How a Generation of Latin American and West African Artists Has Come to Speak the Same Language

About 50 kilometers southeast of the Colombian city of Cartagena rests the village of San Basilio de Palenque: the cradle of the country’s distinct cumbia music. Founded in the 17th century as a refuge for escaped enslaved people, its very existence is a testament to resilience and cultural preservation. Here, cumbia’s powerful rhythmic heartbeat began with the resonant beats of African drumming traditions using instruments like the tambora, tambor alegre, and llamador. This African influence blended seamlessly with local flute melodies and European harmonies, creating a vibrant musical language that tells the story of its blended heritage.

This shared DNA, forged centuries ago, is the same sonic foundation that fuels today’s modern musical fusions. It’s why the collaborations between a Nigerian Afrobeats star and a reggaeton artist from Colombia feel less like a trend and more like a rhythmic reunion. The music is, in a way, coming full circle, and this isn’t by chance. Rather, there is a deep reciprocal cultural dialogue where Latin American artists are embracing and reimagining Afrobeats’ sounds through their own perspectives. The proof is in the data: In 2025, Afrobeats listenership in Latin America grew by more than 180% year-on-year, signs of a passionate fan base pressing play more often.

A deeper dive into Spotify data reveals landmarks of Afrobeats’ journey across Latin America. Since 2020, Argentina and Mexico have witnessed more than 400% growth in Afrobeats streams, while Brazil has seen a 500% surge in the same period. Yet no Latin American nation has been more captivated by the Afrobeats phenomenon than Colombia, where 25 million hours of the genre have been streamed so far in 2025. Here, local trailblazers like Kapo and Beéle stand at the forefront of this homegrown embrace, drawing inspiration from the West African sound and boldly propelling it in fresh directions. Their collaborations with Nigerian hitmakers allow for a vibrant reimagining of these infectious tunes.

The Colombia connection

Beéle has been connected to Afrobeats since he was just 12 years old. Ever since hearing Davido’s 2013 hit “Aye,” he has typically looked to fuse Afrobeats with local sounds like champeta and salsa. By the time he was 16, he’d dropped the viral song “Loco,” which became his first Billboard chart entry, proving this genre-bending approach was resonating with a range of listeners. He later doubled down on this musical blend on his debut album, BORONDO, collaborating with Nigerian producers like London and Daramola. This project peeled back the layers, revealing a profound fusion that would forever reshape Colombia’s musical identity.

Another Colombian artist, Kapo, broke out in 2024 with Afrobeats-inspired tracks like “Ohnana” and “Uwaie,” both of which charted on the Billboard Global 200. “Ohnana” earned him his first Billboard No. 1 on the Latin Rhythm Airplay. Kapo’s creative choices, from his melodic cadences to his production style, are clearly rooted in Afrobeats and reinterpreted through his Latin lens. He exemplifies how this isn’t just a trend being dictated from afar; it’s a creative exchange inspiring a new sound for the streets. In an interview, Kapo says he knew that Afrobeats always had the potential to go off in Latin America. “When I was in Panama with Mr. Saik, we’d talk about how Afrobeats could be the next sound to take over Latin America,” he recalls.

This cross-cultural collaboration is a two-way street. When rising Nigerian star Fido enlisted Kapo for a remix of his breakout single “Awolowo,” it made for one of the earliest collaborations between a rising Afrobeats act and a rising Latin act, showing a genuine artist-to-artist dialogue happening organically between the two regions.

A global language of rhythm

This new generation of artists is also forging cross-continental connections through collaborations that introduce new layers to music from both sides of the Atlantic. Puerto Rico’s Rauw Alejandro crafted a defining moment for the culture with his standout track, “Santana,” featuring Afrobeats superstar Ayra Starr and Jamaican producer Rvssian. The song’s success, with over 300 million Spotify streams, earned Ayra Starr the first Latin Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The remix of Omah Lay’s “Soso” with Ozuna married Omah Lay’s raw emotional delivery with Ozuna’s reggaetón smoothness, creating a sonic fusion that mirrored both artists’ interest in introspection.

While Latin America’s rising stars are forging these connections, Nigeria’s Afrobeats pioneers have also heavily influenced this exchange. Nigeria’s Mr Eazi and Colombia’s J Balvin present a perfect case study. An organic, brotherly connection formed in 2018 has since evolved into a full-fledged musical partnership. Their collaboration on “Lento” and “Arcoíris” with Tainy showed how these two genres can seamlessly blend into a global smash hit. “Arcoiris” even earned a Latin Grammy, one of the first major industry acknowledgments of an Afrobeats-Latin record.

In an interview with OkayAfrica, Mr Eazi says he had been “fascinated” with the Latino music scene since 2018. This curiosity drove him to “go open for J Balvin for crowds of 20,000 capacity per show of people that don’t even know me or know anything about Afrobeats.” He adds, “I ended up winning a Latin Grammy and I don’t even speak Spanish.” J Balvin’s work with other established Afrobeats artists like Burna Boy on “Rollercoaster” represents another symbolic crossover between Afrofusion and Colombian reggaetón, showing that the dynamic interplay between African and Latin influences is taking place across many genres. 

These artist-driven partnerships go beyond isolated incidents, making it clear that cross-cultural exchange is a growing phenomenon that’s here to stay.

From discovery to community

So, how are these seemingly distant worlds connecting? The answer lies in the democratization of music. The internet and streaming platforms have leveled the playing field, allowing for grassroots cultural and creative interaction between continents. Listeners are discovering the music on their own terms, and the numbers speak for themselves. The growth of subgenres like Latin Afrobeats, which has increased by more than 6,000% since 2020, showcases the growing overlap between the two fan bases.

Listenership of playlists like Afro-Ritmo, which is dedicated to showcasing Latin-African collaborations, has grown by more than 180% in 2025, indicating the increasing popularity of this new wave of music. As Spotify’s Senior Music Editor for Sub-Saharan Africa, Benewaah Boateng, puts it, “We are just a bridge allowing this cultural exchange to flourish and providing a home for these fresh sounds.”

The story of Afrobeats’ ascension in Latin America goes well beyond catchy beats; it speaks to the reclamation of a historical connection that would be lost to history books if not for a new generation of musicians on both continents. Beyond the undeniable grooves, Afrobeats has become a powerful cultural force, reshaping global narratives about Africa and fostering vital connections within the diaspora. Its expanding resonance in regions like Latin America is a bold declaration of a new cultural language that honors the past, electrifies the present, and is unmistakably defining the sound of the future.

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