Burna Boy has issued an apology for distancing himself from Afrobeats following backlash from a 2023 Apple Music interview. The Nigerian singer-songwriter, recognized as a pioneer in bringing the genre to a global audience, described Afrobeats as lacking substance and criticized many artists for having “almost no real-life experiences.”
In a conversation with 1Xtra’s Eddie Kadi, Burna reflected on the reaction to his comments and acknowledged the importance of a unifying term to promote the Afrobeats movement. Known for making history as the first African artist to headline a stadium show in the UK in 2023, he has a Grammy and consistently tops the Official UK Afrobeats chart.
At the time of his comments, Burna, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, expressed that he didn’t want his music, which he considers a blend of styles, to be confined to a single genre. He compared it to placing Socrates alongside Kendrick Lamar simply because both artists rhyme.
Burna admitted he was “in a dark place mentally” when he made those remarks, saying, “I wasn’t the happiest man in the world.” The division his words caused led him to reevaluate his perspective on the Afrobeats label, which he now embraces, as evident in his recent album, No Sign of Weakness.
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He stated, “I’ve learned to embrace the fact that I will always be different. I’m not going to be the favorite but I’m going to be the best.” With nearly 24 million monthly Spotify listeners, Burna performed at Wireless Festival and expressed his passion for live performances, aspiring to sustain his career like legendary artists such as Coldplay and The Rolling Stones.
Burna even reached out to Mick Jagger to feature on his new track, “Empty Chairs,” believing the rock icon would understand the song’s lyrical depth. Collaborating with Jagger was described as “one of the best experiences” of his career.
Currently, Burna Boy is on his European and North American tour, set to conclude at the end of the year.
SOURCE: GBCGHANAONLINE
