Burna Boy, Grammy award winning Nigeria artiste has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding his past comments on Afrobeats. Offering an apology and clarifying his intentions. The “Last Last” crooner, speaking in a trending interview on The Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show with Eddie Kadi. Expressed regret over his previous remarks, which were widely perceived as dismissive of the genre.
Burna Boy explained that his statements were not meant to undermine Afrobeats, but to define and differentiate his unique sound Afro-fusion. According to him, he coined the term because he felt his style did not fit into the existing musical landscape in Nigeria at the time.
“I described my music as Afro-fusion because it felt like there was no space for it back home, so I had to carve my own niche,” he said.
He acknowledged that his past criticism especially when he claimed that Afrobeats lacked lyrical substance during a 2023 interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe stemmed from a limited understanding of the genre’s wider purpose.
Burna Boy admitted that he didn’t realize the importance of a unified identity in propelling African music globally. He said, “I didn’t know we needed an umbrella term to take our music forward globally. If I had understood that, I would’ve approached it differently.”
He now embraces Afrobeats’ pivotal role in the global music scene. Stating that he would never attempt to destroy what he is helping to build.
“Why would I want to destroy what I’m building? I apologise for the confusion,” he added.
Concluding, Burna Boy expressed renewed appreciation for Afrobeats. Acknowledging its impact in elevating African talent internationally:
“I respect that now more than ever.”
