The VMA awards are coming up, and there’s a bit of tension more than excitement this time around, with one category causing particular concern.
When the list for the Best Afrobeats Artist was released, one name stood out: American singer Usher, who featured popular producer/singer Pheelz on his song “Ruin.”
Music journalist Joey Akan expressed his disdain and worry over a non-African being nominated in an Afrobeats category.
In a lengthy but concise post, Joey Akan articulated his fears, stating:
The VMAs, a global award body, just nominated Usher in the ‘Best Afrobeats’ category. And so the erosion of Nigeria from Afrobeats hits a crucial plot point.”
Joey Akan fears for Nigerians losing their Afrobeats birthright. He has been vocal about this issue, pointing out that a decade of no gate-keeping and local talents selling off their cultural heritage to big music corporations has led to a loss of cultural ownership by Nigerians.
First, they come with money and opportunities, displacing your art and spirit by moving you out of your home,” he wrote. Akan criticized Nigerians who claim, “London is the home of Afrobeats,” arguing that this notion undermines the true origins of the genre in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and other parts of Nigeria.
Akan pointed out how foreign companies have spent nearly a decade integrating Nigerian artists with foreign producers, seeking to understand the source of Afrobeats. This has led to white producers with no connection to Nigeria creating Afrobeats records, with Nigerian artists collaborating with them.
He highlighted how mainstream Nigerian albums now feature these foreign producers, making the culture inaccessible to the masses and local creators. According to Akan, only those with major-label support can compete, and Nigerian artists’ success is now measured by their impact on foreign audiences.
Now, American artists have started making Afrobeats – with our token assistance, of course – and replacing you at their award shows, where we have fought for our music to be recognized,” he lamented.
Akan warned that in another decade, this replacement could become normalized, with no need for Nigerian validation. He urged Nigerians to learn from the experiences of Jamaicans and other Caribbean cultures that have undergone similar cultural dilution.
The VMAs is just the first salvo in that battle,”
Akan concluded, emphasizing the need for Nigerians to reclaim and protect their cultural heritage from further erosion.
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