Azonto
Azonto be dance den music genre wey comot from Ghana.[1] Ghana News Agency dey cite dema study wey dem find out say dem connect de dance to de traditional Ga dance Kpanlogo, e dey associate plus de coastal towns for de country insyd such as Chorkor, James Town, Teshie, Nungua den Tema, for de Greater Accra Region insyd.[2]
Chaw accounts dey say Azonto formerly be known as 'Apaa' for dis communities insyd.[3] De Apaa dance, hence Azonto dance, dey involve set of hand movements wey dey either mimic everyday activities especially ones wey dey concern people dema livelihoods,[4] anaa moves wey dey mean to amuse audience.
E begin plus one- anaa two-step movements but dem advance am to more complex den almost acrobatic movements.[5] Just like chaw African dances, Azonto dey involve knee bending den hip movements. De dance effectively evolve from basic moves to miming actions lyk ironin of clothes, washin, drivin, boxin, prayin, swimming, den odas.[6]
Ein History[edit | edit source]
Azonto be communicative bugey wey dem dey believe to comot from "Apaa" wey literally dey mean work. Dem use Apaa to show individual ein profession. Azonto dance grow more to relay coded messages. Later nu, de bugey enter chaw Ghanaians dema mind insyd. For de same year insyd (2013),[7] chaw Ghanaian dema music video be full of Azonto wey e later cam spread to chaw African countries den oda parts of de world.[8][9]
Popular music researcher Jesse Weaver Shipley dey claim say lyk hiplife, Azonto ein popularity be direct result of ein interactions in diaspora. De menners wey dem dey abroad identify Azonto[1] plus Ghanaian indigeneity wey dey menners wey dem dey home dey identify am plus cosmopolitanism.[10]
Ein International popularity[edit | edit source]
Dem dey trace Azonto far back as one of R2Bees dema upcoming songs "Azonto" but ebe Guru ein Lapaz Toyota wey rejuvenate am wey later NshonnaMusick producer plus de song "You Go Kill Me" wey Sarkodie (rapper) den EL (rapper) dey top. Later nu dem make am popular for social media top by music vids wey dey portray de bugey plus fast-pace tempos, home-made dance instructional vids wey dem upload for YouTube top plus no commercial intent, den group choreographers wey chaw Ghanaians dey do am den oda African nationals wey dey live for UK, Germany den U.S insyd.[11]
Tracks[edit | edit source]
| Track Title | Artiste | Album Title |
|---|---|---|
| "Lapaz Toyota" | Guru | |
| "You Go Kill Me" | Sarkodie (featuring E.L) | |
| "Dangerous" | Sarkodie | |
| "Zooze" | Koo Maanu (featuring No-Tyme) | |
| "Move To The Gyal Dem" | Donae'o (featuring Sarkodie) | |
| "Aboodatoi" | Gasmilla | |
| "Chop Kenkey" | Joey B | |
| "Twame Lala" | Stay Jay | |
| "Obuu Mo" | E.L | |
| "Kaluu" | E.L | |
| "Yenko Nkoaa" | Eduwodzi (featuring Stay J) | |
| "Azonto" | Fuse ODG (featuring Itz Tiffany) | |
| "Kolom" | Buk Bak | |
| "Sokode" | Keche | |
| "Body Lotion" | Keche | |
| "Azonto Ghost" | Bisa Kdei | |
| "Aluguntugui" | Keche | |
| "Moko Ni" | 4x4 | |
| "Antenna" | Fuse ODG | |
| "Seke" | Dr Slim (featuring Double) | |
| "Ayi" | Criss Waddle (featuring Bisa Kdei) | |
| "Azonto" | Wizkid | |
| '"Azonto'' | R2BEES |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ghana's new dance craze - the Azonto". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ "Ghana’s Azonto Dance hit global entertainment stage". ghananewsagency.org. Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
- ↑ "Azonto - The New Music and Dance Craze in Ghana". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
- ↑ Mark, Monica (3 September 2012). "Ghana's Azonto craze takes over dancefloors across the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ↑ Aidoo, Kwame (9 May 2018). "The Best Places to Learn the Azonto Dance in Ghana". Culture Trip. Archived from the original on 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- ↑ Stephen Atta Owusu (4 February 2012). "Azonto - The New Music and Dance Craze in Ghana". modernghana.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ↑ "Ghana's new dance craze - the Azonto". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- ↑ "Ghana's new dance craze - the Azonto". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ↑ Chigozie, Emeka (2015-05-11). "What Is Azonto? - Dance, Music, Songs, Meaning". Answers Africa. Archived from the original on 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- ↑ Shipley, J. W. (2013), "Transnational circulation and digital fatigue in Ghana's Azonto dance craze", American Ethnologist, 40 (2): 362–381, doi:10.1111/amet.12027
- ↑ Monica Mark (3 September 2012). "Ghana's Azonto craze takes over dancefloors across the world". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ↑ "Top 10: Songs That Put Azonto on the Map". Ghana Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "GC Music Chart: Top 10 Songs Of The Week". GhanaCelebrities.com. 2012-03-11. Archived from the original on 2013-06-09. Retrieved 27 January 2013.