“I have my eyes set on highlife” – South Korean Artist B.I

South Korean artist Kim Hanbin, better known by his stage name B.I, has expressed interest in experimenting with African music. The 26-year-old rapper and record producer made this known during a chat with Korean pop journalist Ella Okunmwendia on GQ South Africa.

B.I experienced enormous success in Africa following the release of the Soulja Boy and DeVita-assisted “BTBT” which incorporates an Afrobeats element. In Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa, the song became the “longest-charting K-pop song” on Spotify’s Daily Viral Chart in 2022. Additionally, it received airplay on radio stations in South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana.

B.I’s success can be attributed to the strong cultural connection that African K-pop fans felt with his music
However, the Afro-influence in the 2022 single was unintentional, as B. I intended to fuse K-pop with Latin music. He credits the song’s afro-futuristic element to “a lot of new music being great blends of different genres.”‘

Hanbin, who has been on the path of creating music to appeal to a global audience, further disclosed he is considering dabbling in an African genre. He told Ella Okunmwendia, “I won’t pinpoint exactly when, but stick around and you will see. I have my eyes set on a few, maybe afropop, amapiano, afrohouse, and highlife.”

The South Korean rapper also expressed interest in visiting Africa and interacting with his African fans as soon as possible.
Check out “BTBT,” B.I.’s afro-futuristic, catchy single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpB2ZMzXrs