Nigerian singer Brymo has sparked a buzz on social media following his candid opinion about fellow musician Burna Boy and the controversial remarks Burna made regarding Afrobeat.
In a recent interview with TVC News, Brymo openly criticized Burna Boy for attempting to redefine Afrobeat, suggesting that most Afrobeat musicians lack life experiences, rendering their music hollow. Burna Boy had expressed this view in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe.
Brymo specifically took issue with Burna Boy’s claim that he is the “Jesus of Afrobeat” and positioned artists like Davido and Wizkid on a metaphorical mountain. Brymo accused Burna Boy of being unoriginal, labeling him as “sleazy” and a “thief,” asserting that much of his music comprises samples or stolen slogans.
For Brymo, Afrobeat is not merely a genre but a distinctive style of music, originating from the groundbreaking efforts of Fela Kuti. He argued that it was disrespectful for a new generation of musicians to append an ‘S’ and proclaim themselves as number one in a domain that did not belong to them.
Expressing his concerns, Brymo highlighted the importance of respecting the roots and history of music styles. He stressed that the habit of attempting to recreate what older artists had established was a prevalent issue not only in Afrobeat but also in black American music.