Nigerian music sensation Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has recently disagreed with Raggae legend, Buju Banton’s assertion that Afrobeats got it’s influence from Jamaica.
The artist made this assertion while speaking during a podcast called The Breakfast Club, where she spoke about the global rise of Afrobeats.
In the video, she expressed her pride in the genre’s massive growth and cultural influence.
According to Tems, Afrobeats is not a temporary trend but a movement expanding its reach.
She said, “I feel like Afrobeats, every artist talks about their life, what means the most to them, so it can’t be introspective or just what is going on in the country, or what is going on in their life, it just depends on the artist.”
Further emphasizing the essence of Afrobeats, she described how it is built around being danceable and uplifting, especially for Nigerians.
“The structure of afrobeat is that it is supposed to be a danceable music and so Nigerians loves that music because it is just to forget about everything you are worried about and enjoy life, that is what Afrobeats gives.”
She highlighted the originality of the sound, rooted in African culture, and how it’s impacting the global music scene.
“ I always say that in music, there are different genres and for other purposes, so while you listen to Afrobeats, you still listen to RnB.
“There are different moods and times; there are times you want to play reggae and just feel that vibe, so it is just for other purposes.
“Afrobeats has to do more about the originality, which is from Nigeria, for a particular purpose for the Nigerian people.
“So if you from outside like Afrobeats, then you are enjoying what the Nigerian people enjoy because it is originally from them.”
However, a Jamaican singer Buju Banton in a recent interview with ‘Drink Champ’ accused some afrobeats artists of borrowing from Jamaican reggae and dancehall without proper credit or respect.
“Everyone wants to take from reggae; you want to ostracize us (Jamaican music) and underpay us. Afrobeats did not stem from Africa but from Jamaican influence. I’m sure Afrobeats artistes would say to you, ‘Afrobeats is Afrobeats and has nothing to do with Jamaica,’ we say to them, ‘Our music has everything to do with Africa.’ We don’t dichotomize, we don’t separate ourselves from Africa, no time, no day. This is because the drum in our music is what speaks to our soul.
“In reggae music, there are a lot of culture vultures out there. We sat and watched reggaeton take reggae music. You’re f***** our music so hard and stolen our culture. I’m knocking nobody, but you don’t give us any respect, and you still expect us to come and act like we took something from you? This is the king’s music.”
Tems, on the other hand, believes this genre will continue to thrive as more international audiences embrace African rhythms and sounds.
She has garnered numerous honours, including a Grammy Award, a Billboard Women in Music Award, four NAACP Image Awards, four BET Awards, and three Soul Train Music Awards.
