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Paper short abstract:

Why does the ongoing Africa hype not necessarily translate into commensurate futures for African creatives? Based on extensive fieldwork with young instrumentalists from Ghana, this paper analyzes transcontinental music relations. It reveals contradictions that are closely linked to our “global” era

Paper long abstract:

In recent years, arts and popular culture labeled as “African” have gained international popularity on a hitherto unseen scale. In the field of music, the digital revolution has amplified the spread of African sounds globally. Electronic music originating in West Africa is hyped in the global pop mainstream under the new genre name “Afrobeats”. Rappers who previously veiled their African origins, are now proudly presenting "African Swag". However, despite all the hype, it turns out to be extremely difficult for creatives based in Africa to translate this international popularization into commensurate livelihood and sustainable artistic flourishing.

Against the backdrop of multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork with young instrumentalists from urban Ghana between 2013 and 2021, this paper takes a close look at transcontinental relationships in music production, e.g., with musician-colleagues, producers, managers, and supporters from overseas. The case study traces how these translocal and precarious labor relations affect the musicians’ creativity, livelihood, mobility, and participation in “local” and “global” fields of expressive culture. In what ways can the promises of the recent Africa vogue be turned into improved presents and futures on the continent? The analysis reveals contradictions in transcontinental creative labor relations that are closely linked to some paradoxes of our “global” era.