Nigerian singer David Adeleke, widely known by his stage name Davido, has recently shared insights into his significant influence on the afrobeats genre. In an interview featured in the latest issue of TheBeatJuice magazine, Davido emphasized the integral role he plays in the afrobeats movement, asserting, “It’s impossible to talk about afrobeats without the mention of my name.”
Davido’s Perspective on Afrobeats
Davido, who is celebrated for hits like “Skelewu,” expressed his pride in being one of the leading figures in afrobeats, alongside other prominent artists such as Wizkid and Burna Boy. Despite this recognition, he has previously voiced concerns about the oversimplification of African music, particularly the tendency to pigeonhole diverse artists into the afrobeats category.
During an appearance on the Business Untitled Podcast, Davido addressed this issue, lamenting the “boxing” of all African artists into a single genre. He believes this classification does not accurately reflect the variety of musical styles across the continent.
Preference for “Afro-Fusion”
While Davido identifies as an “afro-fusion” artist, he clarified that he is not offended by the broader afrobeats label. He acknowledged the importance of having a genre to represent African music on the global stage, stating, “I don’t get offended when we’ve been categorized as Afrobeats. I mean, we need a genre. It could be R&B or Afropop.”
He elaborated on his artistic identity, saying, “I call my music Afrofusion, but I’m not big on ‘O put Afrofusion on my song.’” This reflects his understanding of the evolution of African music and its journey toward mainstream acceptance. Davido recognizes the hard work and dedication that have gone into bringing African sounds to a global audience and appreciates the role that the afrobeats genre plays in this cultural shift.
