In honor of June being Black Music Month, I'm highlighting rising international Black artists that everyone should get in tune with.
1. Dave — United Kingdom
Hailing from London, rapper Dave is on pace to become potentially the greatest international rapper of all time. In 2021, Dave released We're All Alone in This Together, landing his second consecutive number one album, setting a new first-week streams record for UK rap, and having the biggest first-week sales in over a decade for UK rap. The album was followed by a sold-out arena tour in the UK and several sold-out shows in North America. These added to his already massive accolades such as "Best British Hip-Hop Act" and "British Album of The Year."
Dave has created his own unique sound, mixing eerie hard-hitting beats with precise live instruments. His lyrics are introspective about growing up as a Black youth in London and the struggles that come along with that. He frequents the topics of love, society, and his survivor's guilt of making it out of his environment. Dave is a pure artist with mastery-level raps and the ability to play numerous instruments. Dave is pound for pound one of the best rappers alive.
Songs to check out: "Starlight," "Verdansk," "Streatham," "System"
2. Burna Boy — Nigeria
A man who needs no introduction, Burna Boy is a legit international superstar. With numerous international music awards and back-to-back Grammy nominations, the Nigerian star breaks records with each new album. Upon his debut in 2011, he was a prominent star in Nigeria releasing classic projects such as Burn Identity and L.I.F.E. The release of "Ye" in 2018 plunged him into international superstardom seemingly overnight.
What placed Burna Boy at the forefront of Nigerian music was his creative way of mixing afro-beat, dancehall, and reggae over trap beats. Mixing traditional dancehall style music over trap beats that Americans were accustomed to, really helped push the new movement of afro-beat music.
Songs to check out: "Ye," "Bank On It," "On The Low"
3. Tems — Nigeria
The Nigerian queen is currently on a tear, being a part of two of the biggest songs in recent memory with "Essence" alongside Wizkid, and "Wait For U" with Drake and Future. Since the release of her debut single, "Mr. Rebel," in 2018, Tems seemingly has the Midas touch and has cemented her spot as a future megastar. The 2018 decision to quit her job and become a full-time musician has paid off immensely, as two years later she'd released her debut project, For Broken Ears, she reached number one on the Nigerian charts. With an NAACP Image Award, Soul Train Music Award, and having a number one song on the Billboard Hot 100, Tems is here to stay.
With soulful hymns, graceful lyrics, and heavenly vocals, Tems has been able to shine in any style of music. She credits God for giving her a divine purpose and gift to create music that is beyond her own imagination.
Songs to check out: "Essence," "Higher," "Found"
4. J Hus — United Kingdom
J Hus is undoubtedly the people's champion of the United Kingdom. The mellow-voiced and introverted artist makes powerful anthems that champion his culture unlike anyone else. The innovator of "afro-swing" garnered success by creating a genre of music that mixed afro-beat music with hard-hitting lyrics and bars. With his 2015 release of Dem Boy Paigon, he singlehandedly changed the entire sound of UK rap. In 2017, he released his debut album, Common Sense, which instantly overtook the culture and placed him into international superstardom. Three years later, he'd score his first number one album with Big Conspiracy, giving another classic album to his fans.
Black culture in the UK is heavily rooted in its origins in Africa, so when J Hus found a way to mix Afro-beats with trap-style lyrics, he instantly grabbed the people. His lyrics were a reflection of real life in the UK and his story gave his content even more validity. The fans have been eagerly awaiting his return and his next release should without question infiltrate North America as well.
Songs to check out: "Play Play," "Did You See," "Dem Boy Paigon"
5. Jorja Smith — United Kingdom
Brit awards, features with Drake, touring with Bruno Mars, Jorja Smith has already obtained an illustrious career by the age of 25. Soundcloud singles and YouTube covers garnered her enough attention to land a record deal in 2016 and she released her classic debut album, Lost & Found, in 2018. With timeless-sounding music and vocals, this album quickly placed her as a queen of R&B and she followed up with Be Right Back in 2021.
The thing most evident in Jorja's music is her extreme talent. She graces a generational-sounding voice that perfectly blends with her neo-soul-based lyrics and beats. Without question, Jorja Smith will continue to ascend toward superstardom and give us classic music.
Songs to check out: "By Any Means," "Be Honest," "Blue Lights," "I am"
6. Fredo — United Kingdom
The artist with the best chance at completely crossing over to mainstream rap is Fredo. The London-raised Moroccan rapper gives the most gritty, digestible, braggadocious rap in all of the UK. With his release of the single, "They Ain't 100," he obtained a certified street classic. He followed this with multiple street anthems and his mixtape Get Rich or Get Recalled which put him at the forefront of UK street music. He went on to gain more commercial success with his album Money can't Buy Happiness debuting at number two on the charts. His collaborations with Dave, Pop Smoke, and others have given him a blend of street credibility and commercial success.
His introspective lyrics discussing struggle, trapping, violence, and more are a theme that people all over the globe can relate to. His music reflects the UK streets heavily, but his choice of words is more universal making it very easy to understand everything he raps. Match this with his persona, looks, and style, you have a future superstar. If you like Meek Mill, you should love Fredo.
Songs to check out: "Money Talks," "They Aint 100," "Daily Duppy," "Netflix & Chill," "Spaghetti"
7. Wizkid — Nigeria
Perhaps the biggest star currently on this list is Nigeria's own Wizkid. To simply put it, Wizkid is the king of Afro-beat and the face of an entire genre. He is the most significant player in making afro-beat popular in the states. He's been creating classic music in Nigeria for over 10 years, but adding features with Drake and Beyonce placed him into a new level of stardom and fame. He continues to ascend and his recent release of Made In Lagos helped him land a number one spot and have debatably song of the year with "Essence." This album was one of the most important of the past decade, really solidifying Afro-beat as a genre that will overtake mainstream music in the near future.
Songs to check out: "Essence," "Blessed," "One Dance"