At the recently concluded MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), South African singer Tyla emerged victorious in the Best Afrobeat category, a decision that didn’t sit well with Nigerian OAP, Do2dtun.
In a lengthy social media rant, he voiced his displeasure, pointing out the inconsistency in Tyla’s musical identity.
Do2dtun addressed Tyla directly, saying:
“Aunty @tyla aka I am not Afrobeats, I am Amapiano. We have heard you, but your song ‘Water’ isn’t Amapiano either. If you thought you were categorized in the wrong category, you should have given the award back or denounced the nomination.”
He continued by criticizing Nigerian artists for allegedly “selling out” Afrobeat by allowing the genre to be misrepresented. Do2dtun emphasized that the genre should remain true to its origins and not be reshaped for the benefit of commercial interests, saying:
“Afrobeats was a quickie set up for a quick paycheck. Now you see why most of your faves stop identifying with it. It was quickly fixed to solve an identity crisis just because the paymasters thought it had one when in reality, it didn’t.”
He argued that Tyla, who has consistently categorized herself as an Amapiano artist, should not have won in a category dedicated to Afrobeat, adding that Nigerian artists need to reclaim ownership of the genre.
The crux of Do2dtun’s frustration is that Afrobeat, which originated in Nigeria, has been diluted by foreign influences. In his view, Tyla’s VMA win was a misstep, especially since she has distanced herself from the genre.
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