- Singer, Wizkid recently clarified his contentious remark distancing himself from the Afrobeats genre.
- Recall that during his new album announcement, he cautioned against being strictly labelled an Afrobeats artist.
- In a recent development, Wizkid emphasized his identity as an African artist creating diverse music and criticized oversimplified categorizations.
Famous musician, Wizkid recently offered further explanation for the controversial remark made just a few hours ago, wherein he distanced himself from the Afrobeats genre.
Wizkid, while announcing his upcoming album, urged caution among Nigerians against pigeonholing him strictly as an Afrobeat artist. He further cautioned bloggers against promoting his forthcoming album.
Wizkid’s stance didn’t end there; he proceeded to issue stern warnings to those who became fans during his earlier “Pakurumo” track phase, advising them against downloading his new album. Moreover, he discouraged Afrobeats enthusiasts from listening to his music.
These statements sparked backlash from many who accused him of disrespecting the genre that had laid the foundation for his success.
In his defence, Wizkid stood firm on his words, providing a clearer explanation. He emphasized his dislike of being confined within a particular label regarding his music.
Encouraging Nigerians to broaden their understanding, he asserted his identity as an African artist who creates diverse music, rejecting the notion of being solely an Afrobeats artist.
He highlighted the limitation African artists face in international recognition, often being lumped into a single category despite their varied music genres.
Wizkid acknowledged the pioneering role of the late Fela Kuti in Afrobeat creation but stressed that his own musical repertoire extends beyond the confines of the genre.
He pointed to his album “Made in Lagos” as evidence of his exploration of different sonic influences, constituting a fusion of various sounds.
Expressing frustration with the tendency to oversimplify diverse musical expressions under the umbrella term “Afrobeats,” Wizkid emphasized his versatility and refusal to conform to narrow categorizations.
He urged people to educate rather than rely on others to define their musical understanding.
Emphasizing his commitment to artistic integrity and experimentation, Wizkid reaffirmed his identity as an artist above all else, unafraid to venture into new territories. In his concluding remark, he humorously urged detractors to ‘drink some milk.’
In his words:
“U lost people always want someone to educate you. U got your phone, Google, research shit, or take a flight and see the world don’t be ignorant and stup!d all the time. Listen, am I African? Yes! But I do make all kinds of music! But I don’t want these labeled just Afrobeats. That’s like saying every American artists make rap. That’s stup!d.
This is why no matter how good or amazing the music we make be it RnB it whatever other genre, we all get nominated in one African category or the other. I’ve made songs from different genres of music. Made in Lagos is not an “Afrobeats” album. That’s a fusion of different sounds.
Real music! The word Afrobeats was made up by y’all to put all we make into a box. Female created Afrobeat!! I make all sorts of music. Fusion of sounds!
I’m on artiste before anything else. True to my art. Not scared to try shit. Now y’all drink some milk”.
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