On April 11, 2023, Nigerian musician David Adeleke, nicknamed Davido, debuted the music video for his popular song “Unavailable,” which also features Musa Keys of South Africa.
Although the Zulu-themed music video’s director, Dammy Twitch, was praised for his creative talent, the film has drawn much criticism for referring to Davido as “the King of Afrobeat.”
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A female voice could be heard greeting the viewer in the video’s opening seconds, mixing isiZulu and English.
I’m listening to Timeless FM right now. Where is he now, after all this time of wondering? What is he doing, exactly?
I’m here to formally announce that the King of Afrobeat has returned. I’m referring to Davido.
He has a brand-new record out and is returning. I’m speaking of hit after hit. Thank you. I’m grateful.
In contrast to Afrobeats
Long ago, the names “afrobeat” and “afrobeats” were interchanged. They may sound identical in pronunciation and writing, but they are two different genres.
According to Wikipedia, afrobeat (without a “s”) is a type of West African music that combines American funk, jazz,
and soul influences with indigenous musical genres including fuji, folk, and highlife, with an emphasis on chanted vocals, intricate rhythms, and percussion.
While hip hop, house, jùj, afrobeat, R&B, highlife, and other genres are all included in the word “afrobeats,”
it is more of an umbrella phrase used to represent popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that draws from a variety of influences soca and highlife.
Does Davido perform Afrobeat or Afrobeats?
Davido, like the majority of his contemporaries who began their musical careers in the 2010s,
performs songs in a genre commonly referred to as “Afro-fusion”—a genre that combines several musical genres like hip-hop, juju, fuji, highlife, mokoss, R&B, pop, reggae, dancehall, makossa, soul, hip-life, ndombolo, and most recently, Amapiano.
Given the information above, it is reasonable to assume that Davido is more of an Afrobeats musician than an Afrobeats artist, with the latter term serving more as a description of West African popular music than a genre.
Afrobeat, which was developed in the 1960s by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, combines elements of West African music, jazz,
and funk rhythms with an ensemble that emphasizes African percussion and vocal styles.
contemporary afrobeat musicians include Antibalas, Newen Afrobeat, Made Kuti, Suen Kuti, and Femi Kuti.
Afrobeat music is not what Davido does. Therefore, it is MISLEADING to say that he is the “King of Afrobeat”!
