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Afrobeats Intelligence

Afrobeats Intelligence

By: Joey Akan/OkayAfrica
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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!Joey Akan Music
Episodes
  • Jyde Ajala on Visual Architecture, Working with Legends & Why Music Videos Still Matter

    Jyde Ajala on Visual Architecture, Working with Legends & Why Music Videos Still Matter
    9 Oct 2026
    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
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    1 hr and 5 min
  • FOLA on Locking In, From Betting Shop to Paid Crowds & Building ‘Catharsis’ on His Terms

    FOLA on Locking In, From Betting Shop to Paid Crowds & Building ‘Catharsis’ on His Terms
    25 Sep 2026
    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
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    54 min
  • Winny: Finding Your Voice, Creating Without Fear & Trusting the Process

    Winny: Finding Your Voice, Creating Without Fear & Trusting the Process
    11 Sep 2026
    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
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    42 min
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