Nigerian rap star, Michael Ugochukwu Steven also known by his stage name, Ruggedman, has opined that a lot of “talentless” artistes are hiding under the banner of Afrobeats.
The Hip Hop veteran said the term ‘Afrobeats’ is for talentless people, and it is some artistes that are being celebrated globally, not the genre itself.
Ruggedman made the remark in an interview with journalist, Chude Jideonwo, saying; “When you ask me what Afrobeats is, I would say Afrobeats is what a lot of talentless people hide behind. They said, ‘Afrobeats to the world.’ I said, ‘No. It’s some artists to the world.’ It’s not the Afrobeats [genre], it’s some artists.”
The ‘Baraje’ crooner also revealed that it hurts when he sees comments on social media that his time as an artiste has passed.
He, however, noted that despite the discouraging words “what I said to myself is whoever the person [troll] is listening to right now is inspired by me.”
Meanwhile, in related news…
Nigerian Grammy winner, Damini Ogulu professionally known as Burna Boy faced heavy backlash on social media months ago when he talked down on Afrobeats.
In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, the ‘Last Last’ hit-maker asserted that 90 percent of Afrobeat songs “lack substance and real-life experience”.
He said; “Because of where I am from. The sh*t I have to go through to maneuver and just stay with my crown on my head. (It is harder for people that know you best to love you the most). Because they do not know you best. You just think they do.
When you start going around the world and you start seeing that there are actually motherf**kers that know me a lot than the people that share the same (not experience)… because 90 per cent of them [Nigerian musicians] have no real life experiences which is why most of Nigerian music or African music or afrobeats as people call it, is mostly about nothing, literally nothing.
It is why you hear most of Nigerian music or Afrobeats as people call it, is mostly about nothing. Literally nothing. There is no substance to it. Like nobody is talking about anything. It is just a great time. It is an amazing time. But at the end of the day, life is not an amazing time.
No matter how nice of a time you are having now or you are had at some point or you plan to have, you are still going to face life. Me speaking for myself, the artiste is the person who has good days, bad days, great days, and worst days.
So, for me, I feel like music should be the essence of the artiste. The artiste is a person who has good day, bad day, his great days and worst days. So, I’m dropping a project that should be a window for the fans to see those experiences.”
