Seun Kuti Challenges Afrobeats as a True Music Genre

Seun Kuti says Afrobeats is more of a title than a genre, highlighting its eclectic nature and comparison with Amapiano’s rise in popularity

Seun Kuti, acclaimed Nigerian singer and instrumentalist, has stirred conversations by claiming that Afrobeats is not an actual music genre.

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In a recent interview with The Beat 99.9 FM Lagos, Kuti argued that Afrobeats functions more as a title than a defined genre.

“I think Afrobeats is more of a title than a genre. You can see Amapiano is the new Afrobeats. It’s the new title, it’s the new thing in Afrobeats,” Seun Kuti explained.

He described Afrobeats as a broad generalization used to identify music from a particular region rather than a strict style.

“Even the gatekeepers, the big names don’t deal with it like a genre, they don’t work it like a genre.

They are artists that are eclectic in a way that they could do a dancehall track today, do a blues track tomorrow, do a Nigerian pop sound, jump on Amapiano, and whatever that is trending. So, I think it’s actually a title,” Kuti added.

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His perspective challenges the conventional view that places Afrobeats alongside established music genres, opening a dialogue on how contemporary African music is categorized and appreciated.