The Afroswing genre derives mainly from elements of Afrobeats, UK Rap, UK Drill, Grime and Dancehall, with the genre’s name implying that it swings between the different genres it is influenced by. The genre began gaining traction around 2015 and reached its peak in popularity around 2017, before its popularity began to subside towards the end of the decade. This was also a period when we saw African-influenced music being championed more heavily within the UK.

In this article, we will discuss the artists who helped pioneer the Afroswing wave in the UK scene.

J Hus

J Hus seemed destined for greatness from the jump and gained traction almost instantly due to his freestyles online, most notably his StreetHeat Freestyle on Link Up TV and his Street Starz TV freestyle, where he showcased his hunger and talent.

In 2015, he released his debut mixtape, The 15th Day, which featured the viral hit Dem Boy Paigon. He also featured on MoStack’s single So Paranoid, which became another popular track around this period.

Mr Ugly is still very much relevant in the UK scene and has managed to create an impressive career for himself. His contributions to the scene have earned him multiple accolades, including a BRIT Award for British Male Solo Artist in 2021 and two MOBO Awards in 2017: one for Best Song for Did You See and another for Best Album for Common Sense.

J Hus is widely regarded as one of the key figures in the development and popularisation of Afroswing. His unique combination of melodic vocals, Afrobeats, dancehall and UK rap helped define the sound during its rise.

Sneakbo

Sneakbo was one of the earliest artists to experiment with the sound that would eventually become known as Afroswing. The Brixton native, who has Nigerian-Yoruba roots, was one of the first artists in the UK scene to blend African and Caribbean influences with UK rap during the early 2010s.

This is often overlooked because there wasn’t yet a universally recognised or coined term for the genre. He released breakthrough tracks such as Touch Ah Button and The Wave in 2010 and 2011 respectively, helping lay some of the foundations for the artists who followed.

Sneakbo’s influence is particularly important when looking at the genre’s connection to dancehall and Caribbean music. His sound demonstrated how UK rappers could combine hard-hitting street lyrics with dancehall-inspired rhythms and melodies.

JAE5

It’s only right that we show love to one of the most important producers in this subgenre and arguably one of the greats in the UK scene overall.

JAE5, born Jonathan Kweku Awote-Mensah in East London, rose to prominence through his work with J Hus, most notably as one of the key producers behind his landmark 2017 album Common Sense. He also produced major hits such as the Gold-certified Location with Dave and Afrobeats giant Burna Boy, as well as Options with NSG featuring Tion Wayne.

His work has seen him receive some of the biggest accolades in music, including a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album in 2021 for his production contributions to Burna Boy’s Twice as Tall. He also won back-to-back MOBO Awards for Best Producer in 2020 and 2021.

JAE5 has been widely credited as one of the producers who helped pioneer and define the Afroswing sound, blending Afrobeats, dancehall, grime and UK rap into a style that became hugely influential.

This list would not do the scene justice if JAE5 wasn’t included.

Moelogo

Moelogo is a British-Nigerian artist of Yoruba heritage. In the past, he featured on MoStack’s iconic single Murder. He has also worked with Afrobeats staples such as Tiwa Savage, Davido and Adekunle Gold.

One of his most iconic tracks that fits firmly within the Afroswing sound is Baddest, featuring the Landlord, Giggs.

In 2020, he won a Headies Award for Best Alternative Song for I Wonder, which can be found on his ME EP. His most recent project at the time of writing is Yoruba Healer, which reflects on his cultural identity and heritage.

MoStack

Stacko’s name isn’t always mentioned when it comes to Afroswing, but he has always stayed true to the sound. MoStack began releasing music professionally in 2014 and later blew up in 2016 thanks to his hit single Liar Liar.

MoStack is often overlooked when it comes to discussions surrounding Afroswing pioneers, largely due to the incredible success of some of his counterparts, such as J Hus. Regardless, he helped pave the way for many artists who came after him and remains a highly successful artist in his own right.

His collaborations with artists such as J Hus also became an important part of the sound’s development, with the pair appearing together on tracks including So Paranoid and Fisherman.

Naira Marley

Although Naira Marley now has a very successful career as an Afrobeats and pop artist in Nigeria, he originally began his career as one of the early figures associated with the Afroswing sound.

The British-Nigerian artist was raised in Peckham, an area with a significant Nigerian and Sierra Leonean influence. Naira Marley began his career with tracks such as Marry Juana featuring Max Twigz, as well as Money On The Road with Harlem Spartans members TG Millian and Blanco.

Money On The Road was particularly significant because it brought together elements of the UK drill and Afroswing scenes, while Marry Juana had already helped establish Naira Marley as an emerging artist within London’s African-influenced music scene.

He has since achieved major success in Nigeria, including winning the Viewers’ Choice Award for his hit single Soapy at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards, alongside receiving nominations for other awards.

Naira Marley eventually left London and moved his career towards Nigeria. He has spoken openly about the difficulties he faced in the UK, including racism and having music removed from his platforms. In an interview, he said that he felt more freedom to make music and perform in Nigeria, where he was able to reach a larger audience without facing the same barriers he experienced in the UK.

Kojo Funds

Kojo Funds hails from the East London borough of Newham and was the first artist in the UK to coin the term Afroswing. He is regularly hailed as the Godfather of the genre and has earned 2x Platinum certifications for his work on Mabel’s Finders Keepers and his own track Check, which features Raye. Kojo Funds himself has spoken about coining the term “Afroswing”, while publications such as GQ and The Fader have credited him as a pioneer of the genre.

Although Kojo Funds’ traction has slowed down in comparison to the height of the Afroswing era, he remains one of the genre’s founding figures and one of the GOATs of the UK scene.

Yxng Bane

After receiving four Platinum, three Gold and five Silver certifications, it is criminal how Yxng Bane hasn’t won any major accolades.

Bane was pivotal to the evolution of the UK Afroswing scene and created iconic hits such as Fine Wine and Birthday, the latter of which achieved major success within the UK Afrobeats scene.

In 2017, Ed Sheeran enlisted him for a feature on the Shape of You remix, exposing Bane to an enormous global audience. The track has since accumulated billions of streams across streaming platforms.

Geko

UK artist Geko really had the UK in a chokehold during the 2010s. His collaborations with Paigey Cakey were epic and helped produce hits such as One & Only, NaNa and Loving You, alongside solo tracks such as Baba and Slideshow.

Geko’s use of Arab influences gave him a differentiating factor within the UK scene, allowing him to create a sound that stood out from his peers. His music was at times even referred to as “Arabswing”, highlighting the influence of Middle Eastern sounds within his music.

Ay Em

Another artist who incorporated Arab influences into his music is Ay Em. He began his musical journey in 2018 with his debut single Snowflake. Following the positive reception to his early music, he went on to work with established artists such as Dappy on Oh My and French Montana on New Money, which peaked at No. 23 and No. 49 on the UK Singles Chart respectively.

Swarmz

The musician-turned-social-media personality had an incredible run in the late 2010s with songs such as Lyca, Bally and Drive By.

Swarmz helped commercialise the sound and contributed to Afroswing’s rise during its peak. His music combined melodic vocals with the rhythms and melodies associated with the genre, helping make the sound more accessible to a wider audience.

In more recent years, he has turned his attention towards influencer boxing, fighting opponents such as Deji and KSI.

Lotto Boyzz

Lotto Boyzz were a Birmingham-based duo comprised of Ash and Lucas. Their name is an acronym, standing for “Last Of The Trill Ones”.

Although both artists are of Caribbean heritage, they were instrumental in helping to popularise Afroswing and carved out their own sound, which they dubbed “Afrobbean”, fusing African and Caribbean influences. Their contribution is particularly important because it demonstrated how the sound could develop outside London.

In 2017, the pair were nominated for Best Newcomer, while working with A-list artists such as Chip, Not3s, Mr Eazi, Geko and Dappy.

The duo officially disbanded in 2021 for multiple reasons. Their former manager, Big Maf, revealed that the duo felt trapped in a difficult deal with Sony, which they believed limited their freedom to release music.

In multiple interviews, Lotto Ash also spoke about feeling disconnected from secular music and deciding to delve further into Christian music. Ash is now focused on making Gospel music, while Lucas has continued making music, although the spotlight is no longer as strong as it once was.

Not3s

Not3s, who is of Nigerian-Yoruba descent, is widely regarded as one of the artists who helped bring Afroswing to a mainstream audience.

He broke through in 2016 with the viral hit Addison Lee, which helped him secure a record deal with Relentless Records. He continued his success with tracks such as Aladdin and My Lover, which featured Mabel.

Not3s played a key role in reshaping British pop music by combining the rhythms and melodies of his Nigerian heritage with bass-heavy UK production. His music became closely associated with the Afroswing movement and helped define the sound during its commercial peak.

Donae’o

Donae’o was one of the early adopters of the Afroswing sound, blending his UK Funky influences with African-inspired sounds.

This can be heard on tracks such as African Warrior and Black, featuring JME and Dizzee Rascal. His ability to combine UK Funky, Afrobeats and other African influences helped create a blueprint that would later be adopted by artists associated with the Afroswing movement.

Bagz

It’s only right that we begin with Afroswing pioneer Bagz, who hails from London Fields.

He began rapping from a young age and was inspired by the likes of 50 Cent and Eminem. He would later become involved with the notorious London Fields gang and engage in criminal activity.

He was eventually sent to his native Nigeria as a preventative measure at the age of 15. While in Nigeria, he developed a deeper appreciation for the culture and the lessons he was taught, experiences that would go on to influence his musical journey.

He would return 1.5 years later at the age of 17 and begin his legendary run. The real ones know he had Hackney, Islington and Camden in a headlock back then.

In the following years, he’d amass hundreds of thousands of views and work with artists such as Moelogo, while also opening for acts such as Shatta Wale and Sneakbo. His run would eventually stall after taking a hiatus, coinciding with Afroswing’s demand beginning to plateau. However, he definitely deserves to be on this list.

NSG

British collective NSG were originally formed in Hackney, East London. The group is comprised of six members: Kruddz, OGD, Mojo, Dope, Papii Abz and Mxjib.

The group continued pushing Afroswing even after the genre was labelled as “dead” by some critics. They worked with JAE5 and Tion Wayne on the iconic track Options, which reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2020, they won the MOBO Award for Video of the Year for their song Lupita. The group’s close relationship with producer JAE5 also stems from the fact that he is the older brother of Kruddz and OGD.

Kruddz

Kruddz is often regarded as the group’s de facto leader alongside Papii Abz. He is the lead vocalist, known for crafting catchy, melodic hooks, while also having a production background through the 4PLAY collective alongside his brother, producer JAE5.

He also directs the group’s music videos and plays a major role in developing NSG’s distinctive visual identity.

OGD

OGD is a songwriter, recording artist and record producer. Like Kruddz, he is part of the 4PLAY production team and contributes to the group’s sonic architecture from the studio side, while also performing alongside the rest of the NSG collective.

He is also Kruddz’s younger brother.

Mojo

Mojo brings the hype and high-tempo energy to NSG, delivering the crowd-pleasing verses that help power the group’s live performances.

In the group’s own words, he:

“brings the fun side, the good vibes, to the table.”

Dope

The only member born outside the UK, Dope serves as the group’s multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist. His role adds depth and versatility to NSG’s music, helping to round out the texture of their sound.

Papii Abz

Abz shares leadership duties with Kruddz. His engaging and relatable persona has been vital to building NSG’s public image since the group’s school days.

He has also been one of the group’s most vocal advocates for independence, helping NSG maintain control over their music and creative direction.

Mxjib

Mxjib’s role lies in the basslines and production elements that help anchor the Afrobeats groove within NSG’s tracks.

Outside of the group, he also works as a fashion designer, illustrator and jewellery designer, giving him another creative outlet beyond music.