In Lagos slang, “mara” means “crazy, wild”, and “cruise” means “fun, a good time”.

The loosely defined but at the same time distinct fresh style of music known as “Cruise Beat” or “Free Beat” began to spread from Lagos on TikTok and other social media around 3 or 4 years ago.

Cruisebeat is a kind of reaction against the by now ubiquitous and internationally popularised sound of Naija Pop with its slow tempos and languid, introspective, romantic themes reminiscent of Zouk/Kizomba. Instead, the younger generation is making music at much higher tempos, with cocophonous use of samples, and an irreverent, riotous modus operandi.

It is an unstoppable African hyper-modern DIY rave-virus full of raw, relentless energy, spreading through the streets of West African cities like a pandemic of boisterous sonic thrills and frenzied footwork. Rave With African Characteristics is full of rhythmic innovation, sonic adventure, crazy intensity, and ecstatic euphoria.

Clocking in on average at 1 or 2 minutes in length, the songs are not really “songs” as much as modular rhythmic pieces to be combined in infinite potential configurations. The elegance and integrity of this music is in its rigorous adherence to pure functionality: above all other concerns, the central objective is dance; and neither producers nor party goers ever lose sight of it.

But there is also something else, a central element of human creativity since the very advent of poetry and song, which has been almost entirely missing from European and USAmerican classical OR social music in the modern period and even for much longer: humour.

Cruisebeat features plenty of cheeky, looney, hilarious samples from Nollywood and elsewhere, childish, even toilet humour, and re-versions or remixes of funny, low-brow, and incredibly cheesy music such as “Crazy Frog” or “Happiest Year” by Jaymes Young (Don’t worry, I spared you from this one).

Musically ranging from Yoruba percussive dexterity, classic African Rumba, and Amapiano influences to palettes from Acid Techno and Trap, sometimes within the same track, everything is done with unmistakeable and entirey unmatched African rhythmic dexterity and effortless compositional brilliance.

Ironic that music made so quickly and spontaneously should actually, often, at the same time feel totally timeless.