“The Trenches Symphony,” conceived by Damilola ‘Dapper’ Akinwunmi, CEO of Dapper Music & Entertainment—one of Nigeria’s fastest-rising music organizations—set out to create a defining moment in the ongoing globalization of African music. The idea was simple yet ambitious: bring together roughly 80 orchestral musicians to perform alongside Afrobeats artists, creating something monumental, while also setting a Guinness World Records record, at the Balmoral Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.

The lineup featured street-pop stars T.I Blaze, TML Vibez, and Rybeena, who performed some of the hottest tracks from their catalogues in full orchestral arrangements.

“We didn’t just want to set a record; we wanted to create something iconic. Something that shows the world what Africa is capable of when vision meets excellence. The globalisation of African music is not coming—it is here. And with Trenches Symphony, we took it further than it has ever been taken before. From Lagos to the world, this is what happens when you refuse to put a ceiling on African artistry,” Dapper said.

While Afrobeats music has conquered global charts and festivals, large-scale orchestral interpretations remain rare. “The Trenches Symphony” attempts to bridge that gap. The production is expected to expand beyond Nigeria, with plans in progress to bring it to other states within the country as well as to diaspora hubs like London, Dublin, Paris, and other cities that play a significant role in the global growth of Afrobeats.