Two decades after the advent of the internet, influencer/content creator marketing has changed the way we interact with brands across all goods, services and professions. Afrobeats, as an industry, has since taken advantage of this shift in media, giving rise to afrobeats influencers.
In Canada, the following creatives have chosen the genre as one of their niches, boosting visibility for the booming industry maple-side.
Ada Ohh
Ada Onianwah is an international radio personality who cut her teeth on-air in Nigeria, working at Urban96. Upon moving back home to Canada, she was ready to lend her voice and expertise to African culture starting with the GTA and its environs.
Before her Nigerian stint, Ada Ohh gave voice to the creative processes of black artists like Keri Hilson, Ty Dolla Sign and our very own Nonso Amadi, interviewing them as far back as 2018. If her social media following of over 13,000 across platforms is any indication, Ada has a way with the stars. Ayra Starr, Crayon, DJ Tunez, CKay and WurlD are some artists with whom she has shared radio segments at Urban96.
In keeping with this formidable reputation, Ms. Ohh recently launched ‘Ada’s Room’. This is a space where your favourite afrobeats musicians discuss topics about space, dating, fashion and the thriving country of plutomania.
An OAP on the weekends and an afro events host most other times, Ada led the vibe at the 2025 annual Afrovibes Festival in Kitchener. In the spooky season of the -ember months, she will be hosting the upcoming JerkXJollof alongside Montreal artist SLM in Toronto, October 31st.
Fusi Hype
Azeez Oladimeji Fusigboye, widely known as Fusi Hype, is a dynamic and socially-charged marketing strategist whose personal brand is built on “putting more hype” into Afrobeats. The “Fusi” of his surname means “put more,” and indeed Fusi Hype has spent 7+ years in PR, media relations and digital advertising across domestic and international markets. From Toronto, he has become a key figure bridging the Nigerian/Canadian Afrobeats scenes. Recently he joined Demalytics Records as manager of rising Afro-fusion artist Taene — a move that catalysed his profile as a heavy-hitter in global Afrobeats strategy.
He and his team have rolled out campaigns that include crafting album-listening parties for major releases like Ruger’s Blownboy Ru and Burna Boy’s No Signs of Weakness and also hosting twice-monthly open mic events, ‘Mild Hype’, giving emerging musicians, dancers, visual artists a consistent platform in Toronto. A rather fun ‘m.o’ of his is presenting thoughtful keepsakes such as signed sports jerseys to star artists as part of his cultural-marketing strategy to integrate Afrobeats into Canadian mainstream entertainment.
A collaborator on Ada’s Room, Azeez helped set up the interview between Ada Ohh and Lojay during the Toronto leg of the XOXO North American tour. He also played a role in Ada’s interview of BNXN, Shallipopi and other Afrobeats heavy-hitters.
In 2025, Fusi Hype’s calendar includes the “Traffic Light Boat Cruise”, “Africana Culture Festival” and major nights tied to Fireboy’s Toronto performance at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Fusi is carving out a space where afrobeats, brand strategy, community and creative culture overlap, both for fun and influence.
Oga Rossco
Abdulrahman Uthman, or simply Oga Rossco, describes himself as an entertainment entrepreneur concerned with shaping nightlife and culture around afrobeats in the province of British Columbia.
With over 8000 followers across platforms, Rossco serves his Pan Africanist interest through events curation and performing as a DJ. Since 2022, Abdul’s moniker has been listed under ‘music by’ sections of posters of Surrey Fusion festival, AHFOMAD festival and recurring Shayo Saturday parties hosted by Shifting Culture.
Following his success as an afrobeats disc jockey renowned in Vancouver and an events coordinator at AHFOMAD, Oga Rossco launched his events curation business, ‘Strictly Afrobeats’. This platform introduced events like ‘Industry Night’ where afrobeats artists in different fonts – singer, DJ, instrumentalists, dancers, influencers – got together in 2023. This bred collaborations like Ruger’s ‘Luv Again’ Canadian tour and official after party in October of 2024.
This Halloween, you can party with DJ Rossco at Calabash Caribbean Bistro in Van city on the 31st Oct. or at BNXN’s official after party on the 18th of October if you’re so eager.
The Black Oreo
Peace Oreoluwa Olawunmi is a communications specialist by training whose passions lie in community building, events curation and enjoyment of and for the African/black community in Canada. No surprise that she’s a returning volunteer for the gospel concert circuit ‘Wildfire’, in the KW region, Peace is Oreo or TBO who introduces herself first as a young christian adult.
If you’re looking for inspiration for where to go enjoy a night filled with afro fun, look no further. Oreo is outside!… and doesn’t mind taking you along for the ride. In the summer of 2025 alone, she had a time at ‘Caribana’ in Toronto, volunteered in Kitchener for Afrovibes Festival 2025, met up with popular Nigerian influencers, Inicash and JustinUG for their Toronto rendition of ‘Shut up & Dance’ and still had time to cackle with the ladies of ISWIS (I said what I said).
This feminist events curator and promoter took the bull by the horn, launching her very own digital platform; FOMO by TBO. A particular favourite weekly output of FOMO is ‘TBO’s Lit List’, where Oreo publishes a list of 5 African and/or black events in the GTA and GRT regions. She clearly knows where to find the best afrobeats parties, concerts and gatherings and documents them using her videography skills on Instagram.
Ediri
Ediri Obor of Ediri’s Corner describes herself as a multi-hyphenate creative: filmmaker, PR & brand strategist, show host, writer and storyteller. To her 6,000+ social media followers she’s become a voice for Black women creatives in Canada whose work refuses to stay behind the scenes.
As a filmmaker, Ediri launched her eponymous creative house, which produced the music video for Afro-jazz/folk singer Sewa’s Asiko, and captured the live Toronto show of Africa’s No. 1 podcast ‘I Said What I Said’ hosted by millennial Baby Girls Jola and FK Abudu. Her short film Now or Never (featuring Monika Gibson and Evan Mok) dropped in February 2024 and was hailed as both heart-warming and thrilling.
Ediri is also a frequent moderator and panel host for the annual Afrovibes Festival (Kitchener), and in October 2025 she screened her debut documentary Rhythm and Brew. Her goal: to fulfil an obligation of sharing her creative gifts with her community and the world and to positively impact how Black-Canadian creatives are seen, heard and valued.
With her combination of media skills, creative storytelling and community focus, Ms. Obor stands as a key influencer in Canada’s Afrobeats and Black creative ecosystem as someone who doesn’t just document culture, but helps build it.
Uncles of Toronto
When it comes to consistent afrobeats community building in Toronto, Uncle Debo and Uncle Nife Oluyemi are names you’ll hear over and again. This repetition is often accompanied by basslines, dancing and bottle popping. Together, they are the DJ duo, Uncles of Toronto, one of the GTA’s most recognizable Afro-centred nightlife influencers.
As strong believers in dance floor superiority, their event, Afrobeats & Friends, blends the relaxed familiarity of a Lagos houseparty with the cosmopolitan flair of downtown Toronto. From hosting a Caribana Festival afterparty at Dopamine Lounge to collaborating with Noir Toronto for ‘How Far’, the duo made it their mission this summer to deliver incredible vibes and even better afrobeats music.
With over 6000 followers across social media handles and the launch of Afrobeats & Friends, they created another outcrop of afrobeats events; ‘Japa Toronto’. ‘Japa’ has morphed from a block party held on a rooftop in 2024 to a buzzing social event of the summer at Obi’s House Toronto edition in 2025. Uncle Debo and DJ Nife are leading Toronto’s Afrobeats renaissance, one unforgettable night at a time.
In collaboration with FOMO by TBO, on October 31st, you can ‘Trick or Treat’ with the Uncles and Oreo at Dopamine Lounge. If you’re still in the area by 5pm, you’re cordially invited for the debrief on November 1st at ‘Family Compound Vibes’.
