The global rise of Afrobeats is no accident. It is the product of culture, migration, and shared creativity. While Nigeria and Ghana provided the heartbeat, the United Kingdom offered the amplifier. London, in particular, has become the unofficial second home of Afrobeats — a place where the sound found not just acceptance, but reinvention. Over the past decade, collaborations between African stars and UK heavyweights have reshaped the global music landscape.
Early Crossovers: Building a Bridge
The seeds of this relationship were planted in the late 2000s and early 2010s, when diaspora communities in London pushed African sounds into clubs, radio shows, and student parties. Afrobeats tracks from artists like D’banj, Fuse ODG, and Ice Prince began to cross into UK charts and playlist rotations, laying the groundwork for what was to come.
Fuse ODG’s Azonto (2011) and Antenna (2013) cracked into the UK Top 10, proving Afrobeats could stand on its own in a major Western market. These early successes made UK artists pay attention, and soon enough the bridges started to be built via collaborations.
Wizkid & Skepta: The Blueprint
No conversation about Afrobeats and the UK is complete without Wizkid and Skepta. Skepta, born to Nigerian parents in Tottenham, was already a grime pioneer with deep African pride. Wizkid was the face of a new African pop wave. Their collaborations — most famously the Ojuelegba (Remix) in 2015 and Energy (Stay Far Away) in 2018 — didn’t just chart; they became cultural touchstones. Ojuelegba (Remix) (also featuring Drake) was widely seen as one of the songs that ushered Afrobeats into global attention. Energy became a UK summer anthem, played not just in London’s clubs but across the diaspora.
These records set the tone: collaborations would not be token gestures but authentic cultural unions.
Mr Eazi: The Diplomat of Sound
If Wizkid and Skepta set the spark, Mr Eazi fanned the flames. With his Banku sound (a blend of Ghanaian highlife, Nigerian rhythms, and smoother pop vibes), he became one of Afrobeats’ greatest cultural diplomats.
He collaborated with UK artists like:
- Not3s — London Town
- Giggs — London Town remix
- J Hus — through performances and collaborations
These tracks further blurred the border between UK Afro-swing, grime, and Afrobeats. Through his emPawa initiative, Mr Eazi also nurtured emerging African talent, helping to bring new voices into the UK and global Afro scene.
Burna Boy & J Hus: Kings of Fusion
When Burna Boy and J Hus connect, the result is pure magic. Both artists thrive in the grey area between genres — Burna with Afrofusion, J Hus with Afro-swing — so when they team up, the synergy is undeniable. Their track Play Play (2020) is a key example, carrying the energy of London nights but deeply rooted in African percussion, melody, and storytelling.
Their collaborations have struck a chord especially among second-generation Africans in the UK, for whom these sounds represent a dual identity — UK born or raised, but deeply connected to Africa.
Burna Boy & Dave: Conscious Chemistry
Alongside party anthems, the Afrobeats-UK alliance has produced songs of depth and reflection. Location (2019) by Dave featuring Burna Boy was both a chart success and a cultural moment. Peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and later going multi-platinum, Location became an anthem for multicultural London, resonating across borders.
Wizkid & Dave: Melodies and Mastery
One of the more recent high-point collaborations between an Afrobeats star and a UK rap artist is “System” by Dave featuring Wizkid. Released in 2021, System blends Dave’s thoughtful lyricism and slow-burn flow with Wizkid’s signature melodic touch. The collaboration shows how seamless these crossovers have become — two masters from their respective scenes coming together on equal footing.
Landmark UK Chart Performances
To show how far this relationship has evolved, here are some of the landmark UK chart achievements by Afrobeats or Afro-influenced songs and artists:
| Song / Artist | Peak UK Chart Performance |
|---|---|
| Rema — “Calm Down” | Peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart; spent many weeks in the Top 10 |
| Burna Boy — “Last Last” | One of the highest-charting Afrobeats singles in the UK; a dominant anthem across 2022 |
| UK Afrobeats Singles Chart | Introduced in 2020, with artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Rema consistently topping it |
| Burna Boy feat. Ed Sheeran — “For My Hand” | Charted strongly in the UK, merging Afrobeats with mainstream pop |
| Wizkid — “Essence” (feat. Tems, later Justin Bieber remix) | Reached the UK charts, became the first Afrobeats song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 |
A Timeline of Key Milestones
- 2013 — Fuse ODG’s Antenna breaks into the UK Top 10, paving the way for Afrobeats in mainstream charts.
- 2015 — Wizkid, Skepta, and Drake link up on the Ojuelegba Remix, a pivotal track that brought Afrobeats global attention.
- 2018 — Wizkid and Skepta release Energy (Stay Far Away), becoming a summer anthem across the UK and Africa.
- 2019 — Dave and Burna Boy drop Location, peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and later going multi-platinum.
- 2020 — The UK launches the Official Afrobeats Singles Chart, formalizing the genre’s dominance.
- 2021 — Wizkid sells out three consecutive nights at The O2 Arena in London, cementing Afrobeats’ mainstream status.
- 2021 — Dave and Wizkid collaborate on System, merging UK rap with Afrobeats melodies.
- 2022 — Burna Boy releases Last Last, one of the highest-charting Afrobeats singles in UK history.
- 2023 — Burna Boy becomes the first African artist to headline and sell out London Stadium.
Beyond Features: A Shared Soundscape
What makes the Afrobeats–UK story special is that it’s no longer just about features. UK artists like Not3s, Kojo Funds, NSG, and Young T & Bugsey have adopted Afro-inspired rhythms as part of their own identity. Meanwhile, Afrobeats giants treat London as home ground. Wizkid’s multi-night O2 shows in 2021, or Burna Boy filling London Stadium in 2023, are not novelty events — they’re expected by fans.
The Future: Seamless Collaboration
Today, collaborations are not headlines because they’re “African artist meets UK artist” — they’re just part of the music. Artists move fluidly between Lagos, Accra, London, and beyond; record in multiple cities; release music across platforms; collaborate with producers globally. Upcoming artists from both sides are growing up with these sounds, so when they link up, it’s natural.
The relationship between Afrobeats and the UK is more than a musical trend — it’s a cultural movement rooted in history, identity, and migration. From Wizkid & Skepta’s early sparks to Burna Boy & Dave’s Location, to the chart-smashing success of Calm Down, Essence, and Last Last, this story is one of mutual influence.
These cross-Atlantic collaborations have transformed from milestones to norms. And as both scenes continue to thrive, one thing is clear: Afrobeats and the UK aren’t just collaborating — they are co-shaping the future of global music.