August 26, (THEWILL) – Joey Akan, an entertainment journalist, has slammed Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, for degrading Afrobeats and Nigerian musicians.
A few days ago, Burna Boy asserted that Nigerian music has no substance or reflects real-life issues.
According to him, most Nigerian songs are just purely for fun and really make no sense or reflect real-life issues. He asserted that the problem stems from the fact that Afrobeat artists have no real-life experience.
He argued that whatever music an artist wants to sing has to be a reflection of his real-life experience, what he’s going through at the moment, or how difficult life is.
He made it clear that life was not filled with rainbows and as much as the artists wanted to sell songs that were purely based on fun and excitement, there had to be songs that also revealed struggles and real-life issues.
“90 per cent of them (Afrobeat artists) have no real-life experiences that they can understand, which is why you hear Nigerian music is mostly about nothing, there’s no substance to it, nobody is talking about it, and it’s just a great time but at the end of the day, life is not an amazing time.
“You are still going to face life. For me, I feel like music should be that the artiste is a person who has good days, bad days, and worse days,” he said.
Many Nigerians have since blasted him for denigrating his country’s musicians making the nation proud globally and Afrobeats as a genre of music.
Taking to his X account, Akan made it clear that he was wrong for saying such words about Afrobeats. He also argued that contrary to his words Nigerian music has substance.
He stated that while it was true that Nigerian music was mostly for a good time, he stated that Burna Boy failed to understand that it was for an emotional upliftment considering some of the struggles Nigerians go through.
“Nigerian music has substance. We are a party nation, finding expression in rhythm and emotional upliftment via happy music. That’s why the drumming continues to be the most recurring instrument in all our pop music.
“Nigerian music embraces escapism and realism. While Burna is right that, ‘it’s a good time.’ He also fails to understand that the good feeling is a consequence of the natural need for emotional upliftment.
“Has he paid any attention to our lyrics?
“Nigerian music is a reflection of the Nigerian society. Burna Boy is wrong for debasing his country’s art.
“Whenever Burna Boy has to sell a new album to a foreign, Westernised market, he finds a divisive narrative to bestow him exceptionalism in a market that does not know his backstory or lack proper context,” he wrote.
Similarly, Burna Boy, in his newly released single, ‘Thanks’ in which he featured American rapper, J.Cole, expressed his disdain for Nigerians because he feels unappreciated at home.
Burna Boy believes Nigerians don’t give him enough plaudits for his exceptional contribution.
“They say my mama dance for Fela. They say I no get baby mama. They say I shoot person for Cubana because I want to collect person woman…is this the motherfucking thanks I get for making my people proud every chance I get?” he sang.
Again, Akan took him to the cleaners over his running disdain for Nigerians.
“It can be painful to work and get money but fail to attract the level of reverence he believes he deserves. Yes, you, his fans and everyone who finds his work to be impeccable fill his shows, stream his music and buy his tickets.
“But do you wake up each morning and genuflect before him? Do you build altars in his name and sacrifice human life in his honour?
“How about a public holiday for the African Giant? A national celebration crafted to immortalise his prolific vocal chords?
“Perhaps a new law dedicating every first-born son to the Order of Damini? Maybe that will be the ‘motherfucking thanks’ he gets, deserves and appreciates.
“Not the devotion of fans that pack his venues, give him astronomical streaming numbers and battle strangers on the internet for his sake.
“Not the consideration, material, spiritual blessings he has received for being an exceptional creator and performer. He wants your utter worship, in spirit and truth,” he added.
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