- Rotimi claimed to have popularized Afrobeats-style music in the US before the ‘Afrobeats to the World’ movement gained momentum through international collaboration.
- He recalled bringing his single ‘Love Riddim’ to the radio stations in 2018 and it was not well received because of its Afrobeats influences.
Nigerian-American singer and actor Rotimi has declared himself the first artist to introduce Afrobeats to the American music scene.
According to Rotimi, he pioneered the Afrobeats movement in the US, preceding the international collaborations that popularized the genre worldwide.
Speaking in a recent episode of the 85 South Show Podcast, Rotimi recounted his experience taking his single ‘Love Riddim‘ to radio stations in 2018, only to be met with rejection due to its Afrobeats influences.
He said:
“I remember bringing ‘Love Riddim’ to the radio stations in 2018 and the program director was like ‘This is not good’. They didn’t even understand it and this was before Wiz (Wizkid) got the record with Drake,” he said. “I can comfortably say I brought Afrobeats to America” Rotimi confidently asserted.
However, Rotimi’s claims have sparked a heated debate on social media, with many pointing out that Afrobeats songs like Ayo Jay’s ‘Your Number’ (2015), Drake and Wizkid’s ‘One Dance’ (2016), and Davido’s ‘Fall’ and ‘If’ (2017) achieved success in the US before Rotimi’s ‘Love Riddim’ in 2018. These observers argue that Rotimi’s statement overlooks the contributions of other artists who paved the way for Afrobeats in America.
In another story, Ckay had asserted that he is the pioneer of Classical Afrobeats Music.
In an interview with Factory 78, Ckay revealed why his style of music is completely different from that of his colleagues; Wizkid and Davido
According to CKay, he grew up listening to Classic Music, he can play the guitar, the piano coupled with some talents which influenced his sound.
He said that he knew with all the talents he possessed that he didn’t want to sound like Davido or Wizkid. Ckay added that his vibe and experience is completely different from theirs and it will make no sense to sing like them.
He also used the opportunity to brag about his brilliance and how he is the first Nigerian artist to merge Afrobeats and Classical music in an EP.