Singer, Burna Boy has confronted combined reactions from netizens following his remarks stating, “Afrobeats has no substance.”

In an interview, Burna labeled the style as having no substance as a result of it primarily revolves round nothing besides having enjoyable. He continued by saying that he, as an artiste, is a robust believer in making music with substance as a result of African musicians that make music with an Afrobeats sound don’t have real-life experiences they’ll talk about in songs.

Reacting to this comment, netizens expressed their displeasure with the singer’s wording, because it doesn’t replicate the picture of the style.

An X consumer @itzbasito wrote;
Nlgga noticed that he couldn’t personal the king of Afrobeats title so he’s doing all the things to offer his sound a reputation simply to be the king even when it means being the king of an empty city. He finds himself in different individuals’s shadow it doesn’t matter what he does therefore the explanation he’s shlting on Afrobeats.

@_AsiwajuLerry wrote;
Pricey Burna boy, you don’t have to downplay different individuals’s crafts simply since you sampled your strategy to the highest.

Music journalist, Joey Akan wrote:

“Each time Burna Boy has to promote a brand new album to a international, Westernised market, he finds a divisive narrative to bestow him exceptionalism in a market that doesn’t know his backstory or lack correct context to course of his bullshit.

He cannibalises his individuals for strangers who’re but to completely decide to him.

Earlier campaigns noticed him sporting activism as a cloak, and standing in line for “oppressed Africans,” to supply himself the advertising and marketing angle to push out African Big and Twice As Tall.

And following the blessings of “Final Final,” he’s aiming for a trifecta, by going all in along with his Messianic messaging.

“Nigerian music has no substance,” he says, earlier than positioning himself and his output as probably the most substantial inventive expression from Nigeria.

Nigerian music has substance. We’re a celebration nation, discovering expression in rhythm and emotional upliftment through comfortable music. That’s why the drumming continues to be most recurring instrument in all our of pop music.

For themes, Nigerian music embraces escapism and realism. Whereas Burna is true that, “it’s an excellent time,” he additionally fails to know that the nice feeling is a consequence of pure want for emotional upliftment. Has he paid any consideration to our lyrics?

We danced to Omah Lay’s “Soso,” a document about deteriorating psychological well being, and the cultural poisonous reliance on girls to carry out unpaid emotional labour.

Shallipopi would possibly use Amapiano to get you off your seat, however self-actualization through survival is a central theme in his expression. Odumodublvck oscillates between love, camaraderie and neighborhood upliftment, however his instruments of commerce are sometimes coarse and rudimentary.

And the way about our everlasting obsession with love? The place Adekunle Gold, Joeboy, Rema, Fireboy DML, Blaqbonez and BNXN have continuously explored all of the sides of human connection, and the dance that precedes connectivity and companionship.

Whereas we’d dance to Joeboy’s “Sip (alcohol), we’re witnessing and turning as much as a overwhelmed man, reliant on substance abuse to prop up his sanity and address the trauma of survival. We simply don’t see it, as a result of we’re too busy dancing.

When individuals say, “Nigerian music doesn’t have substance,” it’s not an indictment on the tradition and our tendency to oversimplify deep points, speaking weighty themes through dance music.

It’s a window into that individual’s thoughts. That window exposes a scarcity of mental leap, or the refusal to see our music past the comfortable feeling it offers…”