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Nigerian music journalist and founder of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan, has raised eyebrows online after dropping a brutally honest take on the current state of the Nigerian music industry.
In a viral post on X, Joey didn’t hold back as he described what he believes is a slow but steady decline in the growth and influence of Afrobeats on the global stage:
“A lot of our artists can’t go back to the venues they comfortably did years ago. We’re getting cancellations. Or cutting capacities.
We’re struggling as a collective to pin down the right collaborations.
We can’t even get into the Hot 100, or any cold 100 outside the sub-Sahara.
Our TikTok hits are muted. Or they experience failed attempts to fly.
We no longer impact the global pop music carousel.
We no longer break superstars at home. Just elevated subgenre hopefuls.
Our country has gotten worse, and with it, the value of our efforts. Even our paltry streams are considered low-quality.
We’re experiencing degrowth. The makings of a deep cultural shrinkflation, where the art becomes a blur, and the ecosystem scrambles to support the valley.
Stop calling it culture!”
Joey’s statement has sparked heated debate in the music community, with some praising his boldness, while others feel he’s painting an overly grim picture.
