San Basilio de Palenque, a village southeast of Cartagena, Colombia, is a historic hub of African cultural preservation and the birthplace of cumbia music.
Today, its African-rooted rhythms are resonating anew through the global rise of Afrobeats, particularly in Latin America. This growing musical synergy isn’t coincidental; it’s the result of a deep, historical connection and modern digital platforms fostering cultural exchange.
Colombian artists like Beéle and Kapo are leading a new wave of Latin-Afrobeats fusion, which is now called the Afro-Ritmo sound. They draw directly from Nigerian sounds and reinterpret them through local styles like champeta and salsa.
These collaborations, whether organic or intentional, reflect a two-way creative dialogue between African and Latin artists, from underground hits to chart-topping tracks.
This phenomenon is backed by explosive growth in Afrobeats’ popularity across Latin America, fueled by shared heritage, streaming platforms, and a desire for cultural reconnection.
As global collaborations multiply between stars like Mr Eazi and J Balvin and Ayra Starr and Rauw Alejandro, Afrobeats is no longer just an African export but a global language reshaping music across borders.
A deeper dive into Spotify data reveals landmarks of Afrobeats’ journey across Latin America.
Since 2020, Argentina and Mexico have witnessed more than 400% growth in Afrobeats streams, while Brazil has seen a 500% surge in the same period.
Yet no Latin American nation has been more captivated by the Afrobeats phenomenon than Colombia, where 25 million hours of the genre have been streamed so far in 2025.
Here, local stars like Kapa and Beele stand at the forefront of this homegrown embrace, drawing inspiration from the West African sound and boldly propelling it in fresh directions. Their collaborations with Nigerian hitmakers allow for a vibrant reimagining of these infectious tunes.
Afrobeats growth in Latin America
-
180% listenership increase in 2025 (YoY)
-
400% growth in Argentina and Mexico since 2020
-
500% growth in Brazil since 2020
-
25 million hours of Afrobeats were streamed in Colombia in 2025 alone
Artist impact
Beéle
-
Inspired by Davido’s ‘Aye’ at age 12
-
First Billboard entry with ‘Loco’ at age 16
-
Debut album BORONDO features Nigerian producers
Kapo:
-
Breakout hits ‘Ohnana’ and ‘Uwaie’ (Billboard Global 200)
-
‘Ohnana’ hit #1 on Latin Rhythm Airplay
-
Collaborated with Nigerian artist Fido on ‘Awolowo’ remix
Major collaborations
-
Rauw Alejandro x Ayra Starr x Rvssian – ‘Santana’
-
300M+ Spotify streams
-
Earned Ayra Starr the first Latin Diamond Certification
-
Omah Lay x Ozuna – ‘Soso’ remix
-
Mr Eazi x J Balvin – ‘Lento,’ ‘Arcoíris’ (Latin Grammy winner)
-
J Balvin x Burna Boy – ‘Rollercoaster’
Streaming culture & genre fusion
-
The Latin Afrobeats subgenre has grown by 6,000% since 2020
-
Playlist Afro-Ritmo listenership grew by 180% in 2025
-
Internet and streaming services are credited for democratising discovery and cross-continental musical fusion.
