The genre of afrobeats has skyrocketed in popularity over the past five years. Famous afrobeats artists like Tems, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Sarkodie, and more have brought the West African musical art to the masses. The genre has since become a global phenomenon, with international artists like Drake tapping into the market for inspiration. Now, Netflix is bringing the genre’s history to their streaming platform with a documentary series called Afrobeats: The Backstory.
Netflix’s Afrobeats: The Backstory made its debut on the streaming giant’s platform on Wednesday (June 29). Detailing its humble beginnings as a branch of Fela Kuti’s influence and the many transformations the genre has endured over the years, Afrobeats: The Backstory explores how the genre evolved and the major artists who helped make that evolution possible.
The doc’s trailer lays the foundation for what to expect from the new Netflix series as it poses questions about the music genre’s origins, the mastermind behind the genre’s creation, and who helped bring this art to the people of the world. Created by Ayo Shonaiya, the series includes additional first-hand accounts and information from afrobeats pioneers such as Kenny Ogungbe, Dayo “D1” Adeneye, Paul “Play” Dairo, and other prominent figures.
You can watch the trailer for Afrobeats: The Backstory above. The insightful series is streaming on Netflix today.