Afrobeats Intelligence

Joey Akan/OkayAfrica
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Music Interviews
  • Every two weeks

Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is the podcast extension of the popular music newsletter, Afrobeats Intelligence. Presented by OkayAfrica and sponsored by premium cognac brand Martell, Afrobeats Intelligence explores the intersection of art, humanity, and the processes that give birth to African sonic excellence. Through eclectic interviews that spotlight creativity from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and beyond, Joey invites listeners every other Friday to take a snapshot into the soul of an industry pushing toward global greatness. Together, we examine the past, present, and future of African music, democratizing access to the ideas, people, and movements shaping its evolution. If you are new to Afrobeats Intelligence, start here!

  1. 6 days ago

    Jyde Ajala on Why Music Videos Still Matter

    Jyde Ajala is one of the most in-demand music video directors in Afrobeats. After studying film production at Full Sail University in Florida and working for over a decade in the United States, he returned to Nigeria just before the COVID-19 lockdown with a clear mission: to bring a stronger narrative and cinematic approach to the local music video space. He founded Old Soldier Inc. and built his career from the ground up. In a short time, he has become a key visual collaborator for some of the biggest names in the genre. He has directed multiple projects for Olamide (including Jinja, Metaverse, Kai! with Wizkid, Billionaires Club with Wizkid and Darkoo, and Hello Habibi with Russ), as well as major videos for Fireboy DML (Oh My, Obaa Sima), Omah Lay (Holy Ghost), Asake (including Amapiano and New Religion with Olamide), Tems (Love Is a Kingdom visuals), Victony, CKay, Joeboy, Seyi Vibez, Bella Shmurda, and others. His work often spans international locations and blends high production values with a clear understanding of each artist’s world. In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Jyde sits with Joey Akan to discuss how he approaches visual direction as more than just shooting a video, how he thinks about an artist’s identity, the creative worlds they want to build, and the constant negotiation between artistic ambition and what audiences actually respond to. He also speaks candidly about the realities of the job: shrinking budgets, the economics of production, the absence of royalties and residuals for directors, and why music videos still matter in an era of short-form visualisers — not just for the numbers they generate today, but for the legacy they leave behind. Follow Joey Akan and Afrobeats Intelligence for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel Tik Tok: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintelligence X: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel Follow Jyde Ajala:  Instagram: @jydeajala Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 25 Sept

    FOLA on Locking In & Building ‘Catharsis’ on His Terms

    FOLA sits down with Joey Akan and goes all the way back; Ibadan, the betting shop, the pen and notepad days when nobody was watching. He talks about locking in early, the people who believed in him when the gap felt impossible, and why he is grateful that he committed to the process.  From writing in private to watching crowds spend their hard-earned money to see him live, FOLA breaks down how he selects records, works with his team and even admits he sometimes pulls songs straight from his manager’s love life. He opens up about the making of his debut album Catharsis, the emotional release that defined his arrival, and what it meant to link with artists like BNXN and Davido. This is the story of focus, process, and quiet persistence paying off. Follow Joey Akan and Afrobeats Intelligence for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel Tik Tok: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintelligence X: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel Follow FOLA:  Instagram: @Folapondis TikTok:@folapondis X: @folapondis Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. 11 Sept

    Winny: Finding Your Voice, Creating Without Fear & Trusting the Process

    In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Winny sits down with Joey Akan for a conversation about finding her voice, trusting her instincts, and learning to create on her own terms. She reflects on growing up in Jos, discovering her voice through music, and the rejection that came early in her journey. Winny shares how leaving Jos for Lagos became a leap of faith, why she believes fear is an illusion, and what it means to keep moving when you don’t know exactly where the road will lead. Winny also talks about her approach to creativity and why she doesn’t see creating music as work. She explains the importance of entering a state of flow, shutting out external noise, and allowing ideas to find their way through her. She discusses the making of Commercial Break, the feeling of seeing Wizkid engage with her music, and how moments of recognition can reaffirm an artist’s belief in their path. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan X: @joeyakan Follow Winny Instagram: @winnyadanu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. 28 Aug

    Alhaji Popping: Excellence, Strategy & Building in Entertainment

    In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Alhaji Popping sits down with Joey Akan for a wide-ranging conversation about the principles that have shaped his career across entertainment, business, and culture. He reflects on the lessons his mother taught him about ego, sacrifice, honesty and knowing when to apologise, and explains why he believes excellence requires the ability to say no even when relationships are involved. He breaks down his approach to identifying value, studying the market, building stellar products, and working backwards from the outcome he wants to achieve. Alhaji also discusses why he believes everything is a product, how aesthetics, merchandising and communication shape perception, and why diversification is essential for anyone building a career in entertainment. From artists and events to brands and business, he explains the strategy and thinking that connects the different worlds he operates in. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan X: @joeyakan Follow Alhaji Popping Instagram: @alhajipopping X: @AlhajiPopping Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. 17 Jul

    MAVO on Escaladizzy, Building His Own Lane & What It Means to Lead a New Generation

    In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with rising Afrobeats artist MAVO, the optometrist turned pop star who has quietly built one of the most distinctive creative identities in Nigerian music. MAVO breaks down the origin of his self-created vocabulary, the feeling-first philosophy behind records like Tumo Weto, Escaladizzy, Use Me, and Mofe, and how he balanced optometry school with building his music career. He opens up about creating music that feels authentic rather than forced, why simplicity is his greatest creative weapon, how his team built Killer Brother Records from the ground up, and why faith remains at the center of everything he does. MAVO also reflects on becoming one of the leading voices of a new generation, navigating success, protecting his creativity from social media, and why he believes fans should want the music before he gives it to them. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan X: @joeyakan Follow MAVO Instagram: Mavoswago Tik Tok: Mavo X: @mavoswago Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. 3 Jul

    Dr. Sid on Mo’Hits, Career Pivots & The Reality of Longevity in Afrobeats

    In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with veteran artist and longtime friend of the show, Dr. Sid. Dr. Sid reflects on his journey, from choosing music over a ₦45k/month job in 2005, to finding his sound with Eldee, joining Mo’Hits, and beginning his creative partnership with Don Jazzy. He breaks down the making of key records like “Ten Ten” (his transition from rap to singing), “Close to You,” and the hit “Surulere,” while sharing lessons on understanding hits versus misses, the role of gatekeepers in the industry, and the mindset required for longevity.He also discusses his pivot into gaming and knowing when it was time to evolve. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan X: @joeyakan Follow Dr. Sid Instagram: @iamdrsid Facebook: Dr. SidX: Dr. Sid on X Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Dr. Sid on Mo’Hits, Career Pivots & The Reality of Longevity in Afrobeats

  7. 19 Jun

    Excel Joab: Nigerian Music Industry ROI, What We Didn’t Learn from Afrobeats to the World & The “Now What” Moment

    In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Excel Joab, Senior Manager of A&R and Artist Development at AWAL (Sony Music) for West Africa, former Content Acquisition Manager at Boomplay, co-founder of Energize Music, and a key voice in Nigerian music strategy, breaks down the current realities of the Nigerian music industry. He discusses ROI in the business, the lessons we failed to learn from the global explosion of Afrobeats, the “Now What” moment Nigerian music finds itself in, and the international partners who have exited the market. A clear-eyed conversation on sustainability, growth, and the road ahead for artists, labels, and the industry. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Excel Joab Instagram: @exceljoab Podcast: UNHEARD INSIGHTS with Excel Joab   Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Excel Joab: Nigerian Music Industry ROI, What We Didn’t Learn from Afrobeats to the World & The “Now What” Moment

  8. 22 May

    Wale Davies (Tec): Palmwine Pioneer, Show Dem Camp Legend & BAFTA-Winning Writer of My Father's Shadow

    On this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits down with Wale Davies (Tec), one half of the revered rap duo Show Dem Camp, cultural architect of the Palmwine Music movement, and now acclaimed screenwriter whose work on My Father's Shadow has earned major international recognition, including a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut and multiple AMVCA wins (including Best Writing and Best Movie). Wale reflects on the grind of building a career with full independence in Nigeria’s music industry: early resistance, the deliberate choice to stay independent, and the creation of a loyal, cross-generational community through authentic storytelling and sonic experimentation. He traces the evolution of Show Dem Camp and the Palmwine sound, while unpacking his bold expansion into film, artist development, and cultural documentation. He dives deep into the making of My Father's Shadow — the deeply personal, semi-autobiographical film co-written with his brother Akinola Davies Jr. — its historic Cannes premiere, and the weight of telling intimate Nigerian stories on the global stage. From the realities of creating in Nigeria versus international markets, to the philosophy of “dying empty” by fully realizing one’s creative potential, this conversation is a powerful masterclass in ownership, longevity, legacy, and platforming African narratives. A rich, insightful dialogue about building something meaningful that transcends one industry. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Wale Davies Instagram:  kingxdavies Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Wale Davies (Tec): Palmwine Pioneer, Show Dem Camp Legend & BAFTA-Winning Writer of My Father's Shadow
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About

Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is the podcast extension of the popular music newsletter, Afrobeats Intelligence. Presented by OkayAfrica and sponsored by premium cognac brand Martell, Afrobeats Intelligence explores the intersection of art, humanity, and the processes that give birth to African sonic excellence. Through eclectic interviews that spotlight creativity from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and beyond, Joey invites listeners every other Friday to take a snapshot into the soul of an industry pushing toward global greatness. Together, we examine the past, present, and future of African music, democratizing access to the ideas, people, and movements shaping its evolution. If you are new to Afrobeats Intelligence, start here!

Information

  • Creator
    Joey Akan/OkayAfrica
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    78
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Joey Akan
  • Show Website
    Afrobeats Intelligence

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