Joeboy: Afrobeats Returning to Real Music

Joeboy says Afrobeats is undergoing a renaissance, returning to authentic sounds and purging diluted or gimmicky music in the Nigerian scene

Popular Nigerian singer Joeboy has announced that Afrobeats is undergoing a renaissance, with a renewed focus on authentic sounds and the elimination of “wack music.”

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Speaking during his sold-out Valentine’s Day concert in Lagos, the ‘Faji’ crooner told fans:

“Afrobeats right now is going through a purge. We are getting back to the times where real music is going to stay no more gimmicking and all of that. I can feel it already and I am happy that we are getting back to those zones where the music speaks. I thank God for that.”

 A Return to Original Afrobeats

Critics have long argued that Afrobeats had become heavily fused with foreign genres like South African Amapiano, American hip-hop, and R&B, diluting its original rhythm.

Joeboy emphasized that the current trend in Nigerian music is moving back toward the genre’s roots, where the music itself, not gimmicks or fusion experiments, speaks to the audience.

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Since 2024, several Nigerian artists have shifted focus to producing “real Afrobeats,” sparking optimism among music enthusiasts for a full revival of the genre.