Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has stirred up fresh conversation about Afrobeats, saying it is more of a “label” than an actual music genre.
Speaking on The Beat 99.9 FM Lagos, Seun explained that the term “Afrobeats” is used loosely as a tag for music coming out of Africa, but not as a defined sound with strict rules.
According to him, most Afrobeats artists don’t even treat it like a genre. Instead, they freely experiment with different sounds, from Nigerian pop to dancehall, amapiano and even blues, switching styles whenever the vibe demands.
“I think Afrobeats is more of a title than a genre,” Seun said. “You can see Amapiano is the new Afrobeats. It’s the new thing in Afrobeats. So, Afrobeats is just a generalisation, a title to identify something from Africa.”
The outspoken son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, added that even top names in the industry do not approach Afrobeats as a strictly defined category.
“They could do a dancehall track today, switch to amapiano tomorrow, and then drop a Nigerian pop song. That’s why I don’t think Afrobeats is a genre. It’s just a title,” he said.
Seun’s take has sparked mixed reactions online, with fans debating whether Afrobeats is indeed a genre or simply a movement representing Africa’s diverse sound.
