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Hilarious quips and ‘100,000-volt’ energy: the hypemen (and women) redefining Afrobeats music

Style of emceeing based on high-octane, ad-libbed vocals has flourished thanks to its unique way of captivating crowds

For the 2015 freshmen cohort of the history degree programme at the University of Lagos, their classmate’s first-semester presentation was so captivating that they began calling him Toby Shang, after the 16th-century Chinese dynasty he had focused on.

His crowd engagement that day had been harnessed from his high school days as a ginger-man (energiser) in a three-man band and as a private tutor. By his final year at university, his viral catchphrases and infectious energy had resulted in a hit song, Shedibalabala. Today, he is one of the self-acclaimed “evangelists and pioneers” in the Afrobeats sub-genre some are now calling Afrohype or lamba.

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© Photograph: Sogo Oladele/The Guardian

© Photograph: Sogo Oladele/The Guardian

© Photograph: Sogo Oladele/The Guardian

Role Model’s Next Move? He’ll Figure It Out Onstage

16 October 2026 at 15:45
The 29-year-old singer, who is currently on his global tour after releasing his third album 'Chuck Timely & the Hourglass,' is embracing his new era with "sunglasses and this weird pathetic drunk guy character."

Feds Sue Ticket Broker Firm Over Alleged $120M Scheme For Beyoncé, Pitbull Tickets

16 October 2026 at 01:12
The DOJ and FTC filed a complaint against a San Diego-based ticket broker, claiming the company had violated the BOTS Act by using thousands of accounts to obtain millions of tickets to resell at considerable markups.

David Byrne explores the art of rediscovery in 'Sleeping Beauties'

Why do great ideas and works of art sometimes get forgotten? And why do some get revived? These are among the questions explored by musician, writer and visual artist David Byrne in his new book, "Sleeping Beauties." Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown recently joined him in Brooklyn for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

Já começou a campanha da azeitona no Alentejo: produtores esperam azeites de boa qualidade – SIC

13 October 2026 at 12:22

A campanha da azeitona no Alentejo já cemeçou e as previsões apontam para uma produção superior à do ano passado, bem como para azeites de boa qualidade, de acordo com a reportagem da SIC.

Na zona de Évora, há produtores que começam agora a colher as primeiras azeitonas. Um pouco mais cedo do que é habitual, mas já se prevê uma boa campanha.

Mais quantidade e mais qualidade, é o que se espera desta campanha que ainda agora começou na região do Alentejo e que vai prolongar-se pelos próximos meses.

Os custos de produção aumentam, mas o preço do azeite está a descer. Um desafio que coloca em risco algumas explorações.

A previsão é, no entanto, de uma produção de grande qualidade, que irá reforçar o reconhecimento do azeite português e a sua posição nos mercados nacionais e internacionais.

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