As someone who listens to Afrobeats almost daily, I found this paper surprisingly affirming of things I’ve felt for a long time. The author’s idea that simple, repetitive patterns can carry an entire universe of expression immediately made sense to me, because that is exactly how Afrobeats works on me as a listener. Many songs use minimal harmony or looping rhythms, yet they never feel empty; instead, the groove itself feels alive.

What stood out most was the discussion of microtiming and how tiny shifts in timing can completely change the emotional feel of a rhythm. When I listen to Afrobeats, I’m often responding less to melody and more to how the beat sits—how relaxed, smooth, or slightly off-grid it feels. The paper helped me realize that this “feel” is not accidental but deeply tied to the body, movement, and cultural listening practices. Reading this made me more aware of why Afrobeats feels so natural and immersive to me.