Veteran Nigerian highlife musician, Bright Chimezie, has voiced his concern over the quality of lyrical content in today’s music industry.
Speaking on a recent episode of the CreativTea podcast, the legendary performer, popularly known as Okoro Junior, acknowledged that modern artistes are making waves globally but lamented the lack of meaningful messages in their songs.
“Music is more profitable now than in my time. The only problem I have with the present crops of artists is their lyrical content. In terms of rhythms and every other thing, they are doing quite okay. But, what message are they passing to society?” he questioned.
Chimezie recalled his days in the industry, stressing that music then carried strong messages that still resonate decades later.
“I remember I did Respect Africa in 1984, that’s about 40 years ago. But I can still watch what I did 40 years ago and be proud of my lyrics,” he said.
The highlife veteran further challenged today’s artistes to think long-term:
“These days, I ask these boys, ‘The things that are coming out from your mouth, by the time your music stays up to 40 years, can you sit back with your children, see yourself and be proud of yourself?’”
While applauding the younger generation for their creativity and success, he urged them to infuse more meaningful content into their songs, arguing that longevity in music comes from lyrical depth, not just rhythm and commercial appeal.
