Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has criticized fellow artists who diminish the significance of the Afrobeats genre. While acknowledging that it’s acceptable for artists to distance themselves from Afrobeats if they believe it doesn’t align with their artistic vision, she denounced the hypocrisy of those who belittle the genre. Alade emphasized that Afrobeats has played a vital role in the development of every Nigerian artist.
On her X handle, the ‘Johnny’ crooner wrote: “I don’t see anything wrong in informing your listeners of the genre of music an artist makes especially when you feel it doesn’t define your art.
“Just Announce your Genre in peace. Downplaying the role Afrobeats has played in every artist’s development is hypocrisy.”
Alade’s outspokenness on social media coincides with a trend among Nigerian singers, including Wizkid and Burna Boy, who have distanced themselves from the Afrobeats genre. They argue that African artists are often categorized solely under Afrobeats, irrespective of their unique musical styles, prompting them to reject the label.
