WHY AFROBEATS ARTISTES SHOULDN’T LIMIT THEMSELVES TO FANS’ EXPECTATIONS — REMA
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
Nigerian Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has argued that Afrobeats artistes cannot drive the genre’s growth if they restrict themselves to producing only the kind of music their fans already enjoy.
Speaking at his concert over the weekend, Rema said artistes should have the freedom to explore their creativity and create music they personally connect with, rather than constantly tailoring their sound to audience expectations.
The singer described himself as the “Prince of Afrobeats” and said he sees himself as part of a generation responsible for pushing the genre into new territories.
According to Rema, constantly producing music based solely on what Afrobeats fans want could prevent the genre from evolving.
He said, “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.”
Rema’s comments come amid recent debates on social media over the growing influence of foreign sounds and other musical genres on Afrobeats.
Some African and traditional Afrobeats fans have criticised artistes for incorporating more international sounds into their music, arguing that the trend could dilute the identity of the genre in the pursuit of global appeal.
Despite the criticism, several Afrobeats artistes have continued to experiment with different sounds and genres, releasing songs and albums influenced by music from outside Africa.
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