Don’t stick to what fans like – Rema tells artists

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However, despite the complaints, more Afrobeats artistes have continued to churn out songs and albums that are heavily influenced by foreign sounds and genres.

Nigerian Afrobeats star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, spoken on the growth of afrobeats, urging artists not be too comfortable and scared of evolving.

Rema, while speaking during a performance at his concert, claimed artists tend to limit themselves to making only music that appeals to fans. He claimed the genre won’t move forward if they keep placing the fan’s preferences over their creativity.

Rema also declared himself the ‘Prince of Afrobeats’, stressing that he has to move afrobeats forward whether the fans want it or not.

“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.

The artist’s comment comes amid the backdrop recent social media protests over Afrobeats artistes merging other sounds into their music and embracing other genres in a desperate bid to appeal to foreign audiences.

However, despite the complaints, more Afrobeats artistes have continued to churn out songs and albums that are heavily influenced by foreign sounds and genres.