Afrobeat

noun

Af·​ro·​beat ˈa-frō-ˌbēt 

: urban popular music originating in Nigeria in the late 1960s that emphasizes percussion rhythms and features elements of jazz and funk and lyrics which are often strongly political

Examples of Afrobeat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The track is sung in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, blending Latin pop, K-pop, and Afrobeats; LISA delivers the opening verse, Anitta takes over across all three languages, and Rema rounds it all off with an Afrobeats verse. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

And in Los Angeles, Katy Perry will headline a blockbuster concert featuring some of the biggest names in pop, hip-hop and Afrobeats. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026

Schwartz wants to get as many bands on the bill as possible, with a wide variety of genres represented, from bluegrass and punk to cumbia and Afrobeat — all genres of bands that have already applied. — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 9 June 2026

The track blends Afrobeats with Latin Pop, sung mostly in English and a bit of Spanish. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

afro- + beat entry 2

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Afrobeat

• bittersweet
• incomplete
• indiscreet
• marguerite
• obsolete
• overeat
• overheat
• parakeet
• stillingfleet
• superheat
• amit
• athlete