Wizkid Accused of Clout-Chasing After Denouncing Afrobeats

In a series of posts, Wizkid announced that fans who enjoyed his previous Afrobeats music like ‘Pakurumo’ should not expect his next album to be similar. He even went as far as disassociating himself from being labeled an Afrobeats artist, requesting Nigerian blogs not to promote his upcoming album. This sparked a frenzy on social media.

Obong Roviel criticized Wizkid’s stance, calling it a publicity stunt akin to Burna Boy’s assertion that “Afrobeats lacked substance” before releasing his last album, ‘I Told Them.’

“When an artist in Nigeria is gearing up to release a project, they often resort to attention-grabbing tactics,” remarked Obong Roviel regarding Wizkid’s outburst.

Contrary to Wizkid’s claim that being labeled an Afrobeats artist limits his creativity, Roviel argued that the genre doesn’t confine artists. He pointed out Drake, a rapper known for making pop music, as an example of an artist who transcends genres.

Basito, a devoted Wizkid fan, countered that the Afrobeats label restricts African artists’ chances at international awards. According to him, these awards often lump all African artists into a single category regardless of the genre they represent. Wizkid, Basito contended, aims to challenge this status quo to give Nigerian artists opportunities in diverse award categories.

However, critics argue that the notion of Afrobeats boxing artists is unfounded, as evidenced by Wizkid’s BET win in an R&B category for his song ‘Essence’ and Burna Boy’s Grammy nomination in the Best Melodious Hip Hop category for his song ‘Sittin’ On Top of The World’ featuring 21 Savage.

This indicates that Nigerian artists can achieve recognition in various categories when they explore genres beyond Afrobeats. Hence, the problem might not lie with the Afrobeats label itself, but rather with artists’ choices to create music that can compete in broader categories.