Nigerian music sensation Joseph Akinfenwa Donus, famously known as Joeboy, has expressed his dissenting opinion regarding Burna Boy’s recent statement about the lack of lyrical substance in most afrobeats music.
In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy stirred a debate by asserting that many Nigerian artists produce music “without substance.”
However, during a compelling discussion on the Zero Conditions podcast, Joeboy contested Burna Boy’s viewpoint.
The podcast host inquired, “For you as an afrobeats artist, how much balance do you do with living life because following the conversation of Burna Boy saying [afrobeats] artists don’t have substance, how much experience do you try to garner as an artist?”
In response, Joeboy passionately shared his perspective, stating, “I feel everybody has substance. It’s just based on what people relate to. Sometimes when you make a high tempo song that is danceable, people feel like you are just vibing. Or if you don’t sing in English.”
Addressing certain misconceptions in the industry, Joeboy continued, “I used to see some comments [on social media] because somebody is singing in plain English, they [fans] would be like, ‘Ah pinging!’ What’s pinging? Because he sang in English?”
The artist delved into the dynamics of artistic expression, asserting, “Every artist out there, if you want people to feel like you are an amazing songwriter, just write in plain English. I promise you, they [fans] will be like, ‘Oh! This guy is the best songwriter ever.’ And when someone sings in Pidgin, they [fans] would be like, ‘Ah! This one dey do lamba.'”
Clarifying the depth behind seemingly simple compositions, Joeboy emphasized, “It’s not lamba. It’s actually still connecting. I understand that you can’t connect to every form of music that you come across. But I promise you, anybody that has the ability to create something out of thin air, it is substance.”
Joeboy’s perspective highlights the diversity and richness of afrobeats music, challenging preconceived notions about lyrical depth and connecting with audiences through various linguistic and stylistic choices.
