It began in Africa

Ross Goulding asks the Afrosoul DJ team how and why they’re championing African music in China

With patronising headlines that tout phrases such as ‘neo-colonialism’, the Western press has been keen to report on the ever-strengthening business bond between Africa and China.

But the connection between continent and country stretches far beyond opinion pieces on trade discussions and infrastructure deals.

African students and businesses have been in China for as long as European and American ones have, and as with any immigrant population, they bring elements of their own culture along with them.

The most prominent African force on Beijing’s nightlife scene is the Afrosoul DJ collective. Headed up by Samuel Ahadu from Egypt – known as S-Press in DJing circles and as Big Fish to his footballing friends – the international group also includes Pako from Equatorial Guinea and Rodney from Namibia, not to mention several newer additions to their expanding roster of DJs and dancers.

‘We often have our DJs playing individually in different bars on different nights,’ says Ahadu, a Beijing-resident for 12 years now. ‘We all try and go to each others’ gigs to show support, but we also throw big parties where we get the whole crew together.’

These big parties include the annual Bob Marley Day celebrations at Yugong Yishan, as well as African Liberation Day parties. ‘We do things like food and fashion shows, as well as footballing sports days for families; we try to get the whole African community together,’ he adds.

‘And of course we are welcoming of all other nationalities. In fact, getting other people to come along is one of the main reasons we’re doing what we’re doing.For the last ten years we have tried to keep the culture of Africa alive in Beijing. We want the locals and the other foreigners to see another side to Africa, not just the wars and famine that they see on the news; we want to show everybody that Africa is also a beautiful continent, with so much art and culture to offer.’

In this case, the African culture most on display when the Afrosoul boys take the stage is afrobeat music.

‘Afrobeat started in Nigeria,’ Pako tells us. ‘The first artist to really define afrobeat was Fela Kuti – he was the first one to mix traditional African beats with Western instruments like the trumpet and saxophone; he fused the local music into a kind of jazz, including other Western styles as well. An easy way to describe afrobeat is to call it African rhythms with Western instruments.’

Since Fela Kuti’s groundbreaking work in the ’70s, afrobeat has spread across Africa and the world, influencing foreign musicians and developing sub-genres along the way.

Pako continues: ‘The most popular kind of afrobeat at the moment has more of a ‘house’ feeling to it. The kids these days like their music to be a bit more up-tempo. They want things faster so it’s easier to dance to and fits better in a modern club setting – this kind of afrobeat is prominent in France where it has a big Angolan influence.’

Both Pako and Ahadu are positive about the way local crowds receive their music. ‘The crowds at our parties are a great mix,’ says Ahadu.

‘Lots of Africans, Caribbean people, other Westerners, and I’m happy to say a lot of Chinese people as well. We don’t want it to be just for foreigners.’ ‘The Chinese crowds love it,’ adds Pako.

‘We see a lot of the same faces at every show as well as new ones all the time. The young Chinese kids are interested in other cultures, but more importantly they just love the music. It’s great to see a big, internationally mixed crowd going crazy to our beats. You can tell they’re all really feeling it.’

Ahadu has the final word: ‘African people are full of joy, and love to party. The good is what we want to express through our music.’

Afrosoul DJs play every Saturday at Kokomo, and individually at many other places around Beijing.