How Billy Que Helped Make Afrobeats Popular in the UK
Billy Que, one of Nigeria’s top music promoters, has shared how he and other UK-based showbiz promoters helped Afrobeats reach mainstream audiences in the United Kingdom. Promoters like SMADE, Ayo Shonaiya, DJ Abass, and Tim Westwood played key roles in staging concerts and inviting Nigerian artists to perform in the UK.
Before Afrobeats became popular, the UK music scene was dominated by Garage, Grime, Afroswing, and Jamaican Dancehall. Billy Que explained that inviting rising Nigerian stars to perform gradually introduced UK audiences to the genre. “It even reached a point where BBC 1 Xtra and many of their DJs began featuring Afrobeats on their shows,” he said.
Billy Que highlighted the early contributions of pioneers like JJC, a producer from the Black British Hip-Hop group Big Brovaz. JJC formed the 419 Squad to promote African culture in British music when there was little representation. Ayo Shonaiya and DJ Abass also helped create African and Black diasporic music spaces through live events and media coverage.
The annual Notting Hill Carnival has become a major stage for Afrobeats artists to perform, showcasing African music to a wide UK audience. Billy Que also mentioned BEN TV, owned by Alistair Soyode, as one of the first African music entertainment channels in the UK. DJ Abass, a major presenter on BEN TV’s Intro talk show, worked with Ayo Shonaiya to feature trending Nigerian stars such as Tony Tetuila, Jazzman Olofin, The Trybesmen, Ruggedman, and even Jamaica’s Chaka Demus & Pliers.
Billy Que emphasized that the fusion of West African sounds with British urban music helped Afrobeats grow beyond Nigerian communities to the wider UK music industry. By bringing live shows, media representation, and cultural platforms together, UK promoters played a crucial role in making Afrobeats a global phenomenon.
Today, Afrobeats continues to influence the UK music scene, inspiring collaborations between Nigerian artists and British DJs, and bridging African and British urban sounds. Billy Que concluded that the efforts of early promoters and performers laid the foundation for the genre’s ongoing international success.
For aspiring artists and music promoters, he advises investing in live shows, media appearances, and cultural festivals to introduce new sounds to global audiences.
