One of the leading companies in the world, Apple Music, is launching its first radio show in Africa on Sunday with DJ Cuppy as its host.
The streaming platform announced yesterday that “Africa Now Radio with Cuppy,” whose real name is Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola would debut on Sunday and would feature a mix of contemporary and traditional popular African sounds, including genres like latest African sounds, be it Amapiano, Afrobeats, Highlife, Alte, House, Hip-Hop, Afrobongo or Kuduro, and more.
Apple, in a statement, said listeners would hear the latest and greatest African artistes and new forms of African popular music, which fuse traditional and contemporary sensibilities, morphing into hybridised sonic fragments connecting all corners of Africa.
Cuppy, the Nigerian-born DJ and music producer, would host the weekly one-hour show, which would be available at 9.00 a.m. EDT.
“The show represents a journey from West to East and North to South, but importantly a narrative of Africa then to Africa now,” Cuppy explained in a statement.
African music and artistes have found success outside of the continent and onto the pop charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom in recent years.
Acts like Drake and Beyoncé have borrowed the sound for their own songs, while performers like South African DJ Black Coffee as well as Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid and Mr. Eazi — all with roots in Nigeria — continue to gain attention and have become household names.
Apple Music’s announcement came the same week Universal Music Group said it was launching Def Jam Africa, a new division of the label focusing on hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa.
The label said it would be based in Johannesburg and Lagos, but planned to sign talent from all over the continent. The deal is said to be worth seven-digit figure.
Cuppy, the celebrity DJ daughter of Nigerian billionaire, Mr. Femi Otedola, is unstoppable. By this deal, Cuppy is bringing the world to Africa as she is now the face and voice behind Apple Music’s new radio show called ‘Africa Now.’
Apple Music is a global music platform with 60 million listeners from over 160 countries worldwide and over 30 countries in Africa alone.
“Cuppy will be DJing all genres of African music weekly whilst entertaining the listeners with interviews between her fellow artiste friends.
“Cuppy has been on the rise and in her DJ and music producing career earning important endorsements. Her deal with a global giant like Apple is indeed for her a crowning endorsement,” the statement added.
Cuppy was quoted as saying she was excited about the radio show.
She said: “I’m excited not only to play music but showcase the vast array of talented artistes cultivating the music scene on the continent!
“There are so many rich textures and sounds in Africa and the time is now for the world to embrace our diversity. Each and every week I’ll be bringing a dynamic guide to discovering and celebrating the biggest and best sounds from across Africa, the Motherland. It will be entertainment at its best, Cuppy style!”
On the debut episode, Nigerian producer, Kiddominant – known for producing African hits such as Davido’s “Fall” and AKA’s “Fela In Versace” – joins Cuppy via FaceTime.
He told Apple Music about his new single ‘eWallet’ featuring South African superstar rapper, Cassper Nyovest, and taken from his forthcoming debut album due for release in the second half of 2020.
South African actress and ‘Queen Sono’ lead character, Pearl Thusi, called in to share her favorite African proverb and current favourite African song.
Cuppy played the best and hottest African music throughout the show and finished off with a personalised 10-minute DJ mix of tracks from Africa Now playlist.
Africa Now Radio with Cuppy would air weekly on Sundays. The first episode would be on Sunday, May 31st at 6.00 a.m in LA; 9.00 a.m in NY; 1.00 p.m in Abidjan; 2.00 p.m in Lagos and London; 3.00 p.m in Johannesburg and Paris; and 4.00 p.m in Nairobi only on Apple Music at apple.co/AfricaNow.
Cuppy was born in Lagos. Moving to London at 13, while attending school, Cuppy’s parents gifted her iPod, which she filled with Nigerian music so she could always keep a part of the home. Falling in love with music, she taught herself how to DJ at 16. She has been chasing her calling ever since. She does this on the decks as a DJ, in boardrooms as a music businesswoman and even behind the mic as a producer and vocalist.
In 2014, Cuppy graduated with a degree in economics from King’s College London. She had already started DJing as a teenager and built a reputation as one of the foremost DJs in Africa when also in 2014, Cuppy was selected as a DJ at the MTV Africa Music Awards.
Source: THISDAY
