Journey of the Beats Episode 2: Spotify companion playlist

Journey of the Beats tells a once-in-a-lifetime story that explores the origin and evolution of Afrobeats and black music. Each episode is complemented by a Spotify playlist.

Episode Two: Pirate Kings vs Independents

Curated by: Sesan Adeniji

Time period: 1990-1997

Number of songs: 80

Listen time: 10 hours, 49 minutes

Our sound time machine zips through the rhythms of the 90s when disillusioned Nigerian youths turned to hip-hop culture for escapism and solace. We witness the development of street hip hop sounds from Ajegunle, the rise of independent producers, and music piracy.  

Journey of the Beats is a 10-part documentary series produced by creative entrepreneur and the creator of Storm Records, Obi Asika.

Watch the trailer for Journey of the Beats

Each episode of Journey of the Beats is told through the lens of music historians and some of Nigeria’s most prominent artists, like 2Baba, P-Square, Onyeka Onwenu, Daddy Showkey, Flavour, and D’Banj. The series goes behind the scenes to shed light on the Afrobeats movement that has taken the world by storm.

New episodes of the music documentary drop every Friday exclusively on Showmax. Afrobeats fans, documentary lovers, and anyone who appreciates music will love it.