West Africa native hopes Afropop can bridge cultural gap
YORK, Pa. (AP) — Much like plants, a person's roots can be unclear without a little digging. And, when it comes to music, those roots can influence a harmony, use of instruments, and an entire genre. While 28-year-old Joseph Mator's foundation may be in York now, his roots trace back to West Africa, specifically Monrovia, Liberia, where he was born. Where he's from plays a major role in the sound he has started to introduce to York and surrounding areas — Afropop. What is Afropop? Think of Afropop as a musical blend. It takes sounds and beats from traditional African music and combines it with catchy lyrics and other characteristics you'd find in the U.S. pop scene. Mator, stage name Joey Costar, says you should start with Afrobeat to understand the evolving essence of Afropop. "Afrobeat developed in Africa in the 1960s and 1970s and blends elements of Yoruba music, jazz and funk rhythms with an instrumentation that emphasizes African percussion and vocal styles," according to the New World Encyclopedia. Mator says his sound injects those African dance hall sounds with a Jason Derulo, Chris Brown and Justin Bieber vibe that equates to his form of Afropop. Journey to music Mator remembers singing at the church he and his family attended. He learned and excelled at playing the drums and the keyboard, but he didn't fine tune those talents as he got older. The Central York High School graduate never really considered singing professionally until he decided to start a hip-hop and R&B group in 2011 called "Costar" with a rapper named Pressure. The group needed a singer, so Mator stepped up to the plate and became increasingly comfortable with the role. "I tried it out, and I was okay with it ... I feel like I just fell into it," Mator said. In 2017, he went solo....
