Burna Boy says he doesn't perform Afrobeats. He described his music as Afro-Fusion, admitting to the influence of different Afrikan music genres synthesized into his sound.
He ridiculed the genre referred to as Afrobeats (spelled with an "s") as being empty music, and he emphasized that the genre of Afrobeat (spelled without an "s"), which was pioneered by his Nigerian predecessor Fela Kuti, was full of substance.
It is true, Fela Kuti's Afrobeat was uncompromisingly political, nearly every song in a catalog of over 50 album releases over 25 years was a critique and challenge of the military government ruling Nigeria and its imperialist allies.
Yet, even Fela's Afrobeat was admittedly Afro-Fusion. Fela never hesitated to note that he was heavily influenced by James Brown and John Coltrane, in addition to a range of indigenous Afrikan musical genres and styles. He did so expertly, creating a big band sound that crept into ones bones and sinew. James Brown's band were known to have jam sessions with Fela's band Afrika 70 in Nigeria at the band leader's Shrine nightclub and concert hall.
Burna is causing quite a ruckus among his fellow artists, particularly as his own star is successfully shooting further into the galaxy. But i reiterate that the continued use of the N-word in Afrobeats or Afro-Fusion is intolerable, by Burna Boy, and all other Afrobeats artists who are inspired by the success of low vibration hip-hop and r&b artists from the u.s. who export self-hate to the world.
It is sad that for all of our condemnation of crime in the community, lack of unity, social and economic oppression in amerikan society, We continue to endorse the use of the N-word, which is emblematic of our deeper problem of self-alienation (self-hate). Our conversations about self-healing rarely include ridding ourselves of this extremely toxic term as indispensable towards achieving self-love. Ridding ourselves of it also includes barring it from our mental/emotional space when uttered by others. There can never be anything endearing or redeeming about a term that was used to dehumanize us for over 400 years.
Comentarios