Why Afrobeats Artistes Shouldn’t Stick To What Fans Like – Rema

Nigerian Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has explained why Afrobeats artistes should not limit themselves to making only the type of music their fans already enjoy.

Rema made the statement during his concert over the weekend, where he said artistes must be willing to experiment if Afrobeats is to continue developing.

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The singer explained that he prioritises making music that he personally enjoys before considering whether it will appeal to his audience.

According to him, constantly creating music based on fans’ existing preferences could prevent the genre from evolving.

“I don’t care what you say about me. I don’t care if you like what I like. But I make music that I like before you like it. If I stick to what you like, Afrobeats is not going to move forward. And I will say it one more time, I am the f**king Prince of Afrobeats,” he said.

Rema also described himself as the “Prince of Afrobeats” and said he sees it as part of his responsibility to help push the genre forward.

His comments come amid growing discussions on social media over the increasing influence of foreign sounds and other genres on Afrobeats music.

Some African and traditional Afrobeats listeners have criticised artistes for incorporating more foreign sounds into their songs and albums, arguing that the genre is gradually losing some of its original identity.

Despite the criticism, several Afrobeats artistes have continued to experiment with different sounds and genres in an effort to expand the global reach of African music.