 
CEO, Kalakuta Sunrise LTD, a holding company for Knitting Factory Records and Partisan Records

Why is it important that the Recording Academy created the Best African Music Performance category?

Stein: I have long considered Africa as having a tremendous contribution to make in the world, which has yet to be seen and fully appreciated. One day, one day!

Meanwhile, the simplest and most easily accessible aspect of Africa's attributes is its cultural treasure, within which music takes pride of place. In clubs and venues throughout the world today, music from Africa is being enjoyed. Good reason, indeed, for including Best African Music Performance as a GRAMMY category!

One could spend several lifetimes exploring the diversity of African music. How do you begin to boil all those sounds down to a small list of nominees?

Stein: There are certainly a plethora of young [artists] vying for well-earned attention, but let's not forget the previous generation of artists whose music continues to delight fans across the globe.

As Fela Kuti's friend, manager and defender of his legacy, I derive great satisfaction, 25 years after his passing, from seeing the millions of monthly streams of his music. And when I look more deeply into where people are listening to his 50-album catalog, I discover it's everywhere! Khazakstan, Jakarta, Reykjavik, Osaka, as well as the more predictable U.S. and European destinations. So let's not forget the golden oldies!

In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry?

Stein: As a promoter of African music for over 50 years and having spent many of those years banging my head against a glass ceiling, I'm able to give a sigh of relief at seeing serious cracks appearing in that ludicrous structure which — who knows — may well even burst asunder and be no more!

So, let's big up the GRAMMYs and the Recording Academy for making this major contribution to its demise.

Julian "Juls" Nicco-Annan. Photo: Dbcaptures

Julian "Juls" Nicco-Annan 
Record producer, DJ and songwriter

Why is it important that the Recording Academy created the Best African Music Performance category?

I think it is an amazing addition to the category, given the fact that Africa has a massive impact on music and culture worldwide. It's important for the roots of African culture and sounds to be showcased on a higher stage such as the GRAMMYs to show the world how powerful and influential our sound is. African pop music and culture have been on the steady rise for the last 15 years. It's great to see the GRAMMYs finally take the step to make this happen for us and the continent.

One could spend several lifetimes exploring the diversity of African music. How do you begin to boil all those sounds down to a small list of nominees?

This is where it gets tough. People love to look at West Africa and South Africa predominantly because currently, those sides of the continent are at the forefront.

But East Africa has given birth to some incredible talent. It's important for Africans to push forward to become Recording Academy members, so they can have a voice to push their talent. Experts from different sides of the continent have to advocate. Representation is so important.

In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry?

I think a bit more research into who has been shaping the sound over the last few years is important. Engaging with many who have been documenting the journey of the genre [is important] as well. An African GRAMMYs show would be incredible. Latin America has one, and it has been incredibly successful over the years. 

This new GRAMMY category shows how the Recording Academy is truly a global entity with a global mission to support all music creators and professionals. Where would you like to see the Recording Academy go from here in its global mission to support the international music community? 

We need more members and more seminars to educate the artists and management back home about the [GRAMMY Awards] process and actually explain things properly. There's a massive disconnect — that gap should be bridged.

What are some African music albums, songs or artists you're personally enjoying right now and would like to shout out?

At the moment, Davido dropped an incredible body of work, Timeless, with the hit record "Unavailable." Worlasi from Ghana dropped a very in-depth and incredible album called The.rap.y, which touches on social issues men and women face; very deep album. I released a single with South African sensation Ami Faku called "Terrified" and J Hus' new record, "Who Told You."

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Mobolaji Kareem. Photo courtesy of EMPIRE

Mobolaji Kareem
Regional Head West Africa, EMPIRE

Why is it important that the Recording Academy created the Best African Music Performance category? 

Africa has a rich and vibrant history with 54 diverse countries. There are just as many, if not more, genres of music across the continent, so it's viable to have this category as a starting point that can help define the music coming from here. With this category, a lot more artists/songs … can now have their own stage to compete and be celebrated globally. 

In general, what does the international music industry need to do to elevate and honor the African music community and industry? 

The African music landscape has exploded globally and needs to continue to be exposed to the masses to help promote inclusivity and appreciation for the art.

Every mainstream music or sporting event, radio station, and beyond should have African music as part of the program to allow for maximum impact. African voices also need to be represented and involved in the decision-making, so this is a crucial step taken by the Recording Academy to give the music coming out of this continent the exposure and reach it deserves.

What are some African music albums, songs or artists you're personally enjoying right now and would like to shout out?  

Burna Boy - Love Damini
Asake - Work of Art
Black Sherif - The Villain I Never Was
Bad Boy Timz - No Bad Boy, No Party

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6lack enters our Zoom call wearing a forest green beanie and hoodie. It’s St. Patrick’s Day; for someone so given to superstition — his stage name is both a testament to Atlanta’s Zone 6, where he grew up, and his penchant for numerology — it’s unsurprising that the rapper and musician is dressed head-to-toe in green. For 6lack, the universe moves in pointedly poetic ways. Case in point: soon after our call, 6lack loses his wallet. Then, before sundown, he posted a photo of his found wallet on Instagram that his wallet has been found. Thank goodness he was wearing green.

It’s been almost half a decade since 6lack (real name Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr.) last released an album. In the mid-2010s, 6lack established himself as one of the doyens of introspective post-Soundcloud rap and R&B. He gained hundreds of millions of streams, a devoted fanbase, three GRAMMY nominations. Then, he went away. He bulldozed himself and built 6lack back up. He got a therapist. He honored himself. He relived his past so that he could shape his present with intention. He healed. 

"What I learnt through that was that I didn’t really need solutions, I just needed to say things out loud," he tells GRAMMY.com. 

With the release of his third album SIHAL (Since I Have A Lover), 6lack has transcribed that healing into sound. A vast departure from his previously sepulchral sound, SIHAL is breezy,  with a psychedelic palette and paeans to romance and self-love. GRAMMY.com spoke with the artist about his new record, which dropped March 24, and how he got to this point.  

This album strikes me as deeply romantic at a time when, post-pandemic, romance seems to be in a kind of crisis. How did the pandemic affect your romantic life and your idea of romance?

Being forced to share space with someone was a test that we hadn’t necessarily had to go through as a generation yet, it was brand new. It went from the idea of: I’m always at home, I love to be at home — and then you realize you can’t go outside, you can’t have the extra space you need, and it forces you to really look at yourself and at the person you’re with. 

It made me figure out what unconditional love really consists of, what patience really consists of. It made me more aware of the ups and downs of being in a relationship. It’s not always flowers, it’s not always romance. It made me look at love for what it really is and not just what my idealistic view of it was. 

I’ve always drawn from love and my relationships as a way to create — whether that’s heartbreak music, reflective music, in-a-better-place music my relationships have never really stopped me from wanting to create. 

There’s been a pretty clear thematic shift in your music. You were once well known for your heartbreak songs, but this latest album feels a little more idealistic and romantic. Has learning to love yourself better in recent years affected how you love others?

It’s super, super simple. A better me equals a better you equals a better us. That’s been the formula of my life. I can’t thrive unless I’m around people who are constantly trying to better themselves as individuals. It took a second of me really looking at myself in the mirror, being honest and saying: I am not doing as much work on myself as I claim to be doing and want to be doing on myself. 

That was harder to actually act on than most things I’ve had to fix in my life. I needed to go to therapy, I needed to figure out how to talk about things that didn’t make me comfortable. I needed to stop prolonging situations because I was scared of what might happen. I had to honor myself, do what makes me happy, keep up a schedule and routines. All those little bits and pieces have made me feel better waking up in the morning, it’s made me feel like I have less weight on my shoulders. 

How did you land on the album title Since I Have A Lover?

It was one of the tracks I made towards the end of this album process. For the past three albums, the titles have come towards the end. Knowing the theme, knowing the story I wanted to tell, the feelings I wanted to convey — I wanted to repeat this mantra that had been stuck in my head. 

The last words on the album are "Just wanted to check in and see whether or not you were feeling like coming through tomorrow?" What made you end the album on a question?

I think because the last track isn’t necessarily where I personally have landed at in my life, but I think it’s a question a lot of people have in their relationships. To me, it’s an honest question, though it’s not always a fun question to entertain. Like, what would my life be like if I were to have done something different, if I were to be with someone different? 

For me, it’s all about pulling myself back into my current reality and saying: this is perfect. But the thought will always be there. We’re all human. We’ll constantly think about all the different possibilities, all the different roads we could have gone down. It’s just a little bit scary to say it out loud because we’re scared of offending people, hurting their feelings. 

You've explored lots of different genres and sound palettes; do you feel you’ve found your identity as an artist on this album?

Yes, absolutely. I think with each album, it’s a rediscovery of who I am. My first album, FREE 6LACK, was me emerging from turmoil, heartbreak, and a bad record deal; my second, East Atlanta Love Letter, was about stepping into new love and new things; this album has been my everyday practice. 

This album reminds me of the goals I have for myself, the impact I wanna have on the world, the responsibilities I have. In this album, I think what I rediscovered about myself was that I’m playing a different game than most people are playing. I don’t worry about numbers with this. It just feels like a calling that I just wanna follow. 

SIHAL follows a period of a few years where you took time to focus on yourself and your healing — was there a trigger or a moment in your life that forced you to embark on that journey?

There are always multiple things that push me into that uncomfortable space. The main one was having a partner, having someone next to you, who can really see you, who goes through what you’re going through. It took a lot of disagreements and uncomfortable conversations and ego-checking for me to really admit that I wasn’t as on point as I wanted to be. It took almost getting to a point of her being like, "I’m not gonna deal with this anymore unless you speak to somebody." If that isn’t an incentive, I don’t know what is. I got a therapist, I opened up the conversation. What I learnt through that was that I didn’t really need solutions, I just needed to say things out loud. 

In that time, did you learn anything about yourself or your past that surprised you? 

Absolutely. It was about getting to the source of who I am in relationships and why I am that way, and then going back to moments that might have influenced that. Like, I remember in third grade, when I went from all A’s to B’s and C’s. I was starting to care less because my relationship with my parents was starting to change, I wasn’t a baby anymore, and they weren’t as hands on or as loving and caring as I wanted them to be. Naturally, if I couldn’t talk to them then I didn’t wanna talk to anybody. I started to handle stuff on my own and keep things to myself. 

Fast forward 20 years, and I was starting to repeat those patterns with the people I was in relationships with. I wondered why it was so hard for me to just say how I felt to the people I loved. Going back to the origins of what made me behave that way made me realize who I was wasn’t so definitive. It was just the consequence of what I went through. Now, I’m in the part of my life where I’m just reworking myself. 

As a parent yourself, I imagine it must be extra important to work on those problems so that they don’t recur intergenerationally.

Obviously, it’s a little crazy in the world right now, but I’m so appreciative to be a part of this new generation of parents who do seem to be a little bit more patient, a little more understanding and lenient. I don’t want my child to have to think so many negative or hateful things about me if it doesn’t have to be that way. If she makes a mistake, it’ll be easy to talk it out and say that I understand why she might feel that way, and teach her how to maybe express herself in a more productive way. I’ve really just learned that kids are always learning, and how you react to what they do will determine what they’ll do next.

You’ve always been very emotionally articulate in your music; "chasing feelings" from this record goes to some especially vulnerable places. Are you that way inclined in your personal life?

I think I was lightyears ahead when it came to expressing myself musically and creatively, but in the realm of my personal life, I was lightyears behind. It was easier for me to put it on wax because it’s almost like a journal entry. Whereas, actually talking to people about it has been way more intense for me.  

I think that after all the work I’ve done in the last couple years, the way I handle conversations is way more different. It’s almost like having a rulebook in your head, and as soon as somebody says something you don’t like or don’t agree with, you can either say something to get back at them or you can make more of an effort to really understand what they’re saying. 

Did you feel much of a pressure from your fans to come back and create while you were still taking time away for yourself?

I’m always aware of fans. The internet is a heavy place. I can’t act like I don’t see it, feel it, that it doesn’t affect me in some way. But really honoring myself and taking the time I needed was the priority, though I do understand the impatience some people might have felt.

As someone who grew up in the Atlanta battle rap scene, does competition and competitiveness still play any part in your career?

Yeah, not as much as it used to. In the beginning, maybe, but as of right now, I feel like I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I am just playing a different game. I’m not really competing with anybody, I’m just competing for a better space to live in, a better climate for music. That’s really the only competition for me:How many people is this gonna help? 

What are your aspirations for this album overall?

I want it to do for other people what it’s done for me. It is a bit of a calming album. It brought me peace listening to these songs. With my last two albums, they weren’t bringing up good feelings for me to revisit. Putting myself back in those emotions on tour was never really fun. 

Now I’m at the part where I can listen to these songs and know where they brought me, so I’m not harboring the same emotions that I had been for the last couple albums. I just wanted to make people feel better and for people to know that love and relationships, though they come with ups and downs, that it’s all just part of the process. 

Do you have any collabs coming out or do you have anyone you’d like to get in the studio with this year? 

Me and Jessie Reyez have been talking about doing a project together. As far as getting in the studio with someone, it’s always been about building relationships. If I get with someone and it feels good, then we’ll make music. I’d love to get an André 3000 verse someday. It’d be a dream to get Sade back in the public eye in some kind of way, too. 

Do you have any material for another album? 

Yes. We’ve made more than enough music for another project, so we’re just gonna figure out how we wanna package it up and what style we wanna roll with.

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