15 Afropop Needle Drops

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From 2baba's "African Queen" successful Phat Girlz to Skales' "Shake Body" successful Sex Education, Billboard rounds up 15 Afropop songs that person been featured successful TV and film.

9/15/2025

Ncuti Gatwa arsenic Eric Effiong successful Episode 6 of Sex Education Season 3. Cr. Sam Taylor/NETFLIX © 2020

Nnegest Likké, a filmmaker of Ethiopian, Nigerian and African American descent, said successful a Premium Times interview earlier this twelvemonth that “African Queen,” the heartwarming ballad by Nigerian hitmaker 2baba, “struck a cosmopolitan chord with the world” 20 years agone — particularly aft Likké included it successful her 2006 drama Phat Girlz.

Named the No. 1 opus connected Billboard‘s 50 champion Afrobeats songs of each clip list past month, “African Queen” is besides 1 of the archetypal Afrobeats songs to beryllium incorporated successful a Hollywood production, a improvement that has grown importantly implicit the past 5 years with the genre’s rising popularity crossed the globe. Now, Billboard is rounding up much Afropop euphony moments successful TV and film: “African Queen” is not the lone opus from Billboard‘s champion Afrobeats songs database that makes this one, arsenic Wizkid and Tems‘ “Essence,” Skales’ “Shake Body” and Yemi Alade‘s “Johnny” person besides been featured connected the tiny and metallic screens.

Outside of appearing during the 3rd and last play of the Sex and the City spinoff bid And Just Like That, “Essence” has besides been featured connected the CW sports play bid All American and the AppleTV+ sports drama play bid Ted Lasso. Another Tems track, her 2020 For Broken Ears sleeper deed “Higher,” appeared connected All American, portion Ted Lasso spotlighted 1da Banton’s 2021 deed “No Wahala” and Tekno’s 2020 azygous “Enjoy” during its 3rd and last season. And alté trailblazer Odunsi (The Engine) and Runtown’s “Star Signs” appeared successful some Netflix’s British teen enactment drama play bid Sex Education and HBO’s sports drama play bid Ballers.

Below, Billboard rounds up 15 moments wherever Afropop songs person soundtracked weddings, portion clubs and much on-screen moments, successful bid from newest to oldest. This database excludes songs that African artists intentionally recorded for TV amusement and movie soundtracks (although said database could beryllium coming soon).

“Essence” by Wizkid feat. Tems successful And Just Like That… (2025)

While Sarah Jessica Parker’s iconic protagonist Carrie Bradshaw attends a publishing soirée with her neighbour and chap writer Duncan Reeves — and Bradshaw meets Reeves’ exertion and ex-wife Imogen — Wizkid and Tems’ smash “Essence” faintly plays successful the background.
“London Town” by Mr. Eazi successful Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

Dr. Ivo Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey, emerges from underneath the cobblestone streets of London arsenic the Giggs-assisted “London Town” from Read Entire Article
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