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DJames is not just playing records, he is helping shape the way the world experiences African music. With a career built around genre fusion, global touring and an endless pursuit of new sounds, the UK-based DJ and producer has become one of the creative forces helping Afrobeats travel across borders and connect with audiences worldwide. Following the success of his previous London appearances, DJames is set to return to Outernet on Nov. 8, 2026, with an entirely new live experience. The upcoming show will feature an exclusive on-stage viewing opportunity for a select number of fans, giving them a closer look at the energy, creativity and storytelling behind one of the most distinctive DJ performances in the Afrobeats space. Early-bird general admission tickets are already close to selling out.Since winning the Red Bull 3Style UK Championship in 2019, DJames has evolved from a celebrated DJ competition winner into a global ambassador for African and Caribbean sounds. Recognised as the “King of Blends,” he has mastered the art of connecting different worlds through music, seamlessly weaving Afrobeats, Dancehall, Hip-Hop and other genres into sets that reflect the richness and diversity of global sounds. His performances have taken him from viral online moments to international stages, including Europe’s first Major League Baseball game and Saudi Arabia’s first international tennis tournament. Beyond the stage, DJames has embraced the role of a curator and cultural bridge. His passion for music discovery has seen him champion emerging African artists, introduce new sounds to listeners across continents and create pathways for records to move beyond their original markets. Through his work, he continues to highlight the diversity within African music while helping audiences discover the stories and cultures behind the sounds.Ahead of his return to London, DJames is continuing his global run with a Canadian tour that kicked off on July 31. The multi-city tour will see him bring his signature blend of African and global sounds to audiences across Canada, concluding in Toronto on August 8. As Afrobeats continues to reshape global music culture, DJames represents a new generation of tastemakers pushing the genre into new territories.

Djames Returns to London's Outernet as His Global Afrobeats Journey Continues

South African pop sensation Tyla’s planned Lagos stop on her A*POP World Tour has been removed from her official tour schedule, following weeks of backlash from some Nigerian fans over recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.The singer was scheduled to perform in Lagos on 22 December 2026 as part of her global tour, but the date no longer appears on her official tour website. The development comes after calls from some Nigerians for the show to be cancelled, although Tyla herself has not publicly stated a reason for the removal. The controversy was linked to tensions surrounding xenophobic incidents in South Africa and concerns over the treatment of Nigerians and other Africans in the country. Some fans argued that while Tyla was not involved in the attacks, her appearance in Nigeria should be reconsidered amid the wider conversation. Among those who spoke on the matter was Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who called for Nigeria to take a similar position after Afrobeats star Ayra Starr was reportedly denied entry into South Africa. The debate has since sparked conversations about culture, diplomacy, and the relationship between African nations.Tyla, who has become one of Africa’s biggest global music exports following the success of hits such as “Water”, has not yet issued an official statement regarding the removal of the Lagos date from her tour schedule.

Tyla’s Lagos Concert Date Removed From Official A*POP Tour Schedule

Speculation is growing among music fans after Jamaican dancehall icon Vybz Kartel and Ghanaian dancehall star Shatta Wale both arrived in the United Kingdom ahead of their respective headline performances this weekend. Shatta Wale is set to headline his London concert at Copthall Playing Fields on August 1, 2026, while Vybz Kartel will headline Reggae Land Festival at Milton Keynes Bowl on August 2, 2026, performing on the Main Stage. With both artistes now in the UK within the same timeframe, fans have begun wondering whether Kartel could make a surprise appearance at Shatta Wale’s highly anticipated London show. The possibility has generated excitement among supporters, especially given Shatta Wale’s long-standing admiration for the Jamaican dancehall legend. The two artistes share a strong musical relationship, having collaborated on tracks including “Mansa Musa” and the “Street Crown Remix.” Their connection was further highlighted when Shatta Wale became the only African artiste invited to perform at Vybz Kartel’s Freedom Concert in Jamaica following the dancehall star’s release from prison. Although there has been no official confirmation of a joint performance, a surprise appearance by Vybz Kartel at Shatta Wale’s London concert would be a defining moment for fans of dancehall and African music. With both icons now on UK soil, anticipation continues to build over whether the two stars could share the stage once again.

Vybz Kartel’s UK Arrival Fuels Hopes of Surprise Appearance at Shatta Wale’s London Concert

Grammy Award-winning South African singer Tyla has announced dates for her first headlining world tour, with the APOP World Tour set to include major stops across Africa, Europe and North America. The tour, which supports her latest album A*POP, will conclude with a three-date African run featuring performances in Nigeria and South Africa.Tyla will bring the tour to Lagos, Nigeria, on 22 December before returning home to South Africa for shows in Cape Town on 4 January and Johannesburg on 9 January. The Lagos venue is yet to be announced, while the Cape Town and Johannesburg performances will mark some of the most anticipated stops of the global tour.The African dates will follow the European and UK leg of the tour, which begins on 12 October in Paris and includes stops in cities such as Amsterdam, London, Glasgow, Manchester, Brussels, Berlin, Stockholm and Copenhagen. The North American leg will begin on 12 November in California, with shows planned in cities including Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.The announcement comes after Tyla’s successful We Wanna Party Tour in 2025, which featured sold-out performances across Asia. Her growing international success has cemented her position as one of Africa’s leading global music stars, with the A*POP World Tour set to be her biggest headline tour so far.

Tyla Announces A*POP World Tour with Joburg, Cape Town and Lagos Stops

For nearly a decade, Grammy-nominated Nigerian music executive and talent manager Bankulli (Abisagboola Oluseun John) has been piecing together what he believes is one of the most important stories in African music.Speaking on Accra-based Pluzz FM, the longtime music executive revealed that he has spent the last eight to nine years developing Chronicles of Afrobeats, a documentary project created to document the origins, evolution and global rise of Afrobeats while ensuring its history is preserved for future generations. "We have to learn our story, preserve our story and archive our story," Bankulli said. "If we don't tell it ourselves, somebody else will tell it differently." The documentary's debut episode, The Sound, premiered in November 2025, tracing the musical lineage that shaped Afrobeats. It explores the influence of Fuji, Juju, Highlife and Afrobeat, before examining how the genre evolved by embracing electronic sounds in the 1980s and reggae and dancehall influences throughout the 1990s.For Bankulli, however, Chronicles of Afrobeats extends far beyond documenting music. He describes it as a cultural archive that captures the people, movements and moments that transformed Afrobeats into one of the world's most influential genres.He noted that the project also highlights the genre's impact on African identity, particularly among young people across the continent and in the diaspora. "People think it's just music and dance," he explained. "But Afrobeats gives people confidence. It changed how Africans see themselves and how the world sees us." The project will also be released as a book, expanding its mission of documenting the genre's history beyond the screen. Bankulli admitted the journey wasn't without challenges. He said the years spent researching and interviewing contributors taught him patience and humility, especially as many conversations touched on subjects that had rarely been discussed publicly. Among them is the debate surrounding the origins and ownership of Highlife music — a genre that played a pivotal role in shaping modern Afrobeats. According to Bankulli, Ghana occupies an important place throughout the documentary because of its contribution to the sound's evolution. <figure id="figure-czs1fp112mmrxcy6e7"><img id="czs1fp112mmrxcy6e7" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/0j0cZBFu25lnUMJjYbslAThUy1UZz5BSQHtWJ8bXWn83Nh1WlsXsnknYhUF7a6w8.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 20%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="50%" data-positionY="20%" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>"When you watch it, there are some sensitive topics people were very scared to talk about," he said, adding that many of these stories had never been properly documented. Calling the documentary a tribute to the architects of African music, Bankulli said the project exists to ensure the pioneers behind the sound receive the recognition they deserve.As Chronicles of Afrobeats continues its rollout, Bankulli revealed that global activations are already underway. The project has hosted events in Lagos in partnership with the Canadian Embassy, as well as in New York, Atlanta and Houston, bringing together music industry stakeholders and audiences to engage with the story behind Afrobeats.For Bankulli, preserving the genre's legacy is no longer optional &nbsp;it's essential. And through Chronicles of Afrobeats, he hopes the next generation will inherit not only the music, but the history that made it possible.

Bankulli's Chronicles of Afrobeats Explores the Roots of a Global Sound

Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur has postponed the North American leg of his Redemption Valley Tour, which was scheduled to begin in July, after revealing that he is dealing with a health issue. The affected dates include shows in Boston, New York City, Washington DC and Atlanta.In a statement shared on Instagram, the rapper apologised to fans and said the decision was made after receiving medical advice. “My doctors have told me that moving forward with the tour right now would be reckless and dangerous to my health,” he wrote.Kwesi Arthur said the postponement was difficult but necessary to allow him to recover and return to the stage at full strength. “I owe it to you, and to myself, to come back and give you the show you deserve,” he added, while assuring fans that new North American dates are being arranged.The tour was originally set to kick off on July 18, with stops in major US cities before concluding in Atlanta on August 6. Kwesi Arthur confirmed that his London show will proceed as scheduled, while existing tickets for the postponed North American dates will remain valid once the new dates are announced.

Kwesi Arthur postpones North American tour dates over health concerns

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Blog

Djames Returns to London's Outernet as His Global Afrobea...

Tyla’s Lagos Concert Date Removed From Official A*POP Tou...

Vybz Kartel’s UK Arrival Fuels Hopes of Surprise Appearan...

Tyla Announces A*POP World Tour with Joburg, Cape Town an...

Bankulli's Chronicles of Afrobeats Explores the Roots of ...

Kwesi Arthur postpones North American tour dates over hea...