From lovers rock and grime to Afrobeats, amapiano and dembow, the music of the African diaspora is the engine of the UK sound
October is Black History Month in the UK, and this year the celebration comes with hard numbers behind it. Earlier this year, UK Music published Black Music Means Business, the first report of its kind in Europe, measuring 30 years of Black music’s impact on the British industry. To mark the month, ONErpm is spotlighting 24 Black diasporic artists from 11 territories whose music is moving audiences in the UK and around the world.
The Numbers Behind the Sound
The UK is one of the most competitive music markets on the planet, ranking behind only the US and Japan among the world’s largest recorded music markets.
According to the report, the UK’s recorded music market generated about £30 billion between 1994 and 2023. An estimated £24.5 billion of that, more than 80%, came from music rooted in Black music genres, made by both British and international artists. British artists working in these genres alone account for nearly £12 billion.
In the report’s foreword, the UK Music Diversity Taskforce sums it up in four words: “Black Music is like gold.”
A Home for Black Music Innovation
Few countries have shaped as many Black music genres as the UK. Lovers rock, a uniquely British style of reggae, emerged in the late ’70s and ’80s. Sound system culture, with its roots in Caribbean music, went on to give rise to jungle, drum & bass, UK garage, grime and dubstep.
The story keeps evolving. London’s club scene created UK Funky in the 2000s, drawing on African percussion and dance traditions. In the 2010s, Afroswing blended Afrobeats with UK rap and R&B. The launch of the UK Afrobeats Chart in 2020 showed how central African music has become to British pop culture. Today, artists like Dave, Little Simz, Raye, Stormzy and Ezra Collective carry that legacy to global audiences.
ONErpm and the Sound of the Diaspora
For ONErpm, that work happens on the ground. The company opened its first African office in Lagos in 2020 and has since added teams in Accra, Abidjan, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg. Local experts in each market give artists release, marketing and distribution support, while ONErpm’s global network carries their music to listeners worldwide, from Lagos to London.
The result is a roster that reflects the diaspora itself: drill and R&B from the UK, Afrobeats and highlife from West Africa, Bongo Flava and Kenyan drill from East Africa, amapiano from the south, dembow from the Dominican Republic, and funk, grime and drill from Brazil.
The African diaspora’s sound also runs through Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Afro-descendant communities there shaped salsa, samba, cumbia, merengue and reggaeton, and Black Music Means Business counts all of them among its core Black music genres.
Dominican dembow even takes its name from “Dem Bow,” a Jamaican dancehall hit by Shabba Ranks, sharing the same Caribbean roots that fed UK sound system culture. That shared history helps explain why these sounds feel at home in British clubs.
Black music has always travelled. Lovers rock grew out of Jamaican reggae in South London, UK drill found a second home in Nairobi, and Afrobeats made the trip from Lagos the other way. The artists on this list keep that exchange going, and ONErpm is proud to help their music reach new listeners.
22 Artists to Know
From London’s drill scene to Johannesburg’s amapiano dance floors, these ONErpm artists show how far the sound of the African diaspora travels.
BackRoad Gee (UK)
A London rapper of Congolese heritage, BackRoad Gee is one of UK drill’s most distinctive voices. He broke through in 2020 with “Party Popper” and has since worked with JME, Ghetts, Pa Salieu and RV.
JBEE (UK)
London rapper JBEE broke through in 2021 when “4 AM” took off with fans of lo-fi drill, earning him a MOBO nomination. His melodic, diary-style songs have built him a fanbase far beyond the UK.
Kali Claire (UK)
Born and raised in Hackney, East London, Kali Claire is a singer, songwriter and producer of Jamaican and Irish heritage. Her soulful R&B has made her one of the UK’s rising voices, and she co-wrote “Wasted Energy” on Alicia Keys’ 2020 album Alicia.
Lost Girl (UK)
Lost Girl makes atmospheric alternative R&B about love, self-worth and healing, and caught BBC 1Xtra‘s ear early, with “Pretty Liar” named its Track of the Week. Her 2026 EP EGO is her most confident work yet.
Eugy Official (Ghana / UK)
After eight years in Afrobeats, British-Ghanaian artist Eugy Official reemerged in 2023 as a Christian rap artist releasing through ONErpmAlbumThe Prodigal Son and God Reigns have made him a rising voice in UK gospel.
Zlatan (Nigeria)
Zlatan is a Nigerian street-hop pioneer, creator of the Zanku legwork dance, and the entrepreneur behind ZTTW. Hits like “Zanku,” “Shotan” and “Lagos Anthem” won him AFRIMMA’s Best New Act in 2019. He has three albums to his name and runs Zanku Records.
Chike (Nigeria)
Singer, songwriter and actor Chicken blends R&B, soul and highlife into some of Nigeria’s most-loved love songs. He won a Headies award for “The Brother’s Keeper“, his debut passed 200M streams, and his latest album, “Son of Chike“, celebrates his roots.
Kuami Eugene (Ghana)
One of highlife’s biggest modern stars, Kuami Eugene blends tradition with Afropop. His hit “Angela” became an anthem across West Africa. In 2026, he released two albums, “Sweet Boy” and “Renaissance: Echoes of the Rockstar”, along with singles like “We Go” and “Ajei” through Clear Road Music Records and ONErpm. In October, he had the crowd at Sarkodie’s Rapperholic concert in Kumasi singing along to every hit.
Wendy Shay (Ghana)
Known as the “Queen of Ghana Music,” Wendy Shay rose to fame in 2018 with her breakout hit “Uber Driver.” She has since built a massive following with Afropop hits like “Survivor,” “Too Late” and “Crazy Love,” becoming Ghana’s most streamed female artist.
DopeNation (Ghana)
DopeNation is Ghanaian identical twin brothers Michael “B2” Boafo and Tony “Twist” Boafo. Their single “"Kakalika"” hit 38 million streams in five months, peaking at roughly 500,000 daily streams and 3 million monthly Spotify listeners.
Buruklyn Boyz (Kenya)
The Nairobi duo put Kenyan drill on the map, giving the UK-born sound a distinctly East African identity. In October 2025, they released 58 Flava through ONErpm, a 17-track album that adds Afrobeats, amapiano and highlife touches to their drill roots, with guests including Nviiri the Storyteller, Lil Maina, Breeder LW and Bensoul. They’ve kept the momentum going in 2026 with singles like “Stima,” “Genje Sana” and “East Kwetu.”
Nikita Kering' (Kenya)
A powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, Nikita Kering‘ is one of KeA powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, Nikita Kering’ is one of Kenya’s leading voices in R&B and soul. In May 2026, she returned with The Lick Back, her first project since 2022, written in just three weeks.nya’s leading voices in R&B and soul.
John Blaq (United Kingdom)
Raised in Bweyogerere, just outside of Kampala, John Blaq broke through in 2018 with “Tukwatagane,” which won Best Dancehall Song at the 2019 Zzina Awards. Today, he is one of Uganda’s most popular young stars, mixing Afropop and dancehall into feel-good hits.
Ang3lina (Uganda / UK)
London-born Ugandan singer, songwriter and producer Ang3lina broke through in Kampala with the dancehall hit “Ghetto Lovin’,” followed by favorites like “Fantasize” and “Mercy” with Honorebel. Blending Afropop, dancehall and Ugandan zouk, she won Best Diaspora Artist at the 2015 Ugandan Entertainment Awards.
Ibrahim (Tanzania)
A rising name in Bongo Flava, Tanzania’s signature pop sound, Abraham brings smooth vocals to East Africa’s biggest dance floors. First introduced in 2020 as the debut signing to Harmonize’s Konde Music Worldwide, he has since gone independent. In October 2026, he released “1B”, a 50-track album with guests including D Voice, Phina, Mr Blue, Billnass and Kenya’s King Kaka.
The Ben (Rwanda)
The Ben is one of Rwanda’s best-known artists, with romantic Afropop ballads that have made him a star across East Africa and the diaspora. In summer 2026, he and Bruce Melodie co-headlined the Summer Country Tour, a four-stop concert series across Rwanda. He has also earned three nominations at the 2026 HiPipo Music Awards, including Africa Number One and East African Song of the Year for “Inshallah.”
Mr JazziQ (South Africa)
Amapiano producer and trendsetter, Mr Jazziq (real name Tumelo Manyoni) has been dictating the culture for over a decade. After signing with ONErpm in 2025, he hit the ground running in early 2026 releasing the #1 album “0303” on his birthday, and being featured heavily across the DSPs in Africa.
Donaty (Dominican Republic)
Donate is a leading voice in Dominican dembow, known for raw, viral street hits like “Eso E” and “Chica Baila.” Backed by GunzGangMusic and ONErpm, he has recently expanded into street trap and earned a Best Dembowsero nomination at the Heat Awards.
The Perverse One (Dominican Republic)
The Perverse One rose to fame in 2019 and has since found international success with her chart-topping single “Mona” and her album “Scorpion”. Next up is a 2027 show at New York’s United Palace.
ANTCONSTANTINO (Brazil)
DJ and producer ANTCONSTANTINO, from Rio de Janeiro, is one of the key names behind Brazilian grime and drill. A co-founder of the Brasil Grime Show collective, he now holds a residency on Rinse FM and has shared mixes on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
LEALL (Brazil)
Rio rapper LEALL rose through Brazil’s grime scene with his acclaimed debut album “Esculpido a Machado”, mixing funk, grime and drill. He has since moved freely across genres, most recently blending rap and jazz on “Você Precisa do Álibi” and “No Canto do Club” with Paulo DK and VCR Slim.
Btrem (Brazil)
Also known as “Artilheira” (“The Striker”),Btrain is one of the most recognizable voices of her generation. With a sound that flows between drill, trap and club music, her lyrics portray the reality and strength of ambitious women in Black Brazilian music.
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