The Nigerian musician CKay has talked about how Afrobeats have changed over time, emphasising his innovative role in developing the genre.
When CKay first introduced his distinctive voice, he stated that his coworkers made fun of him.
He mentioned how many of his former coworkers are now sporting comparable looks, citing the TikTok trend he spearheaded.
The singer emphasised his contributions to Afrobeats, saying that he cleared the path for a variety of vibes that are today in high demand among musicians.
He acknowledged that while some may have mocked his approach, many are now following suit, even profiting from it.
On his X handle, the singer wrote:
“history can’t be rewritten just because some people got paid to rewrite it…i’ll always be here to remind you.
“CKay is the first. I pioneered many vibes Afrobeats artistes thrive off today…iykyk. Y’all laughed when I came up with emo-afrobeat and was on TikTok all day but many are now doing the same thing, calling it ridiculous names (& making $$). you’re welcome sha.”
Recall that, CKay claimed that when he approached several of his colleagues about working together, they rejected him. This prevented him from building on the success of his hit song, “Love Nwantiti,” on a worldwide scale.
In an interview with the Afrobeats Podcast, the singer stated he was perplexed as to why “Love Nwantiti” had never taken home any honours in Nigeria, even after receiving over a billion plays and numerous accolades outside.
He said, “I have my reservations about awards in general. Because I feel there’s so much involved. And the people who run the awards, I don’t know them or their motives. I have seen so many situations where music that is deserving doesn’t get any recognition. Not just the Grammys, even [Nigerian awards] back home.
“It’s interesting that ‘Love Nwantiti’ that’s 6x platinum, has no award in Nigeria. I don’t know if I would use the word shameful. It’s interesting because it begs so many questions. That’s why I have my reservations about awards.”
