From the good to the bad, down to the ugly, there was never a dull moment in Afrobeats in 2022, and out of the many notable events, the Pulse Music Desk has narrowed down the 10 most memorable moments.
Top 10 Moments in Nigerian Music of 2022 [Pulse List]
It has been an eventful year for the Naija music industry as the music continues to reach new heights. Nigerian superstars are newsmakers and in 2022 they made the headline for different reasons.
Top 10 Moments of 2022
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These events are selected for the buzz they generated and their impact on the ecosystem.
Below are the top 10 moments in the Nigerian music industry in 2022 as selected by Pulse Music Desk:
10. Headies Awards Goes International
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The 15th Edition of Nigeria’s most prestigious music prize The Headies held in Atlanta Georgia, USA.
According to the Headies Academy, the decision to take the award out of Nigeria was inspired by the desire to contribute to the international advancement of Afrobeats.
The international edition didn’t save Headies from its familiar blushes as the event suffered poor planning and even poorer execution.
ALSO READ: The Good, the Bad, and the Awful: A Review of the 15th Headies Awards [Pulse Review]
At any rate, the Headies' decision to go abroad is an indication of the Academy’s desire to join the international rave and also partake in the largesse that comes with it.
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9. Wizkid vs Nigerian Rappers
The usually reticent Wizkid allowed himself to be more expressive in 2022 after the release of his fifth album ‘More Love, Less Ego’.
Wizkid deviated from the album’s theme as he consistently delivered a series of innuendoes and jabs. Whether it was calling other artists desperate or declaring his single status, Wizkid was showing less love and more ego.
Wizkid took up a notch when he commented in an interview that Hip Hop was dead and the Nigerian Hip Hop community was far from impressed. Wizkid wasn’t one to explain himself and in the spirit of more ego, less love, he took to Snapchat to call Nigerian rappers broke and basically non-existent.
This statement hurt many and they reacted in different ways. Oladips and Zila Oaks dropped diss tracks while other rappers also had their say as they disagreed with the megastar.
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It was quite the spectacle albeit short-lived as everybody swiftly turned their attention to “Detty December”.
8. Fireboy BET & Wembley Performances
On 27th June 2022, Fireboy became the first Nigerian artist to perform at the main event of BET Awards as he delighted fans with a performance of his international hit single ‘Peru’.
Two days later, the superstar shared the stage with British megastar Ed Sheeran in a sold-out concert at Wembley stadium in what was another record-making performance. The weight of the moment wasn’t lost on Fireboy who was captured shedding tears of joy backstage.
Both events happening within two days of each other is not only an indication of how fast fortunes can turn but also a highlight of Afrobeats' ascension.
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7. ‘Palazzo’ by DJ Spinall & Asake
Anyone who followed the Nigerian music industry this year shouldn’t find the inclusion of this moment surprising. After ‘Palazzo’ dropped the song instantly drew a frenzied reaction from listeners who scrambled to learn the lyrics.
The song was a morale booster for Asake who went on to release ‘PBUY’ and ‘Terminator’ while also appearing on Fireboy’s ‘Bandana’ before crowning it with his record-breaking debut album ‘Mr. Money With The Vibe’.
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6. Mohbad Vs Naira Marley
Artists and labels having differences is not news in Nigerian music. However, when the label boss is a superstar and the artist is a fast-rising sensation, and allegations of physical assault get thrown around, that surely constitutes news, especially in the age of social media.
Mohbad and Naira Marley infamously engaged in a back-and-forth on social media as the former attempted to break free from his Marlian Records contract. The news generated massive buzz from fans across social media and it was one of the major events this year.
5. Ruger vs BNXN
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Disagreements between artists are almost inevitable even as much as they are undesirable. In 2022, Afrobeats sensations BNXN and Ruger were at loggerheads for a good part of the year with both artists trading insults on social media.
Both artists boasted of their success with Ruger priding himself on his solo hits while asking BNXN to do the same. The spectacle divided fans who sided with their fav artists in what was the biggest beef in the music industry in 2022.
4. Importation of Amapiano
Wednesday, 14th September 2022 was a chaotic one for the music end of Nigerian Twitter as Nigerian artists, fans, and stakeholders disagree over the first artist to jump on the Amapiano sound.
Nigerian superstars jostled for the status of the first act to jump on Amapiano with different superstars claiming the pioneering position. The struggle was entirely comical and exciting as even the video directors, DJs, OAPs, and Journalists all got in on the action.
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Readers will still remember Davido’s “You never liked me tweet”, Mr. May D claiming he was the pioneer, and DJ Neptune also taking credit for himself in a struggle over a sound that does not even originate from Nigeria.
3. Davido’s Fans Concert
This is the most heart-warming event this year and perhaps one of the most admirable acts in the history of Nigerian music.
On Thursday, 1st December 2022, the fans of Nigerian music megastar Davido held a concert to celebrate the multi-award-winning hitmaker after recent events in his life. It was the most electrifying atmosphere and a heartwarming gathering at Wonderland Lagos as fans of Afrobeats megastar Davido turned out in their thousands to celebrate the hitmaker and philanthropist.
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2. Kizz Daniel’s World Cup Performance
When it was revealed that Kizz Daniel would be performing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, it was not just a big moment for Kizz but for all of the Nigerian music industry.
The superstar made history as the first Nigerian act to perform at the World cup in a moment that captures the rise of Afrobeats and made every Nigerian swell with pride.
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1. Davido featuring on the 2022 Qatar World Cup Anthem
The biggest moment for Afrobeats in 2022 was when Davido featured on the 2022 FIFA official anthem alongside Trinidad and Tobago artist Cardona and Qatari singer Aisha.
The moment remains a huge one for Nigeria and Africa as it showcased the appeal of Afrobeats and its rising stock in the international market.
Davido made history on ‘Hayya Hayya (Better Together)’ and it’s a moment that will be forever remembered in Nigerian music.
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Other Notable Moments
- Oxlade ‘Kulosa’ moment
It was a moment of pride to see another Nigerian artist and Afrobeats song soar on the global stage.
- Tems winning the Best New Act
Tems made history as the first Nigerian female act to win a BET after she won the Best New Act prize at the 2022 BET Awards
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- Shey You Dey Whine Me
The gospel song by Austin Bull went viral and it was one of the most familiar slangs of 2022.
- Burna Boy's Madison Square Garden Concert
Burna Boy became the first African act to sell out the prestigious Madison Square Garden on 29th April 2022.
- Blaqbonez's‘ Back In Uni’ Music Video
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Fans and colleagues were impressed with Blaqbonez who made his directorial debut in ‘Back In Uni’ where he cosplayed different artists.
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