Why Afrobeats artistes shouldn’t stick to what fans like – Rema

Renowned Nigerian Afrobeats artist, Divine Ikubor, widely recognized as Rema, expressed his stance during a recent concert. He firmly stated that if Afrobeats musicians confine themselves to making music solely for the liking of fans, the genre will not evolve. At the event, Rema boldly declared that he creates music based on his personal preferences and not the desires of his audience.

He proclaimed himself as the "Prince of Afrobeats," entrusted with the responsibility to propel the genre forward. Rema emphasized that if he and other artists concentrate on producing music that pleases Afrobeats fans, the genre will not advance. He iterated, "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."

Rema's remarks come amidst ongoing social media backlash against Afrobeats artists integrating diverse musical elements into their work to attract foreign listeners. African and traditional Afrobeats fans have voiced their discontent over this trend. Despite the criticism, an increasing number of Afrobeats artists persist in crafting songs and albums that are heavily influenced by foreign sounds and genres.