Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy has issued a public apology for his previous controversial statements about Afrobeats, where he claimed the genre lacks lyrical substance and distanced himself from it.
The self-proclaimed African Giant sparked significant controversy in 2023 when he disassociated himself from Afrobeats, a genre that has propelled numerous Nigerian artists to global recognition.
In a recent interview with BBC's Eddie Kadi, Burna Boy explained his change of heart, acknowledging that he didn't initially understand the importance of Afrobeats as an umbrella genre for African artists to thrive internationally.
"I didn't understand why people wanted my music to be inside one box. The way I saw it, if you just put everything into Afrobeats, you're now comparing Socrates to Kendrick Lamar because they both said two things that rhyme so they both must be rappers," the "Last Last" hitmaker explained.
He further clarified his previous stance on labeling his music as Afrofusion rather than Afrobeats, stating: "I didn't realise we needed Afrobeats tag as an umbrella to go to anywhere. I totally get it now and I apologise for that confusion."
The artist admitted he was in a "dark place mentally" when he made the controversial remarks. He now emphasizes the importance of unity among African artists rather than division along genre lines to advance the continent's music globally.
This apology comes as Burna Boy continues to solidify his position as one of Africa's most successful musical exports, with multiple international collaborations and awards to his name.
The artist's evolution in perspective highlights the growing recognition of Afrobeats as a powerful cultural force that has created opportunities for African musicians on the global stage.
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