Joeboy added that he is happy Afrobeats is returning to those “zones where the music speaks”.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigerian singer and songwriter Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus, popularly known as Joeboy, has said that the Afrobeats genre is currently undergoing a renaissance, adding that it is being purged of “adulterated” music.
He made the assertion recently while speaking midway through his performance at a sold-out Valentine’s Day show in Lagos.
At the beginning of 2020, the Nigerian music industry saw a heavy fusion of Afrobeats with other genres—most notably South Africa’s Amapiano, as well as American Hip-Hop and R&B.
This led critics to call for a return to “original Afrobeats”, claiming that the integration of foreign genres, often intended to cater to a global audience, had diluted the sound.
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The situation, however, began to shift in 2024 as several Nigerian artists started producing “real Afrobeats” again, moving away from an over-reliance on Amapiano.
Reacting to this shift, Joeboy noted that Afrobeats is returning to its original version and “real music”.
The ‘Faji’ crooner added that he is pleased the genre is returning to “zones where the music speaks”.
Addressing the turn of events, the 28-year-old artist said: “Afrobeats right now is going through a purge. We are getting back to the times where real music is going to stay – no more gimmicking and all of that.
“I can feel it already and I am happy that we are getting back to those zones where the music speaks. I thank God for that.”
