Wanna Hear Grime Verses Over Afrobeat Tracks? This 'Afrogrime' EP Has You Covered

French producer Ozferti mixes classic UK grime bars from with Nigerian afrobeat on his 'Afrogrime' EP.

Wanna Hear Grime Verses Over Afrobeat Tracks? This 'Afrogrime' EP Has You Covered

The world got a very small taste of what grime bars might sound like atop afrobeats production last year when Skepta jumped on the remix of Wizkid’s "Ojuelegba" along with Drake.


If you were curious to hear a more traditional afrobeat-grime fusion, Ozferti—the production moniker of French illustrator, musician, and producer Florian Doucet—has you covered.

On Afrogime EP Volume 2, the artist marries classic grime cuts with the sounds of Nigerian afrobeat, Ghanaian highlife and vocal traditions from Ethiopia, Mali and Cameroon, to create a collection of pulsating, experimental tracks. He samples verses from the likes of Wiley, JME, Skepta, Big Narstie, and other grime acts.

"Imagine an alternate dimension where East Africans spirits meet steampunk technologies, that's what Ozferti is about," the artist tells Okayafrica.

The musician is no stranger to merging preexisting genres and creating musical styles of his own. He’s described his past releases as “Ethio-hop” and “Nubian Bass."

With Afrogrime EP Volume 2, Ozferti tells us to be prepared for “abstract landscapes, grime beats, spicy percussion, southern guitar riffs, and scissor flows.”

These rare vibes of Afrogrime are worth getting into. Listen to the EP below—which samples verses from the likes of Wiley,  and check other music from Ozferti via Bandcamp.

Thandiwe Newton in a grey sleeveless dress, wearing red lipstick and crystal earrings, poses against a pink background
Arts + Culture

What's in A Name: How African Names Get Lost in Translation

From NBA stars to Grammy nominees, prominent Africans have often had their names misspelled or mispronounced. While some have pushed back and reclaimed it, others embrace it.

The cover artwork for OkayAfrica’s Best West African Songs of 2024 list featuring Ayra Starr and Tems.
Latest

The Best West African Songs of 2024

This year’s list features emerging talents and an uptick in artists reaching to the past to create new sounds.