Afrobeats Is Falling Off & Losing Its Authenticity To Commercialization & Garbage Record Label Artists

It would be sad to say that the days of good Afrobeats music are gone, but it seems that modern afrobeats songs are simply Africans integrating too hard into the commercial industry, trying to replicate everything American except for their African accents.

The loss of authenticity in Afrobeats is due to the fact that artists like Rema, Tems, Ayra Starr, and many of those pimp like unknown music videos are signed to mainstream labels who are being propped up as the beacons of the genre by mainstream, and the money-hungry upcoming artists feel it’s their duty to emulate this western influence.

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Musicians like Ayra Starr, Tems, and Tyla are being projected as nothing but sex symbols, all while currently releasing music that no one is excited about. But their careers boast streams and numbers that we have all been forced to listen to for lack of options, random made-up drama, and backdoor deal awards. This is very unlike the early female hitmakers such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Asa, Simi, and more, who would were able to make beautiful entertaining songs without showing off their figure.

This is not a matter of old school vs. new school. This is simply a matter of the fact that almost every major Afrobeats song released in the past year sucks, with the exception of a few from Burna Boy and Davido and South Africa’s amapiano.

We need to bring back the Wande Coals, Timayas, Duncan Mightys and D’banjs of the days. Truth be told, these artists and many like them DO EXIST, what is failing network of music promotion that keeps their music unheard and over shadowed by the trach. For example, when there was no western influence and no big money, music would circulate as per preference, and the best songs would reach as many ears as possible, even if it took two years to be recognized.

In modern times, if a song is not being recommended to you on Instagram or TikTok (which is paid for by corporations), you most likely won’t use it for your background track. There are also a large number of DJs, TV shows, and radio stations whom successful Afrobeats artists and western record labels are able to pay a large sum of money to feature their music. This means that those artists who live for the love of music without such money will never see the day their songs are heard on a large platform as the stakes have been raised with the prices of appearing on these platforms.

What makes it worse is we as the consumers of these songs become complacent and dependant on these platforms to deliver us the next hit and good music when their only mission is to deliver us who paid them.

Modern-day Afrobeats is non-entertaining. There are hungry people around the world and also in Africa who are looking to do anything to make it. Some of them have realized Afrobeats is a ticket out of poverty, and these talentless people will hop on the bandwagon, analyze a formula from a successful musician, and copy it with absolutely no flavor, originality or authenticity at all. If there is financial backing, they will simply pay others to write their music throughout.

They will sign any deal they have to sign, wear any outfit they need to wear, and even put devilish symbols in their videos if they have to like Rema. This has already entered the Afrobeats scene, and these individuals are perfect for the mainstream record labels.

Despite being a fashion site, FashionGHANA.com has continued to support the Afrobeats scene from our Music Video category (Here), which initially began as a fashion review segment in music videos. But over the years, it’s been worrying to see the authenticity of the genre being washed away with sentiments and slow steps towards the trash constantly being served in American music. From the video to the clothes, to cars, to beverages, to even the cultural lifestyles they execute in the videos regarding their approach to women, it’s nothing but fabricated and, moreover, not fun. All of this is becoming extremely obvious in the past year.

From here on, we will use our platform to try and shed light on quality Afrobeats music that is trendy and not trashy or fabricated. And let’s be clear, by Afrobeats we mean every hot song coming out of Africa. Via articles, interviews, song reviews, and more. And neither will we hesitate to call out the trash, like Ayra Starr’s skimpy stage looks (sorry to her fans on that one).

And it’s also time for us to voice our opinions in comments sections of these artists and their aiders that publish them. Let’s make it known they are not of the culture. It’s our silence that sends a message to their world outside Africa that makes people think these fabricated artists and songs are trending amongst us. Speak out against them whether on your profile and in comment sections and most of all remember to promote the talented ones to.

On that note, for those of you who jumped on Afrobeats in the past five years or so and just grasped onto the fun for a few years right before it got corporate, here is some great stuff you missed before your time.