Burna Boy apologises for downgrading Afrobeats, distancing himself from genre
Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy has tendered an apology for his past criticism of Afrobeats and for distancing himself from the genre.
DAILY POST recalls that the artist sparked controversy in 2023 when he stated that Afrobeats lacked lyrical substance and publicly disassociated himself from the genre. The remarks drew backlash from fans, artists, and music stakeholders across Africa.
However, in a recent interview with BBC’s Eddie Kadi, Burna Boy offered clarity and expressed remorse over his earlier statements. He explained that his initial rejection of the Afrobeats label stemmed from a desire to carve out a unique identity for his music, which he calls Afrofusion.
“I didn’t understand why people wanted my music to be inside one box,” he said. “The way I saw it, if you just put everything into Afrobeats, you’re now comparing Socrates to Kendrick Lamar because they both said two things that rhyme — so they both must be rappers.”
Burna Boy admitted he didn’t realise at the time how vital the Afrobeats label was as a unifying umbrella for African artists to gain global recognition.
“I didn’t realise we needed the Afrobeats tag as an umbrella to go anywhere,” he said. “I totally get it now, and I apologise for that confusion.”
He further revealed that his controversial remarks were made while he was in a difficult mental space.
“I was in a dark place mentally when I said that,” Burna Boy added.
The Last Last crooner stressed the need for African artists to unite, rather than draw dividing lines based on sub-genres, in order to collectively advance the continent’s music on the world stage.
Burna Boy’s apology has sparked fresh conversations in the music industry about artistic identity, genre classification, and the global branding of African music.
