Black Super Heroes!
The list was put together using factors such as endorsement value, popularity, show rates, sales, awards, YouTube views, appearance in newspapers, investment, social media presence, influence and others.
10. OLIVER MTUKUDZI (Zimbabwe)
Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi has 65 albums under his belt, more than the legendary Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It’s a remarkable career stretching back 41 years with songs that have enlivened parties all over the world.
Unfortunately, East Africa and Uganda in particularly was not represented. Our top artists: Bebe Cool Big Size, Dr. Jose Chameleone, Bobi Wine did not make it to the list. Next time.
9. SARKODIE (Ghana)
Michael Owusu Addo started out as an underground rapper and through the help of Duncan Williams, his former manager, his career was launched. Staying true to his identity, he is a big advocate of Azonto, a Ghanaian genre that is said to have been born out of Kpanlogo, a traditional dance.
His first single off his fourth album, Mewu, sold almost 4,000 copies on the first day of its release in Ghana. He was also the first Ghanaian to win a BET award.
8. DAVIDO (Nigeria)
David Adedeji Adeleke born November 21, 1992, better known by his stage name Davido, is an American-born Nigerian recording artist, performer and record producer. His 2011 single “Dami Duro” was well-received throughout Nigeria. Along with his elder brother Adewale Adeleke, Davido is the co-owner of HKN Music (a record label home to Sina Rambo, B. Red and DeeKay).
Davido has claimed a high status in just five years. He said it was people like P-Square and D’Banj who made him believe this was possible. He became famous for his widely acclaimed 2012 debut album “Omo Baba Olowo”.
7. WIZKID (Nigeria)
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, born 16 July 1990, better known by his stage name Wizkid sometimes stylised as WizKid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He started recording music at age 11 and managed to release a collaborative album with the Glorious Five, a group he and a couple of his church friends formed.
He rose to prominence in 2010 with the release of the song “Holla at Your Boy”.
Wizkid is arguably currently the uncrowned king of African music. Grammy Award-winning artist, Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beatz, danced to his songs Ojuelegba and Caro, with Keys posting a video on her Instagram account with the caption, “This song makes me happy”. Kylie Jenner also posted a video of herself dancing to Wizkid’s music on Snapchat.
6. JIDENNA (Nigeria)
Jidenna Theodore Mobisson, born May 4, 1985, known mononymously as Jidenna, is a recording artist and record producer. In 2015, Jidenna released two singles, “Classic Man” and “Yoga”, promoting Janelle Monáe’s label Wondaland Records’ compilation EP The Eephus with Epic Records.
His debut album, The Chief was released on February 17, 2017
By the age of 10, Jidenna Theodore Mobisson knew he wanted to do music but was afraid to tell his father who wanted him to be an engineer. He is ranked sixth according to Forbes Africa.
5. TINASHE (Zimbabwe)
Tinashe Jorgenson Kachingwe born February 6, 1993 is singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress and former model. She began her entertainment career at the age of three when she began modeling and acting.
In 2012, Tinashe released two critically acclaimed mixtapes, In Case We Die and Reverie, which she created in her home studio. After the release of the mixtapes, Tinashe signed with RCA Records.
Tinashe was a child model by the age of three. The twenty-four-year-old sang before she could talk and made her first appearance in 2000 in the film Cora Unashamed.
Her voice also starred in the cartoon feature film The Polar Express alongside Oscar-winning actor, Tom Hanks.
4. DON JAZZY (Nigeria)
Don Jazzy, real name Michael Collins Ajereh is ranked fourth richest musician in Africa and also first in Nigeria. Like many artists, he started playing music as a child in church before moving to the UK to pursue his career.
Michael Collins Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian record producer, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He co-founded the now defunct record label Mo’ Hits Records in 2004. Following the closure of the aforementioned record label, Don Jazzy set up Mavin Records on May 8, 2012
3. HUGH MASEKELA (South Africa)
Born in Witbank, east of Johannesburg, he has released more than 43 albums and performed with Marvin Gaye, Dizzy Gillespie, The Byrds, Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Miriam Makeba.
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela born 4 April 1939,is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and singer. He is the father of American television host Sal Masekela. He is known for his jazz compositions, as well as for writing well-known anti-apartheid songs such as “Soweto Blues” and “Bring Him Back Home”
2. BLACK COFFEE (South Africa)
The multi-award-winning artist’s real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo. Black Coffee (born Nkosinathi Maphumulo on 11 March 1976, is a South African record producer and DJ.
He began his career around 1995 and has released five albums as well as a live DVD under his Johannesburg-based record label, Soulistic Music.[He is arguably the most prominent electronic music producer in Africa. He was born in South Africa’s house music province, KwaZulu-Natal and raised in the Eastern Cape province.
1. AKON (Senegal)
Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam, born April 16, 1973, better known as Akon has over 35 million albums sold worldwide. He has won numerous awards including five Grammy Award nominations and has 45 Billboard Hot 100 songs under his belt.
Akon is singer, rapper, songwriter, businessman, record producer and actor of Senegalese descent. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of “Locked Up”, the first single from his debut album Trouble. He tops the list according to Forbes Africa.
