Nigerian singer, Burna Boy
Award-winning Nigerian musician Burna Boy is on a blast from a section of the public after he downplayed the substance of Afrobeat in an interview.
The troubles started after the artiste, who in an Apple Music interview with American-based DJ Zane Lowe, claimed that the internally recognized sound, Afrobeat, was about nothing and lacked substance.
He stated that most artists are not able to make proper music as they do not have the African experience.
“Not even experience, because half of them, 90% of them have almost no real-life experiences that they can understand, which is why you hear most of the Nigerian music or I would say African music. I don't even know what to say. Afrobeats, as you could call it, are mostly about nothing. Literally nothing. There's no substance to it. Nobody's talking about anything,” he said.
He added that proper artists should be able to portray different experiences with their craft.
“I feel like music should be that music should be the essence of the artist, you understand? The artist is a person like me, speaking for myself, the artist is a person who has good days, bad days, great days, and worst is, you know what I mean? And for me, if I give you something like this with my face on it and my name, then I should be giving you that experience. Yeah. You know what I mean? That should be a window for you to see some of that essence,” he added.
Burna Boy’s comments, however, did not go down well with many on social media as the artist has been chastised for abandoning his roots and pulling down the efforts of others.
"I saw that Burna boy interview video and realized He’s still the big f00l that he’s always been.
"Artiste will go out and promote their country, but he wants to be American so bad they’ll put everyone under so he can feel accepted. Damini you ain’t Jamaican either!!,” One user posted.
"Burna boy needs to apologize to Africans for talking down on Afrobeats,” Another posted.
The widely known Afrobeat sound is an amalgamation of different sounds from other African countries and has been popularized by Nigerian artistes with the likes of Davido, Burna Boy, and Asake.
Check some tweets below.
Remember when there's a new style of cloth and only some set of people could afford it, making them think it was exclusive to them, but later, others start buying it. Then they start saying, "That cloth is for pepper sellers." That's what Burna Boy is trying to do to afro beats.
— Chelsea Godmother ???????? ???????? (@larmmy) August 23, 2023
Burna Boy is like a lot of men these days, you talk down on your brothers and other men just to look outstanding, you discredit other men just to look like you’re better than them or you’re the only shitt. Gutter behavior!!!
— Shola ???? (@itsSh0la) August 23, 2023
RE: Burna Boy and Nigerian music lack of substance.
— Joey Akan (@JoeyAkan) August 23, 2023
Whenever Burna Boy has to sell a new album to a foreign, Westernised market, he finds a divisive narrative to bestow him exceptionalism in a market that does not know his backstory or lack proper context to process his…
Others started getting international recognition and won’t stop giving afrobeats credit, e reach Burna boy turn, e begin shit on am.
A fraud, sellout and a conman.
— ROYZ (@royzkingin) August 23, 2023
Dear Burna boy, you don’t need to downplay other people’s crafts just because you sampled your way to the top. https://t.co/7QlQ6IYvzE
— LERRY (@_AsiwajuLerry) August 22, 2023
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