Dami Ajayi

Verified

(He/Him)

Cultural Critic, Freelance
Writer, London Listening Sessions

England, Lagos, London

Africa, Arts and Entertainment, Health, Media, Opinion and Editorial

As seen in: London Listening Sessions, Medium, The Guardian, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Substack, Global Voices, Africa Is a Country, The Africa Report, This Is Africa (ZA), The Elephant, Brittle Paper and

Covers: Books. Music. Film. Literature.

I write poems and prose about songs.

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Dami Ajayi’s Biography

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I have written about music consistently since 2007. What initially began as an opportunity to explore a non-literary interest has become a passion for music writing, particularly for Afrobeats, a genre of music that developed as I came of age.

I wrote weekly music reviews and feature articles at OlisaTV magazine from 2014 to 2016. Then I was headhunted to write “The Good Doctor”, a weekly column on music for the culture blog, This is Lagos from 2017 to 2019. I co-founded an online culture mag…

Dami Ajayi’s Journalist Portfolio

A Quick History of Afrobeats

An expansive book review of Christian Adofo's book, A Quick Ting on Afrobeats.

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Nigeria: 'Love, Damini' is a nod to Burna Boy's industry and zeitgeist

A review of Burna Boy's newest album 'Love, Damini'.

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The history of music in Lagos, Nigeria: 1980s to the 2000s

The second part of a two-part essay detailing the history of music in the West African city Lagos.

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Nigeria's King Sunny Adé: 'I see myself as a freelance' | The Africa Report.com

A twilight interview and profile of Juju music's biggest star, King Sunny Ade, reflecting on the biggest mome…

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Review: Olamide's 'Olamide'

'Olamidé' is a testament to the possibilities of both refinement and redemption for its creator deep into his…

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The 50 Greatest King Sunny Ade Songs

To celebrate the legend's 79th birthday, we visit his discography to pick out the 50 greatest King Sunny Ade …

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Articles

100. Slice it any way, Saint Janet was a Legend

Aug 09, 2026 |

By Dami Ajayi

| London Listening Sessions

Last week we woke up to shocking and sad news that the controversial juju musician Saint Janet died. The cause of death was not revealed; however, the statement announced that she died after a brief illness. Every blog carried that same news item, hardly furnished with any detail—not quite an obituary. There were speculations that she had diabetes, but these can not be verified. The Association of Juju Musicians, of which Saint Janet was a member, has not published a statement.

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98. Search Party for Afrobeats Song of the Summer

Jun 20, 2026 |

By Dami Ajayi

| London Listening Sessions

Afrobeats is in crisis. Some pundits argue that the twenty-year-old genre began to decline ten years ago with the ‘Afrobeats to the World’ campaign, when it shifted its focus from highlife and other ancestral genres to a less folksy, more worldly, pop-leaning outlook. Afrobeats gained the attention and, more importantly, the patronage of Western audiences, tapping into the novelty broth of its colourful music, culture and cuisine that gave our Nigerian Diaspora pride of place.

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97. Beyond Ancestral Burden: On Paul Play's Playground

Jun 08, 2026 |

By Dami Ajayi

| London Listening Sessions

To approach the son of a legend who has chosen to ply his father’s trade, one must latch onto low-hanging fruit. Nigerian journalists have approached the work of Paul I.K. Dairo, the son of I.K. Dairo MBE, the superstar who modernised Juju, as a corollary to his father’s towering legacy.

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Interview

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Have you ever used a typewriter?

Nope.

How is social media changing news?

First, how news is delivered has changed.

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

Amusa Sango, obviously. Cyprian Ekwensi's musician and journalist in his important novel, People of the City.