Kojo Funds: King of Afroswing

“It’s a mix of different genres,” he tells me with purpose, in a baritone drawl, twiddling his fingers with as much ease as crafting his sound. “Dancehall, Afrobeats, you get a new jack swing vibe and RnB vibe mixed in as well. That’s the ‘swing’ part of it, and there’s no one else in the scene doing it except me. I’m not trying to be defined as an Afrobeats artist.”

Afroswing can be extracted from Kojo’s musical leanings. His breakout single, 2016’s Dun Talkin, has all the rhythms of conventional Afrobeats, but with drum sequences that can be found in dancehall. Such a diverse sound has transcended into recognition in the popular sphere, aided by collaborations with Wretch 32, Mabel, Chip and Liv Dawson, and over 10 million views of his songs on YouTube.

This overnight success is a far cry from three years ago, when Kojo was merely contemplating the idea of music. “Me and my boys were just freestyling one day and then one of them put it out there that I can do one or two bars and I’ve got flow,” he remembers. “But he said I should try it on a beat, so I did and that’s when I made my first tune, Want From Me. I continued to make music, but I wasn’t taking it seriously – I wasn’t in the studio everyday or anything – but after Dun Talkin, I decided I could really pursue music.”

“[Dun Talkin] was meant for the streets but in a wavy way,” he continues. “Man was just talking about what was going on in my life, but I can’t lie, I didn’t expect the reception it got.” Since then, Kojo’s run has been nothing short of infectious. After his breakout hit, he kept it consistent with My Wish, My 9ine, and his star assists on Yxng Bane’s Fine Wine as well as Mabel’s single Finder Keepers. Finding that balance between appealing to the mandem and mainstream can be difficult but, in such a short career, Kojo has mastered the form. “I think it’s a natural thing,” he reflects. “I like wavy music, so I try to put that all in one, and it comes off naturally.” The waviest thing about Kojo Funds’ music, you could argue, is how relatable it is. Beneath the vibrant sounds are down-to-earth lyrics preaching personal growth in the trials and tribulations of a young black African British boy in the ends. As he sings in Warning: “The feds want my people/ And they say Kojo Funds is evil”.

Now becoming a household name, the sky is limitless for Kojo Funds, who sees nothing but his vision to win accolades, awards and the respect of fans beyond the confines of Afrobeats. “I’m not really paying attention to anyone else, I just know to stay in my lane,” he insists. “Not to be big headed, but I’m not making the same music as other people. So for me to focus on myself, that would benefit me.”