Introduction:
Two emerging genres from the African diaspora are Afrobeat and Soca. As the popularity of both genres grows worldwide, the debate is now, which genre is winning in a party setting? Afrobeat or Soca?
Now, before we decide which genre is best, let’s take the time to define both genres to give a proper analysis on both genres’ pros and cons.
What is Afrobeat?
Afrobeat is a music genre and style that originated in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was pioneered and popularized by Nigerian musician and bandleader Fela Kuti, who is often considered the father of Afrobeat. Afrobeat is characterized by a fusion of various musical elements, including traditional African rhythms and percussion, jazz, funk, highlife (a West African music style), and elements of soul and rock.
What is Soca?
Soca, short for “soul of calypso,” is a music genre that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the late 1970s. It is a vibrant and rhythmic genre that combines elements of calypso, African rhythms, and contemporary music styles like funk, soul, and reggae. Soca is closely associated with Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival celebrations, where it plays a central role in the festivities.
Now that we have a solid definition for both Afrobeat and Soca, let’s examine the pros and cons of both genres.
Pros and Con of Afrobeat:
A pro of Afrobeat is its versatility. The thing about Afrobeat is that the genre isn’t constricted to one particular sound. Afrobeat songs and artists stylistically resemble Dancehall, R&B, Reggae, Reggaeton, Rap, and even Jazz.
A con of Afrobeat is the language barrier it faces on a global scale. When you speak to most non-African Afrobeat lovers, they will tell you they don’t know what the artist is saying but it sounds good. This type of situation makes one wonder can someone really appreciate a genre without knowing the cultural context to said genre let alone the lyrics.
Pros and Con of Soca:
A pro for Soca is its high energy. At its core, Soca is high tempo, very intense and fast pace. It’s hard to not dance when Soca comes on.
With that being said, a con of Soca is that Soca has a sound that doesn’t mesh very well with other genres. Many has tried to fuse Soca with other genres such as EDM, R&B, and Hip-Hop but it rarely translates well with Soca the Soca listeners.
Afrobeat Vs Soca: Which genre wins?
Hands down with its’ versatility and growth in popularity, Afrobeat is taking the win on a global level but, don’t count Soca out just yet, Soca fanbase is one of the most dedicated crowds.
Looking to attend an event displaying both Afrobeat and Soca? click the link to below for free tickets to Waistline Wednesday: Afrobeat Vs Soca
To learn more about DJ2Fly, check out the link below.
