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The majority of African music relies heavily on the playing of drums. It is also characterized by an intense rhythmic playing style. This style of fast-paced, upbeat rhythmic drum playing can be found in many of the drum playing of tribes all over the continent of Africa. It is especially true of the people and tribes of Western Africa. However, there are music styles that do not rely so heavily of on the use of the drum, such as Township music, which is prevalent in South Africa. The uses of the drum music are not limited to entertainment and dance, however. In many tribes, they serve a purpose to the local community and help in the conduct of daily routines. The beats and sounds of the drum are used in communication, as well as cultural expression.

African drumming is characterized by a rapid, complex, and multi layered rhythmic composition. As the drummers play together their separate rhythms clash and cross, but the main beats never coincide. This is an incredible feat considering the fact that there are always two drummers and usually more than three. The songs can get progressively more complex as hand clapping is added in and then song. However, the real show lies in the drumming. The clapping parts of the participants might not all have the same rhythm or fall on the same beat, but the pace stays the same and the resulting rhythm of all the clapping parts does not vary throughout the song. The drums, however, can have the rhythmic pattern that they follow changed in mid song. This adds to the complexity, as the master drummer in the ensemble can change the pattern he plays whenever he feels like it. He may play irregular patterns and some of his stressed beats may happen to fall on stressed beats of another drum, in which case others will not. However, this does not act as a type of solo for the master drum. The most important aspect of listening to the multiple drums play together is that the various composite patterns are heard in integration and not as isolated units. There is not supposed to be one drum that stands out like a lead drum or vocal, even though the sound of one particular drum might be very distinctive, and none of the drums are intended to resemble a melodic equivalent to western music. Each drum has its own part and rhythm to contribute and it is the sum of all these parts that create a complex and awesome sound unique to the drumming of the African continent.