Lagos to Los Angeles — The Sound That Crossed Oceans
It began as a club rhythm. Now it’s cinematic.
Hollywood producers are turning to Nigeria’s Afrobeats scene for vibrant, rhythmic soundscapes that capture both energy and emotion.
Recent blockbusters like Bad Boys 4: Ride or Die feature tracks from Burna Boy and Tems, while upcoming Netflix originals have commissioned Nigerian composers to blend African percussion with orchestral strings.
“Afrobeats gives life to motion — it’s colour in sound,” says U.S.-based producer Ryan Keyes, who scored Queen of the South.
The Rise of the Afro-Cinematic Identity
Nigerian producers like Pheelz, Sarz, and London are signing direct soundtrack deals, bypassing traditional Western intermediaries.
Streaming data from Spotify for Creators shows Afrobeats soundtracks generated a 230% increase in sync licensing requests between 2023 and 2025.
Tems’ Me & U featured in the Disney+ Africa Rising campaign, while CKay’s “Emiliana” underscored Netflix’s Top Boy: Lagos Chronicles teaser.
“It’s the new sonic language of Black cinema,” notes musicologist Dr. Ruky Olabode. “It connects diaspora emotion with African rhythm.”
Creative Economy & Ownership
Nigeria’s creative sector, now worth an estimated $11.6 billion, benefits from every sync deal.
Producers earn 3–5x more from soundtrack licensing than from domestic streaming, according to IDNN data.
Local studios in Lekki and Surulere are scaling up audio-post infrastructure to service international projects, boosting employment for sound engineers, mixers, and composers.
From Export to Industry Powerhouse
Afrobeats is now a film-industry currency — driving collaborations, tourism, and branding.
Multinationals like Sony Pictures and Amazon MGM have opened Lagos music liaison offices to scout local sounds for global release.
This is IDNN. Independent. Digital. Uncompromising.
