2018 in African music

The following is a list of events and releases that have happened or are expected to happen in 2018 in African music.

Events

January 10 – The Premium Times lists Squeeze Tarela and Bella Alubo among its "Nigerian artistes to look out for in 2018".^[1]
January 13 – Youssou N'Dour, on tour in the Gambia, praises the Gambian people and expresses optimism for the country's future.^[2]
January 28 – At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, Ladysmith Black Mambazo win the award for Best World Music Album with Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration and are nominated for the Best Children's Album award for Songs of Peace & Love for Kids & Parents Around the World.^[3]
March 30 – Announcement of the winner of the AfriMusic Song Contest 2018, the first pan-African song contest. Eswatini win the contest, represented by the song "Sengikhona", performed by Symphony (Zanele Cele).^[4]
June 2 – Rita Ray presents a major new series on BBC television: Africa: A Journey Into Music.^[5]
August 10 – The Minnesota Orchestra becomes the first American orchestra ever to perform in South Africa when it gives the first concert of its South African tour, at City Hall, Cape Town.^[6]

Release date	Artist	Album	Genre	Label	Ref
January 26	Burna Boy	Outside	Afrobeats, hip-hop, dancehall	Atlantic Records	^[7]
January 26	Professor	Composed by Jesus Christ	Kwaito, dance	Kalawa Jazmee Records	^[8]
January 31	Zaki Ibrahim	The Secret Life of Planets	R&B, soul	Indie	^[9]
February 9	M.I Abaga	Rendezvous: The Playlist	Hip-hop	Chocolate City	^[10]
February 23	Femi Kuti	One People One World	Afrobeat	Knitting Factory Records	^[11]
February 23	Hailu Mergia	Lala Belu	Jazz	Awesome Tapes from Africa	^[12]
March ?	Pape Diouf	Enjoy!	Mbalax, World		^[13]
March 2	Seun Kuti	Black Times	Afrobeat, World	Strut Records	^[14]
March 27	Brymo	Oṣó	Alternative folk, Yoruba music	Indie	^[15]
May 21	Allah Thérèse & N'Goran Laloi	Bé gnanssou moayé			^[16]
May 14	Ike Moriz	Millennium Hits 2002 - 2018	Pop, Rock, Jazz	Mosquito Records London	^[17]
May 25	DJ Neptune	Greatness	Afrobeats, hip-hop	Neptune Records	^[18]
May 25	Adekunle Gold	About 30	World, highlife	Afro Urban Records, Empire	^[19]
June 15	Zonke	L.O.V.E	Afro-soul	Sony	^[20]
August 24	M.I Abaga	A Study On Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl	Hip-hop	Chocolate City	^[21]
September 11	Steve Kekana	Ubuntu	Sold Out Music
October 19	Razia	The Road	Razia Said Music		^[22]
November 9	Mr Eazi	Life Is Eazi, Vol. 2 - Lagos to London	Afrobeats	Banku Music	^[23]
November 16	Mayorkun	The Mayor of Lagos	Afropop	Davido Music Worldwide	^[24]

Michael Blake – Lovedale Harmony (in memory of Siya Betana) (2017) for saxophone quartet^[25]

January 3 – Lara Kruger, 30, South African DJ (Motsweding FM) and transgender rights activist^[26]
January 4 – Joseph Gunduza Magigwani, 37, Zimbabwean actor and gospel singer (traffic collision)^[27]
January 23 – Hugh Masekela, 78, South African jazz instrumentalist, composer and singer^[28]
February 1 – Mowzey Radio, 33, Ugandan musician (head injuries from a fight)^[29]
February 8 - Ebony Reigns, 20, Ghanaian singer (traffic collision)^[30]
March 19 – Shavey, Kenyan dancehall singer (traffic collision)^[31]
April 2 – Ahmed Janka Nabay, Sierra Leonean musician, 54^[32]
May 20 – N'Goran La Loi, Ivorian accordionist, husband and partner of Allah Thérèse, 87^[16]
June 10 – Ras Kimono, Nigerian reggae musician, 60^[33]
September 12 – Rachid Taha, Algerian singer (Carte de Séjour), 59 (heart attack)^[34]
October 3 – Joseph Kamaru, Kenyan benga musician and political activist, 79 (complications from Parkinson's disease)^[35]
October 24 – Hip Hop Pantsula, South African rapper, 38^[36]
November 13 – Brian Rusike, Zimbabwean songwriter and keyboardist, 62^[37]