Renowned Afrobeats producer Sarz, also known as Osabuohien Osaretin, asserts that his sound has established the standard for other artists in the field.
He claims that artist Wizkid was the first to identify his sound and early on understand his goal.
Speaking in a video message that was uploaded to his Instagram page, Sarz asserted that Wizkid and he were the first to produce that genre of music, coining the term “Samba.”
He said:
“I made a sound that became a benchmark for other Afrobeats producers to follow.
“I made a sound called ‘Samba.’ I remember no one was making anything like that at that time. I just wanted to do something that is African but at the same time the world in general understands. It was only Wizkid that saw the idea and knew exactly where I was coming from when I made Samba.”
In another story, Sarz claims that Fela had influenced Burna Boy, Wizkid, other Afrobeats artists.
According to the prolific music producer, Fela’s profound impact on the genre cannot be overstated.
He claims that the late legendary singer is an influence to upcoming generations of musicians as well as current Afrobeats artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Rema and others.
Sarz stated that with Fela’s distinctive fusion of Afrobeat rhythms, jazz, and funk, he created a musical landscape that transcended borders and empowered a new generation of musicians to express their artistry.
In a recent interview with ARZ, Sarz revealed that he also uses beat samples from Fela’s compositions.
He said:
“Recently, I listened to Fela’s catalog and I just find things I can sample or flip. Even in modern Afrobeats, you can tell his influence on a lot of us, from Burna Boy to Wizkid to Rema, and to the generation even coming. I’m sure they will still be inspired by the legend.”
