When people talk about African music having a global breakthrough, the conversation often centres on just a handful of countries, according to former YouTube Black music director Tuma Basa.
“Nigeria and South Africa are dominating the most,” said Basa, who recently stepped down after eight years at YouTube.
He noted that while Afrobeats and South Africa’s Amapiano have become global sounds, much of the continent remains underrepresented despite its wide musical diversity.
Basa explained that language and diaspora influence play a major role in global visibility.
“Firstly, they are all English-speaking and right now that still makes a difference in terms of international acceptance of music,” he said, referring to Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana.
He added that diaspora communities have helped push African music into global markets.
“Strong diasporas of Nigeria and Ghana are key in getting this music popular,” Basa said.
“South Africa doesn’t have as large diaspora, but their dances spread through social media like wildfire.”
According to him, cultural events like Lagos’ “Detty December” and Ghana’s “Year of Return” have also boosted international exposure as visitors carry African music back to the US and UK.
Despite this growth, Basa said large parts of Africa are still left out of the global music conversation.
“Yes, some regions are being left out of the global conversation,” he said. “But that will change as technology continues to level the playing field.”
He highlighted how streaming platforms, social media, and affordable production tools are reducing barriers for emerging artists, though he stressed that infrastructure remains a bigger challenge than talent.
Basa, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and raised across multiple countries, said his background shaped his global perspective.
“It forced me to empathize,” he said. “It forced me to become interculturally competent.”
He previously worked with MTV and Spotify, where he helped develop influential playlists that boosted global and African acts.
Despite the dominance of algorithms in modern music discovery, Basa warned against relying on shortcuts.
“There are definitely growth hacks that exist,” he said. “Gaming the system is what backfires.”
He said consistency and collaboration remain key for artists trying to build lasting careers.
“When artists collaborate, they tap into the audience of the other artists,” he said.
“Consistency builds relationships with the audience. They know you’ll always be there.”
Basa also stressed that human decision-making still plays a huge role in what becomes globally successful.
Playlist editors, labels, advertisers, and curators, he said, all influence visibility alongside algorithms.
“Human curation is still very important,” Basa said.
He explained that many African genres and regional sounds remain underrepresented because of limited local infrastructure and weak global pipelines.
“If music isn’t available on platforms, can it ever truly be discovered?” he asked.
Basa also pointed out that streaming economics favour music consumed in wealthier markets.
“The difference in payouts isn’t necessarily because of the artist’s nationality,” he said. “It’s because of where the audience is located.”
He identified genres such as Kizomba, Morna, Rwanda’s KinyaTrap, and South Africa’s “3 Step” as examples of rich but underexposed African sounds.
For Basa, the future of African music depends on unity and collaboration across regions.
“Collaboration is infrastructure if it’s a movement,” he said. “If all the artists are on the same page.”
He also warned that generative AI is already reshaping music production and distribution.
“Gen AI has its dangers,” he said. “There are going to be some unintended negative byproducts.”
However, he believes AI could also help African artists overcome language barriers and reach global audiences.
“I can be an artist in Korea, do my song in Korean, and I can have a Swahili version, a Mandarin version, an Arabic version, a Portuguese version using my voice, my words, my melody, my cadence,” he said.
Still, Basa said the key issue remains control and infrastructure, not just technology.
He concluded that Africa’s global music moment is only the beginning, and sustained success will depend on ownership, systems, and representation — not just viral popularity.
