Afro B

Born in Greenwich in south London, Ross-Emmanuel Bayeto, known as Afro B, was raised between Ivorian and Akan backgrounds that inform a sound at the crossroads of afropop, afrobeats, dancehall and hip‑hop. Before establishing himself as a solo artist, Afro B worked the London club circuit as a DJ and was part of the All Star Skankers collective — experiences that left a lasting mark on his approach to rhythm, dance and formats designed for live performance. Across the 2010s he developed the concept of “Afrowave,” a term he uses to describe a fusion of afrobeats, pop melodies, sung hooks and dancehall inflections. That aesthetic is central to his Afrowave project series, begun with Afrowave in 2017 and continued with Afrowave 2 (2018) and Afrowave 3 (2019). In 2018 the single “Drogba (Joanna)” significantly expanded his audience well beyond the UK, propelled by straightforward songwriting and a supple groove crafted for both club and radio. Positioned between London cultures and West African diasporas, Afro B also hosted a show on Capital Xtra, extending a career in which the roles of DJ, singer and scene connector remain pivotal.