Veteran rapper and activist, Ruggedman, says he believes the popular “Afrobeats” label attached to Nigerian music may soon fade away.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds on Sunday, the rapper — whose real name is Michael Ugochukwu Stephens — said he feels the tag might not stand the test of time.
“I just have a feeling that this whole Afrobeats thing, the tag might end soon,” he said.
While celebrating the global success of Nigerian music, Ruggedman expressed concern over the declining quality of some of today’s songs.
“The only change that I don’t fancy much is the quality of the music, and not too many of them are giving me what I really respect,” he added.
The rapper also drew a distinction between Afrobeat — the original genre pioneered by the late legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti — and Afrobeats, the modern African pop sound dominating charts today.
He lamented that rap music has taken a backseat in Nigeria’s music industry, saying many artists are turning away from rap because it’s harder to promote and less commercially rewarding.
“Unfortunately, rap has kind of taken a backseat because people want to do something that gives them money quickly,” Ruggedman said.
He also criticized the industry’s reliance on foreign validation, questioning why Nigerian artists constantly seek approval from international bodies.
Ruggedman argued that lumping together legends like Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and Kwam1 under the same “Afrobeats” label doesn’t do justice to their unique styles.
“I wish they had just left it at Nigerian music,” he concluded.