This is Who Should Have Been Nominated For the ‘Best African Music Performance’ Grammy

Despite the chatter that there haven’t been many, if any, truly global hits in the past year, but there has been a glut of truly remarkable songs worthy of being nominated. Taking into consideration quality and the benchmark of widespread success, here are eight songs we think should be nominees.

Tyla - “Jump” (feat. Gunna & Skillibeng)

Tyla could go back-to-back, and deservedly so. Her eponymous debut album has continued to drive the singer’s hype train forward, helping her snag multiple awards out west – and even at home. Arguably Tyla’s biggest post-“Water” song, “Jump” is a globe-spanning collaboration that merges the gloss of Tyla’s pop-piano, Gunna’s silky, new age sing-raps, and the gritty infectiousness of Jamaican dancehall artist Skillibeng. It’s a banger with a Black diasporic core.

Tems - “Love Me Jeje”

Nostalgia is often used as a gimmick to easily score viral hit songs, but in Tems’ hands, it’s a tool to ignite wholesome warmth. The Nigerian singer also happened to earn a huge single. On the hook, Tems’ “Love Me Jeje” interpolates Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 classic of the same title, but she does more than appeal to the ears of Nigerians who listened to the inspiring song growing up. The song is a joyful celebration of loving and being loved, a groovy jam as colorful as its music video. Already a Grammy winner, Tems’ name already holds some appeal with the Academy, giving “Love Me Jeje” an extra pull in its deserved consideration.

TitoM & Yuppe - “Tshwala Bam [Remix]” (feat. S.N.E & EeQue)

Taking into account that social media now plays a role in how huge a song is perceived to be, “Tshwala Bam” might be the biggest African song of 2024. For several months earlier in the year, the wiggling shoulders and vibrating body dance inspired by TitoM and Yuppe’s amapiano heater was everywhere online and has become a fixture in parties across South Africa and beyond. With its aromatic piano chords, speaker-rattling drums, and phenomenal guest vocals, “Tshwala Bam” remains as infectious as ever and, perhaps most importantly in this context, a true Pan-African hit.

Asake & Travis Scott - “Active”

Lungu Boy, Asake’s third studio album released this past summer, was a lavish, expansive showcase of his neo-Fuji vision. “Active” is perhaps the most integral piece of this vision, as it samples the 2004 hit “Raise the Roof” by Jazzman Olofin and Bonsue Fuji legend Adewale Ayuba. The refrain that appears on Asake’s song prominently, “Ma jo fine girl,” was sung by Ayuba and originated by Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde Merenge, rooting the Sarz-produced slapper in an innately Nigerian-originated sound. As far as the Grammys, Travis Scott’s frenetic, remarkable verse surely won’t hurt chances at another Asake nomination in this category.

Ayra Starr - “Bad Vibes” (feat. Seyi Vibez)

Another nominee from the last Grammys, Ayra Starr has spent 2024 growing into global superstardom. The Nigerian Beninese singer’s sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, is one of the most well-rounded efforts by an African artist this year, balancing moments of bravado with introspective ones. Straddling the in-between is “Bad Vibes,” a relatable song about expelling negative energy. Joined by street-pop savant Seyi Vibez, both singers wax poetic about embracing their destined greatness, without a care for naysayers. It’s an uplifting song made to transcend the present.

Uncle Waffles & Royal Musiq - “Wadibusa” (feat. Ohp Sage & Pcee)

Uncle Waffles is arguably the biggest amapiano DJ across the globe. The eSwatini-born DJ has performed at venues across the world, from exclusive parties to headlining tour dates, holding audiences spellbound with her magnetic energy behind and in front of the decks. She’s also a curator of inescapable, dancefloor bangers. Similar to last year’s “Yahyuppiyah,” the online world was already familiar with “Wadibusa” weeks before its official release. When it finally dropped, the bewitching drums and chant-worthy guest vocals had listeners even more hooked. As further proof of the song’s appeal beyond South Africa, there’s a remix with American rapper Joey Bada$$.

Rema - “Azaman”

Following the unprecedented global success of “Calm Down,” Rema could have gone full pop. Instead, he decided to embrace a striking brand of distinctly Nigerian anarchy for his rage-indented sophomore album, HEIS. “Azaman,” the album’s second track, is emblematic of Rema rooting his inspiration at home, from the tribal drums to the praise-singing of rich individuals. The song is elemental to Rema’s persona as an irrepressible hustler with an outsize spirit. It has also emerged as the ultimate fan favorite off an album with a handful of hit songs, spurred by a dance challenge Rema and fellow Mavin label mate Ayra Starrtook part in.

Odumodublvck & Black Sherif - “Wotowoto Seasoning”

Irreverent, sometimes divisive and undeniably skilled, Odumodublvck has made himself into an essential part of Nigerian and African hip-hop conversations. Off the deluxe edition of his breakout project, Eziokwu, “Wotowoto Seasoning” pairs Odumodu with the Ghanaian maven Black Sherif for a remarkable fare of melodic rapping, notably approved by Rick Ross. On the song, both artists deliver lines laced with bravado with a distinctly African twang, especially Black Sherif’s verse Twi, matching the highlife-tinged production. “Wotowoto Seasoning” is a well-executed song defined by strong performances.