Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has ignited a fresh debate about Afrobeats, claiming the globally recognized sound is more of a label than a genuine music genre.
Speaking on The Beat 99.9 FM Lagos, the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti said Afrobeats has no strict rules or distinct structure. Instead, it has become a catch-all title for any music emerging from Africa.
“I think Afrobeats is more of a title than a genre,” Seun argued. “Amapiano is the new Afrobeats. It’s just a generalisation, a tag to identify something from Africa.”
He added that most Afrobeats stars experiment with multiple sounds, often switching from Nigerian pop to dancehall, amapiano, or even blues — depending on the vibe.
“They could do dancehall today, amapiano tomorrow, and Nigerian pop the next. That’s why I say Afrobeats is not a genre, it’s just a title,” he emphasized.
Seun’s remarks have since sparked mixed reactions online, with some fans agreeing that Afrobeats is more of a movement than a defined genre, while others insist it deserves recognition as Africa’s biggest cultural export.
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