Joeboy Advocates for Authenticity in Afrobeats Revival

Joeboy, a prominent Nigerian singer, has commented on the current evolution of the Afrobeats genre, stating that it is undergoing a purge to return to its authentic roots. He performed at a Valentine's Day show in Lagos and explained that the genre is moving away from what he describes as "wack music." Joeboy believes that the genre is regaining its essence and that the time for gimmicks is over.

He expressed his happiness about this shift, noting that it began around 2020 when the Nigerian music industry saw a heavy fusion of Afrobeats with other genres, particularly South Africa's amapiano and American hip hop and R&B. This fusion led to criticism that Afrobeats was diluting its original sound to cater to a global audience.

Joeboy anticipates that by 2024, Nigerian artists will start producing genuine Afrobeats again, moving away from the influence of amapiano, which many music enthusiasts view as a positive direction for the genre.