Nigerian rapper Ice Prince, known for his distinctive contributions to the music industry, has boldly claimed that his 2011 hit song ‘Oleku’ featuring Brymo is the trailblazing record that marked the inception of the term “Afrobeats.” The artist contends that the addition of an “s” to the term Afrobeat was a strategic decision made by him and his team to define their evolving sound when promoting ‘Oleku’ on international radio platforms.
In a recent interview with Echoo Room, Ice Prince delved into the history of the Afrobeats genre, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the nomenclature shift. He asserted that ‘Oleku’ holds the distinction of being among the first Afrobeats songs to secure a coveted spot on the BBC Radio playlist. During this pivotal period, foreign DJs faced a dilemma in categorizing the emerging Nigerian sound, especially since Afrobeat, the genre pioneered by Fela Kuti, already existed.
Ice Prince explained, “At that time, the foreign DJs didn’t know what to call our music, and they couldn’t call it Afrobeat. So, I and my team told them to put an ‘s’ to make it Afrobeats.” This strategic move aimed to provide a distinct identity to the evolving Nigerian sound, setting it apart from its predecessor Afrobeat.
The rapper emphasized that the pivotal moment in coining the term Afrobeats can be traced back to the international recognition and playlisting of ‘Oleku.’ While acknowledging that Ghanaian-British DJ Abrante is often credited with coining the term, Ice Prince clarified that DJ Abrante’s role was pivotal because he playlisted ‘Oleku’ and, at the directive of Ice Prince and his team, used the tag Afrobeats.
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