“Afrobeats Right Now Is At Its Worst In Last Two Decades”

Nigerian disc jockey Nonso Temisan Ajufo, popularly known as DJ Big N, has raised alarms over what he describes as a significant decline in the global performance of Afrobeats.

In a recent interview with Echo Room, posted on X Tuesday, DJ Big N stated that the genre is currently experiencing its lowest point in the past two decades.

He attributed the decline to both artists and music executives, arguing that attempts to appeal to international audiences have backfired.

“Afrobeats right now is at its worst position in the last 20 years. And everyone from musicians to music executives have a part to be blamed. The quality of music dropped. You have to understand that the quality of the product is important in every way,” he said.

He added that the genre has suffered from a loss of originality. “Also, the originality of the music dropped. Always understand that whatever you want to export has to be original, first and foremost. If you tried to export something else, it’s only a matter of time before you stopped getting demands. You can’t sell foreign genres to foreign audiences. We have to embrace our originality,” DJ Big N emphasized.

The DJ further criticized some Afrobeats artists for overpricing their services, describing it as unsustainable. He highlighted that many Nigerian acts are increasingly unaffordable, even within their home country.

He concluded by urging artists to rethink their strategies in order to preserve and revive the genre.

Source: Informationng