Afrobeat

noun

Af·​ro·​beat ˈa-frō-ˌbēt 

: urban popular music originating in Nigeria in the late 1960s that emphasizes percussion rhythms and features elements of jazz and funk and lyrics which are often strongly political

Examples of Afrobeat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This year brought the ruthlessly popular Nigerian party Obi’s House to Trinidad Carnival, which meant a chance to hear Afrobeats and Amapiano with a funky-cool pan-African crowd. —Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

Azonto is a dance and music style from Ghana; Timbaland’s version, with its mid-tempo beat and modal horn lines, also hints at Fela Kuti’s 1970s Afrobeat. —Jon Pareles, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

While Houston is the Texas town better known to serve Afrobeats lovers, Rema fans flocked to Austin for his headlining, showcase-closing set on March 14. —Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025

While Houston is the Texas town better known to serve Afrobeats lovers, Rema fans flocked to Austin for his headlining set that closed out Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcase. —Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

afro- + beat entry 2

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Afrobeat

• bittersweet
• celestite
• incomplete
• indiscreet
• marguerite
• obsolete
• overeat
• overheat
• parakeet
• stillingfleet
• superheat
• amit