Afrobeats BPM: 100-115, Sweet Spot 108

Genre Guides

100-115BPM

Filter your crate to this range, then verify each track's beatgrid and Camelot key before you blend.

Practical target: 108 BPM
Tracks shown: 12 shown
Track spread: 88-186 BPM
Inside core range: 7 of 12
Below · above: 1 below · 4 above
Median · mean: 108 · 118 BPM
Family: Amapiano
Evidence: 12 tracks, 7 core examples

Counts describe the reference tracks resolved on this page, not every record in the genre. Use the BPM that makes loops, cue points, and phrase markers behave cleanly.

Quick answer

What BPM is Afrobeats?

A DJ tempo guide for Afrobeats: where the core range sits, and 12 reference tracks spanning 88-186 BPM, separated into core, adjacent, and outlier records.

Afrobeats typically runs 100 to 115 BPM, with 108 BPM as the practical DJ target. Use the range to filter your crate, then verify each track's beatgrid and key before mixing.

DJ-ready reference
Printable
Methodology included

Reference tracks

Afrobeats Reference Tracks

Resolved Afrobeats tracks, verified against their beatgrids with real BPM, Camelot key, energy and length, separated by DJ fit. Click any row to open its full sonic profile.

#TrackKeyBPMNRGLenKey·BPM

Core Afrobeats examples

7 inside 100-115 BPM

MMS

Asake, Wizkid

1A102633:401A102

Essence (feat. Tems)

Wizkid, Tems

8B104714:098B104

Fall

Davido

7B106684:007B106

Calm Down

Rema

1B107783:401B107

Somebody’s Son (Ft Brandy)

Tiwa Savage, Brandy

7B107813:387B107

Peru

Fireboy DML, Ed Sheeran

6A108423:076A108

Sungba (feat. Burna Boy) - Remix

Asake, Burna Boy

9B112613:309B112

Adjacent and outlier examples

5 outside core

Last Last

Burna Boy

2A88562:522A88

Higher

Burna Boy

8B117512:188B117

Free Mind

Tems

2B125464:082B125

OZEBA

Rema

10B148842:1810B148

love nwantiti (feat. ElGrande Toto) - North African Remix

CKay, ElGrandeToto

3B186722:153B186

DJ fit notes

Last Last: Below the 100-115 BPM core range; use as a bridge record or test a doubled grid.
Higher: Above the 100-115 BPM core range; check whether it behaves better as halftime.
Free Mind: Above the 100-115 BPM core range; check whether it behaves better as halftime.
OZEBA: Above the 100-115 BPM core range; check whether it behaves better as halftime.
love nwantiti (feat. ElGrande Toto) - North African Remix: Above the 100-115 BPM core range; check whether it behaves better as halftime.

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Genre family

Afrobeats in the Amapiano Family

Afrobeats sits at 100–115 BPM as a core DJ range, with 108 BPM as a practical target for crate filtering and set planning. Viewing Afrobeats as a sub-genre of Amapiano, it sits within the broader 108–118 BPM family.

Amapiano BPM Reference

Amapiano: 108-118 BPM, typical 112 BPM.

Genre	BPM Range	Typical BPM	Notes
Amapiano	108-118	112	South African house sub-genre defined by deep log drums, jazzy keys, and slow groove. Massive global movement since 2019. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic.
Kwaito	95-112	105	1990s South African slowed-down house with chanted vocals and looped local samples. Mandoza, TKZee, Boom Shaka, Brenda Fassie. The genre that opened the door for amapiano.
Afrobeats	100-115	108	West African pop juggernaut blending hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and indigenous rhythms. Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, Rema. Distinct from Fela's 1970s 'Afrobeat' (singular).

vibesdj.io/dj-tools - BPM ranges are practical DJ references, not strict genre boundaries.

Amapiano

108-118BPM

85130

South African house sub-genre defined by deep log drums, jazzy keys, and slow groove. Massive global movement since 2019. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic.

Log drum bassJazzy keysSlow grooveSouth African

Sub-genre tempo spectrum

2 styles

90105120

Kwaito

95-112

Afrobeats

100-115

Reading the grid

How to Read Afrobeats BPM in DJ Software

Afrobeats is usually mixed around 100-115 BPM, with 108 BPM as a practical DJ target. The reference tracks on this page span 88-186 BPM, so use the grid that makes loops and phrase markers line up cleanly.

How to read Afrobeats BPM values in DJ software
Reading	Meaning	Action
100-115 BPM	Core Afrobeats DJ range	Beatmatch normally, then check phrasing around intros, breaks, and drops.
50-58 BPM	Halftime interpretation of the core range	Double the grid if 8-bar loops or cue points feel too slow.
108 BPM	Practical target for crate filtering	Use as a starting point, then sort by energy, key, and arrangement.
< 100 BPM	Slower adjacent or bridge records	Treat as tempo bridges unless the grid doubles cleanly into the core range.
> 115 BPM	Faster outliers or double-time readings	Check whether the track behaves better as halftime before using it as a fast transition.

DJ Overview for Afrobeats

Use this as a mixing and library-prep description, not an encyclopedia entry.

DJ overview for Afrobeats
Aspect	Detail
Sound palette	Clave-driven 3-2 / 2-3 grooves, Djembe + conga percussion, Pop song structure, Global crossover
Drum feel	100-115 BPM core range; check whether slower readings work better doubled or as halftime.
Arrangement and phrasing	Confirm intro, build, drop, breakdown, and outro cue points before trusting the analyzer value.
Energy use in a set	warmup, groove section, or crossover bridge
Often compared with	Amapiano, Kwaito

Mix Into Afrobeats

Tempo overlap is only one part of the decision. These suggestions separate BPM fit from style fit so same-tempo but unrelated genres do not look like natural transitions.

Genres to mix into Afrobeats
Genre	BPM fit	Style fit	Transition
Amapiano108-118 BPM · typical 112	High	High	Long blend, harmonic blend, or drop swap
Kwaito95-112 BPM · typical 105	High	High	Long blend, harmonic blend, or drop swap
Glitch Hop100-115 BPM · typical 108	High	Medium	Short blend; verify arrangement and energy
Phonkstep / Phonk Midtempo100-115 BPM · typical 108	High	Medium	Short blend; verify arrangement and energy
Moombahton100-115 BPM · typical 108	High	Medium	Short blend; verify arrangement and energy
Tropical House100-118 BPM · typical 110	High	Medium	Short blend; verify arrangement and energy
Midtempo Bass100-115 BPM · typical 110	High	Medium	Short blend; verify arrangement and energy
Industrial Midtempo100-115 BPM · typical 110	High	Medium	Short blend; verify arrangement and energy

Top Artists in Afrobeats

Most-represented artists in the Afrobeats tracks shown here:

Reference artists in Afrobeats
#	Artist	Tracks	Keys
01	Burna Boy	3 tracks, 88-117 BPM	2A, 8B, 9B
02	Asake	2 tracks, 102-112 BPM	1A, 9B
03	Rema	2 tracks, 107-148 BPM	10B, 1B
04	Tems	2 tracks, 104-125 BPM	2B, 8B
05	Wizkid	2 tracks, 102-104 BPM	1A, 8B
06	Brandy	1 track, 107 BPM	7B

Compare Nearby Styles

95 BPM118 BPM

Afrobeats

100–115 · typical 108

Primary reference for this page.

Amapiano

108–118 · typical 112

Broader family range for planning transitions.

Kwaito

95–112 · typical 105

3 BPM slower typical tempo; useful for warmups or pull-backs.

Common Keys for Afrobeats

Most-used Camelot keys among the Afrobeats tracks shown here:

7BF major2 tracks 8BC major2 tracks 10BD major1 track

Explore Related References

108 BPM tracksReference tracks near the typical tempoOpen 7B (F major)2 reference Afrobeats tracks in this keyOpen 8B (C major)2 reference Afrobeats tracks in this keyOpen Music genre treeSee the taxonomy around this styleOpen

Mixing Tips

Tempo Window

Stay in the 100–115 BPM band for clean mixes; verify unknown tracks with the BPM tapper.

Harmonic Fit

Use the Camelot wheel to find compatible keys before transitioning, especially when Afrobeats tracks have prominent melodic content.

Tempo Bridges

When bridging into a different tempo, use the key transposer to plan how pitch change affects key, or transition during a breakdown where the beat drops.

Next Reference

Browse the EDM genre BPM chart or the music genre tree to see how Afrobeats relates to neighboring styles.

Typical Tempo

See tracks at the typical 108 BPM on the 108 BPM tracks page.

Hey, it's Ben Modigell 👋

I've been DJing and producing music as "so I so," focusing on downtempo, minimal, dub house, tech house, and techno. My background in digital marketing, web development, and UX design over the past 6 years helps me create DJ tutorials that are clear, practical, and easy to follow.

DJingMusic ProductionTech HouseMinimal HouseDigital MarketingWeb DevelopmentUX Design

Methodology

Last updated May 11, 2026

Author and Methodology

Maintained by Ben Modigell, founder of Vibes. Ben builds DJ library, preparation, BPM, and harmonic-mixing tools for working DJs.

Data used: 12 reference tracks
Source: Audio features sourced from ReccoBeats (https://reccobeats.com); track metadata via Spotify Search API. Spotify deprecated audio-features for new apps in Nov 2024. Manual label reference tracks use Beatport BPM/key metadata where available.
Evidence: 12 reference Afrobeats tracks from a 391-track dataset; 7 sit inside the core DJ range and 5 are labeled as adjacent or outlier examples.
How this page is made: This page is generated from the Vibes genre taxonomy, curated reference tracks, computed evidence statistics, and reference track metadata where available. AI-assisted research helped draft the taxonomy notes; the visible page is rendered from structured data and reusable page logic.

Genre BPM ranges are practical DJ references, not statistical claims about every track. Different edits, live versions, and analysis engines may report slightly different tempos.

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Frequently Asked Questions

108 BPM is the practical DJ target for Afrobeats. Treat it as a crate-filtering reference, then check the exact beatgrid and phrasing for each track.

Afrobeats ranges from 100 to 115 BPM. The spread reflects production variations and sub-genre splintering within the style.

Afrobeats is a sub-genre of Amapiano. While Amapiano as a whole spans 108-118 BPM, Afrobeats sits at 100-115 BPM with a typical tempo of 108. The main distinction is in production: clave-driven 3-2 / 2-3 grooves, djembe + conga percussion.

Afrobeats is best compared with Amapiano (108-118 BPM), Kwaito (95-112 BPM). These are more useful DJ references than same-tempo genres from unrelated scenes because the production style and phrasing are closer.

Afrobeats is characterized by: Clave-driven 3-2 / 2-3 grooves, Djembe + conga percussion, Pop song structure, Global crossover.

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