On March 16, 2024, Wizkid took to his Instagram story to announce the completion of his upcoming album ‘Morayo,’ named after his late mother who passed away in 2023.
In the latest episode of Pulse Hot Take, guests Obong Roviel and Basito discussed Wizkid’s recent decisive post distancing himself from the Afrobeats genre.
In a series of posts, Wizkid stated that fans who enjoyed his previous Afrobeats-style music like ‘Pakurumo’ should not expect the same from his next album. He also declared that he did not identify as an Afrobeats artist and requested Nigerian blogs not to promote his upcoming album, sparking a frenzy on social media.
Discussing Wizkid’s assertion of not being an Afrobeats artist, Obong Roviel dismissed it as a ploy for attention, likening it to Burna Boy’s statement that “Afrobeats lacked substance” before releasing his last album, ‘I Told Them.’
“When an artist is gearing up to release a project in Nigeria, you can always tell because they resort to attention-seeking tactics,” remarked Obong Roviel about Wizkid’s outburst.
Contrary to popular belief, Obong Roviel argued that being labeled as an Afrobeats artist does not limit creative freedom. He cited Drake as an example, noting that the rapper seamlessly transitions between different music genres without being confined by labels.
Basito, a staunch Wizkid supporter, countered Obong Roviel’s argument, highlighting the challenges African artists face in international awards due to the Afrobeats categorization.
“When it comes to international awards, African artists are often grouped into a single Afrobeats category, regardless of their musical style. Wizkid wants Nigerian artists to have the opportunity to compete in other categories,” Basito contended.
While some claim that the Afrobeats label restricts artists, others argue that Nigerian musicians have been recognized in non-Afrobeats categories. Wizkid’s song ‘Essence’ won an R&B category at the BET Awards, and Burna Boy was nominated in the Best Melodic Hip Hop category at the 66th Grammys for his song ‘Sittin’ On Top of The World’ featuring 21 Savage.
This demonstrates that Nigerian artists can receive recognition in other music genres beyond Afrobeats, suggesting that the Afrobeats label may not be as restrictive as perceived.
