Nigerian Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has said the genre will not progress if artistes limit themselves to making music solely based on what fans want.
Rema made the remarks during his concert over the weekend, stating that he prioritises making music that appeals to him before considering the preferences of his audience.
The singer described himself as the “Prince of Afrobeats” and said he sees himself as having a responsibility to push the genre forward.
According to him, artistes must be willing to experiment with different sounds rather than simply giving fans what they already know and enjoy.
“I don’t care what you say about me. I don’t care if you like what I like. But I make music that I like before you like it.
“If I stick to what you like, Afrobeats is not going to move forward. And I will say it one more time, I am the f**king Prince of Afrobeats,” he said.
Rema’s comments come amid recent criticism on social media over Afrobeats artistes incorporating foreign sounds and other genres into their music in an attempt to appeal to international audiences.
Some African and traditional Afrobeats fans have expressed disappointment with the growing influence of foreign sounds in the genre.
Despite the criticism, several Afrobeats artistes have continued to release songs and albums incorporating elements of other international genres and sounds.
