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The growth and globalization of Afrobeats have seen many things lost and found on the journey to global dominance.
The belief that the sound has to be watered down before the rest of the world can entertain it has led to the sacrificing of the elements that made it the genre that made it cool to listen to Nigerian music.
Originality has been sold, genuine art has been commercialized and the people making the decisions for Afrobeats are not even Africans, talk less of understanding the roots of the sound and culture.
NYRP once told me that the true sound of Afrobeats is in ‘sapa’. Suffering. Being a Nigerian. Going through all the struggles Nigeria gives you.
Whether you’re a ‘Nepo Baby’ or ‘Omo Talika’, Nigeria must tough you, and you must suffer one way or the other. That flavor of unique suffering is what makes us make music the way we do, and why the rest of the world can not make Afrobeats like us….yet. And I agree.
It’s also why the majority of our Artists drop music that seems to be of lesser quality when they blow. The suffering has disappeared. Comfort and assurance have set in, and you’re recording your next Album with a four million dollar advance in your bank account.
It’s why we always have fans saying “I miss the old ‘inserts artist’s name’s’ music” because they know something is lacking but they can not identify or explain what it is, but that’s not why I’m here today.
For the commercialization of the sound, laziness has become a brother to losing originality, and if the sound is lazy, it’s only expected that the process of marketing the sound is lazy too.
Nigerian artists have picked up a new trend of coming to the media to say controversial things before the release of an album, EP or Single so they trend organically (because Nigerians are gossips by nature) before they drop. Great strategy. Shout out to the first set of people to do it, but we are tired.
There’s no drama or uniqueness to it. Announce an album, say a few controversial things on X or other media, drop your lead single, move the conversation to how your music is great regardless of whoever you call out and that you’ll succeed, and then drop the album.
WOW.
The gist is good, I mean sure tell us that this ‘Egbon’ is a fake person online and has wrecked many careers, or that someone stole the sound direction of your album and you had to make a new one, but tell us at a different time.
Tell us way before the album so people can look forward to and build genuine anticipation for what you’re bringing and value it more, or tell us after the album so we can go back and draw similarities and appreciate you for the genius you are.
Tell us when the Egbon is being bad to you so we can face the reality and not just gist about it, and when we see you drop an album, we can support you fighting against the powers that be and not think you’re using us to generate conversation.
You can also decide to not tell us, please. If you want to drop half-baked gist, no. No. Who stole your sound direction, Mr Omah Stanley? Who is the wicked senior man Mr Oxlade Olaitan? Help us help you solve the problems you’re trying to call out, or not.
This is no way to roll out an album. There will always be gist. Tomorrow, the price of fuel will go up. Big Brother will evict someone. The conversation will shift, especially if it is not about the music.
Get creative, you’re already geniuses at music.
