Documentary Review- Afrobeats: The Backstory
Not to be confused with Afrobeat (the singular musical genre pioneered by the inimitable Fela Kuti), Afrobeats — distinguished with emphasis on that crucial “s” — represents a nomenclature of convenience. This term was conjured to pigeonhole a distinctive five-beat pattern musical genre that has taken the world, quite literally, by storm. Yet this categorization barely captures the rich complexity of a sound that has transcended borders, genres, and generations.
While Afrobeats currently enjoys its moment as the belle of the global music ball, courted by everyone from major labels to international superstars, it is far from merely a recent fad. Rather, it stands as a musical and cultural phenomenon with roots boring deep decades into the past, with tentacles now spread across continents and musical traditions — a living, evolving testament to Nigeria’s boundless creative spirit.
It is this rich and storied heritage that Ayo Shonaiya — lawyer, filmmaker, actor, talent manager, and passionate cultural curator — expertly unfolds in his expansive 12-part documentary series now streaming on Netflix. With the precision of a musicologist and the passion of a true devotee, Shonaiya has crafted not just a documentary but a definitive historical record — one that will undoubtedly serve as the canonical text for understanding Afrobeats’ global ascendance.
Like the musical genre whose heritage it chronicles, “The Backstory” structures itself with the rhythm of a classic Afrobeats composition. The series starts with a five-beat pattern that sets the tone, upon which it builds a layered and storied history. This narrative begins in the 1960s (laying down the foundational bass), progresses through the 1990s (providing the distinctive rhythm), berths in 2007/2008 (delivering the irresistible hook), and culminates in the present day (where the world has finally surrendered to the irresistible refrain of the Afrobeats sound).
What emerges is not merely a linear history but a rhythmic storytelling experience that mirrors the music itself — complex, layered, and impossible to reduce to simple formulas or explanations. Through this approach, viewers gain not just knowledge about Afrobeats but a sensory understanding of its evolution and impact.
Almost as if ordained by destiny itself, Ayo Shonaiya emerges as the perfect chronicler of this musical movement. Save for its origins in the 1960s and 1970s, Shonaiya and his ever-present camera have served as the one constant throughout the crucial decades of Afrobeats’ development. Like a curating troubadour traveling through time, he has captured the genre’s various iterations, transformations, and innovations with remarkable foresight.
This unique position grants “The Backstory” an authenticity and intimacy that would be impossible to recreate. Shonaiya doesn’t merely report on Afrobeats history — he was there, documenting moments that would prove pivotal before anyone recognized their significance. This firsthand witnessing transforms the documentary from mere reportage into vital primary source material.
What makes “The Backstory” truly exceptional is its immersive quality. Through Shonaiya’s lens, viewers are placed directly in the creative crucible of Afrobeats’ evolution. The series puts you squarely in the recording studios where musical magic was conjured, hoists you onto stages where history was performed, and grants you an all-access pass to the backstage realities that shaped the sound.
The documentary brings viewers face-to-face with both the originators who planted the seeds and the current creators who have cultivated them into a global phenomenon. It offers invaluable glimpses into the early days of today’s biggest Afrobeats stars, revealing the humble beginnings behind their current international success.
For viewers of a certain age, “The Backstory” delivers a nostalgic memory ride through the soundtrack of their youth. For younger audiences, it provides an essential cultural education. The series waltzes viewers in and out of nightclubs where sounds were tested, indoor and street concerts where movements were born, television and radio stations where hits were broken, and across the borders and continents where Afrobeats eventually conquered.
Throughout this journey, the documentary feeds the aural senses with hit songs from yesteryears and club bangers from today, creating a comprehensive sonic landscape that enhances the visual storytelling. The result is not merely informative but immersive — a total cultural education on the origin, history, and future of a musical movement that has redefined global pop.
“Afrobeats: The Backstory” stands as the definitive chronicle of a sound that continues to reshape the global musical landscape. Shonaiya’s documentary succeeds not merely as entertainment but as vital cultural archiving — preserving the memories, moments, and music that might otherwise be lost to time or oversimplified in retellings.
For anyone seeking to understand how a distinctly Nigerian sound came to dominate playlists worldwide, this series provides both the comprehensive education and the emotional context necessary for true appreciation. It reminds viewers that behind every global phenomenon lies decades of innovation, struggle, and creative persistence — a backstory as compelling as the music itself.
In capturing both the sonic evolution and the human stories behind Afrobeats’ rise, Shonaiya has created not just a documentary but a cultural treasure — one that honors the past while illuminating the present and gesturing toward an even more vibrant future for this quintessentially Nigerian gift to world music. 9.5/10
