How Afrobeats has become an unstoppable musical force
This week, the Atlanta native is releasing “Unforgettable,” an R&B album that features appearances by Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri, Chris Brown, and T.I.
The first-ever album of Afrobeats music is something every hip-hop fan needs to listen to.
This week, Afrobeats music is exploding all around the world, and we’ve got the story on The Breakfast Club about how Afrobeats first became an unstoppable force.
The rise of Afrobeats, the most popular of the many new groups coming out of Atlanta, has given the genre a global following. When I was a kid, the rap community and music-industry insiders were obsessed with any mention of the genre. Now young, hip-hop fans and a new generation of music-industry insiders are obsessed.
One artist that never made the mainstream radar is the six-piece Afrobeats band. The group was originally formed in 2004 by seven young adults. The core members come out of the University of Georgia. The band has not released an album and has not toured.
“I think the community and music industry have taken a liking to Afrobeats,” says lead singer, Juel Miller. “A lot of my family is from the region, and I feel like a lot of the artists that came out were like us. My family’s been able to get into it, get into places and have a good time in the community. I know a lot of people are listening to the music.”
Juel’s family is the main reason why Miller was able to take the group in a different direction. Growing up in Northeast Georgia, Juel was always interested in music, but decided to major in sociology because of his interest in politics.
He started to develop his own style of singing when he performed at school after his friends had gone home. A group of students noticed that Juel’s performance was unique and asked him if he could sing at their next school-wide talent