By QueenEsther Iroanus
Nigerian singer Wizkid has sparked outrage on social media by describing rap music as boring and dead.
The singer, who does Afrobeats, said he is one of this genre’s fiercest proponents.
In an interview with 10 Magazine, a British quarterly, he described the Afrobeats genre as innovative and a refreshing alternative for people who have been stuck with the same sound for years. He also said that the Afrobeats genre consistently produces high-quality hits compared to others.
“Afrobeats is the new pop. I sold two million copies in America off of one song! Even some American artists don’t have a diamond record. If I’m being honest, I don’t listen to any other genre of music anymore.
“I don’t listen to rap; that shit is boring. It’s dead now; it’s tired,” he said. “These guys do the same shit, rap on the same beats, same flows…
“No disrespect to nobody. I don’t have anything against rap or any other type of music. I have a lot of rappers as friends, like a lot. So I’m probably the wrong person to say this.”
Wizkid, also known as Starboy, said he doesn’t feel accomplished because he views life from a different perspective.
“I’m an up-and-coming artist. I don’t think I will ever feel like an accomplished artist or person, because I see life differently. I still have a lot of work to do,” he said.
The singer said he grew up listening to Fuji and Juju artists like King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey. It helped him develop a knack for melodies and remember tunes that would become a key learning for the way they feature in his songs now.
“They just stuck to me. Somebody’s song that I didn’t even know I knew, I hear them again, and the melodies come to me. I’ll be like, ‘Shit; I remember that from when I was young’.”
The 32-year-old artist is signed to RCA Records, Empire Mates Entertainment, and Disturbing London Records and runs his imprint, Starboy Entertainment.
Although the label has just two artists, Starboy label’s Terri and LAX, and works with producers DJ Tunez, Legendury Beatz, and Maleek Berry, Wizkid said he is ready for expansion. He said he wants to take Starboy Entertainment to the levels of Roc Nation, owned by Jay Z, Ovo, owned by Drake, Universal, Sony, RCA and other global music brands.
