Temilade Openiyi, the Grammy-winning Nigerian performer better known as Tems, has expressed her thoughts on afrobeats, describing it as a genre largely intended for escapism.
She emphasised that in Nigeria, the genre tries to provide a break from the harsh realities of life, rather than to confront societal issues.
Read Also:
This statement was made in response to Jamaican reggae icon Buju Banton’s recent criticism of afrobeats on an edition of the ‘Shopping The Sneakers’ podcast, in which Banton said that the genre lacks substance and is doomed to fade over time.
“I understand where Buju Banton is coming from. Reggae is not afrobeats and afrobeats in Nigeria is specifically for escapism; that’s the purpose of afrobeats,” she said.
