Editing Apala

{{Short description|Music genre}}
{{other uses|APALA (disambiguation){{!}}APALA}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = Apala
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist|[[Yoruba music]]|[[Cuban music]]}}
| cultural_origins  = 1930s, [[Yoruba people]] in [[Colonial Nigeria]], [[British West Africa]]
| regional_scenes   = [[Nigeria]]
}}
'''Apala''' (or '''akpala''') is a [[music genre]] originally developed by the [[Yoruba people]] of [[Nigeria]],<ref>{{cite book |page=[https://archive.org/details/roughguidetoworl00simo/page/43 43] |title=Africa, Europe and the Middle East |publisher=Rough Guides |year=1999 |isbn=1-85828-635-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetoworl00simo/page/43 }}</ref> during the country's [[Colonial Nigeria|history as a colony]] of the British Empire. It is a [[percussion instrument|percussion]]-based style that originated in the late 1930s. The rhythms of apala grew more complex over time, and have influenced the likes of [[music of Cuba|Cuban music]], whilst gaining popularity in Nigeria. It has grown less religious centered over time.

Apala music is an offshoot of [[Were music|Wéré]] music.

Instruments include a rattle ([[sekere]]), thumb piano ([[agidigbo]]) and a [[bell (instrument)|bell]] ([[agogô]]), as well as two or three [[talking drum]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Babátúndé Yussuf |first1=N. |last2=Oladipo Olúbòmęhìn |first2=O. |date=2018-07-03 |title=Traditional Music and the Expression of Yoruba Socio-cultural Values: A Historical Analysis |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/18125980.2018.1554980 |journal=Muziki |language=en |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=61–74 |doi=10.1080/18125980.2018.1554980 |s2cid=218637202 |issn=1812-5980|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

[[Ayinla Omowura]] [[Yekinni (Y.K.) Ajadi]] and [[Haruna Ishola]] - amongst others - were notable performers of apala music, these two icons played a major role in popularising the genre. It is distinct from, older than, and more difficult to master than [[fuji music]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-20 |title=INTERVIEW: Why young Nigerian musicians are avoiding Fuji music - KWAM 1 {{!}} Premium Times Nigeria |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/music/music-interviews/518411-interview-why-young-nigerian-musicians-are-avoiding-fuji-music-kwam-1.html |access-date=2022-06-09 |language=en-GB |archive-date=2022-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609182504/https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/music/music-interviews/518411-interview-why-young-nigerian-musicians-are-avoiding-fuji-music-kwam-1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Although fuji music remains one of the popular form of traditional music amongst Yorubas in Nigeria, apala is still very popular amongst [[Muslims]] of the Yoruba tribe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Music |first=FujiNaija |date=2021-01-12 |title=Origin of Apala Music (Part 2: Conclusion) |url=https://fujinaija.com/origin-of-apala-music-part-2-conclusion/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=FujiNaija |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518194753/https://fujinaija.com/origin-of-apala-music-part-2-conclusion/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Styles ==

=== Apala fusion, apala pop, apala trap and street pop ===
Variant styles of apala include apala pop, apala trap, and apala-fusion, with musical artists such as [[Terry Apala]], [[Olamide]], [[DJ Tunez]] and [[Seyi Vibez]] being prominent figures associated with apala-centered musical styles. Street pop, also known as street hop, is a genre that emerged in Nigeria in the 21st century. It blends experimental rap with vocal performance, integrating elements of Nigerian hip hop, Nigerian street music, and contemporary African genres. Street pop incorporates aspects of Western music, and its sound is notably influenced by apala music.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-07 |title=Terry's modern mix of apala and hip hop |url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/terrys-modern-mix-apala-and-hip-hop-0 |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Music In Africa |language=en |archive-date=2024-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807220633/https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/terrys-modern-mix-apala-and-hip-hop-0 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ajose |first=Kehinde |date=2022-03-27 |title=I'm not under pressure to change my style of music — Terry Apala |url=https://punchng.com/im-not-under-pressure-to-change-my-style-of-music-terry-apala/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615210312/https://punchng.com/im-not-under-pressure-to-change-my-style-of-music-terry-apala/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-07 |title=The changing face of Nigerian street-pop |url=https://pan-african-music.com/en/nigerian-street-pop/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=PAM - Pan African Music |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203211221/https://pan-african-music.com/en/nigerian-street-pop/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ihejirika |first=Uzoma |date=2023-02-07 |title=For Its Next Lap, Nigeria's Street Pop Is Pushing Into Experimental Fields |url=https://thenativemag.com/street-pop-next-experimental/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=The NATIVE |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609222509/https://thenativemag.com/street-pop-next-experimental/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Okwuego |first=Oluchi |date=2023-12-21 |title=Spotify hails Olamide as top street pop influencer |url=https://von.gov.ng/spotify-hails-olamide-as-top-street-pop-influencer/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Voice of Nigeria |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101220326/https://von.gov.ng/spotify-hails-olamide-as-top-street-pop-influencer/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adebiyi |first=Adeayo |date=2024-05-17 |title=Is Afrobeats ready for a Fuji or Apala album? |url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/is-afrobeats-ready-for-a-fuji-or-apala-album/gqbhs15 |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Pulse Nigeria |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ige |first=Tofarati |date=2024-06-07 |title=I'm determined to preserve apala music — Terry Apala |url=https://punchng.com/im-determined-to-preserve-apala-music-terry-apala/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731104345/https://punchng.com/im-determined-to-preserve-apala-music-terry-apala/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Genres of African popular music}}

[[Category:20th-century music genres]]
[[Category:Popular music]]
[[Category:African popular music]]
[[Category:Music of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Nigerian styles of music]]
[[Category:Yoruba music]]