Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy has issued an apology for previously distancing himself from the Afrobeats genre, clarifying that his earlier remarks were rooted in a misunderstanding of the genre’s unifying importance.
In July 2022, the ‘African Giant’ crooner drew criticism after publicly stating that he should be identified as an Afrofusion artist rather than an Afrobeats performer.
His comments sparked debate across the music industry and among fans about genre identity and artistic freedom.
However, during a recent interview on The Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show, Burna Boy explained that his earlier stance stemmed from a reluctance to be confined to a single musical category.
He reflected on his musical journey, describing how his sound has always blended diverse influences grounded in African roots.
“I said I don’t do Afrobeats in the interview because I don’t understand why everyone wanted my music to be in a particular box forcefully,” he said.
“From 2010, I have been saying Afrofusion is what I make, where I mix elements with the African base. So, if you try to put me under Afrobeats, it’s like you’re now comparing Socrates to Kendrick Lamar because they both said two things that rhyme, so they both must be rappers.”
He admitted that at the time, he failed to grasp the necessity of having a collective label for African music to gain international recognition, akin to how genres like R&B and Hip-Hop established their global identities.
“At the time, I didn’t understand that we need an umbrella for the genre, for the music to get recognition like R&B and Hip-Hop. I didn’t come to terms with it until I started seeing the reactions and the division it was causing, so I got the point of the Afrobeats tag.”
Burna Boy went on to acknowledge that the Afrobeats label plays a vital role in pushing African music to a global audience.
“If I had understood then, I would have gone about it differently. Why would I want to destroy what I’m building?” he added.
Concluding his remarks, the artist expressed regret over the confusion his past comments may have caused, recognising the importance of unity in elevating African music worldwide.
“I didn’t realise the Afrobeats tag is needed to make it global because there wouldn’t be any R&B, Hip-Hop, or any of these popular genres if their beginnings had a lot of separation. So now, I totally get it and apologise for the confusion.”
