The Love Nwantiti hitmaker reflected on how the global popularity of African music has brought international attention to the continent’s creative scene, but has also resulted in what he believes is an oversimplified categorisation of Africa’s musical identity.
According to the Kaduna-born artist, while the term has helped introduce African music to international audiences, it does not accurately represent the wide range of styles, cultures, and influences that shape the continent’s evolving soundscape.
“Afrobeats is a convenient term. I won’t say I love the term. I think over time I started to see the effects of that overgeneralisation,” he said in an interview with African Voices.
The singer explained that placing all African music under one broad label is comparable to describing all Western music with a single generic category.
“It’s kind of like the way you can’t just call Western music white music or American beats or European beats, you know?
“There’s rock, there’s jazz, there’s dancehall, there’s all kinds of stuff, all kinds of sounds. So that’s the same way I feel about African music,” he said.
Africa’s Musical Diversity
CKay stressed that Africa’s vast cultural diversity makes it difficult to summarise the continent’s music under a single term.
With more than 50 countries and countless ethnic groups, African music reflects a wide spectrum of traditions, languages, instruments, and rhythmic patterns that vary from region to region.
Despite his reservations about the label, the singer acknowledged that the term Afrobeats may still serve as a useful starting point for global listeners who are just beginning to explore African music.
“I think for the Western world, it’s a start, to help them understand African music and obviously, when people learn more, they’ll probably learn about the different subgenres,” he added.
Not the Only Artist Raising Concerns
CKay is not alone in questioning the widespread use of the Afrobeats label. Several prominent Nigerian artists have previously expressed similar reservations, arguing that the term often oversimplifies the diversity of sounds produced across Africa.
Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy has been among the most vocal critics. The artist, whose music blends reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, and pop influences, has repeatedly stated that he prefers the description “Afro-fusion” for his sound.
According to Burna Boy, labelling all African music as Afrobeats risks overlooking other important genres such as highlife, fuji, and kwaito. Although his remarks previously sparked debate online, he clarified in 2023 that he was not dismissing the genre but rather emphasising the diversity within African music.
Similarly, global music star Wizkid has pushed back against being described solely as an Afrobeats artist. The singer has argued that the label places African musicians into a restrictive box, noting that his music spans several styles including R&B, Afropop, and international pop.
“I make all sorts of music,” Wizkid once said when asked about the label.
Award-winning singer Davido has also acknowledged the global commercial advantage of the Afrobeats brand but has suggested that his own music is better described as Afrofusion because of its blend of influences.
More recently, singer Omah Lay sparked debate after suggesting that the current Afrobeats narrative is heavily Lagos-centric and does not fully reflect the musical diversity across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
Veteran rapper Ruggedman has also criticised what he sees as declining lyrical depth in some modern Afrobeats releases, arguing that the industry should prioritise quality and substance rather than focusing solely on labels.
However, singer Joeboy recently suggested that the genre is currently going through “a purge” and gradually returning to its roots.
From Afrobeat to Afrobeats
The global rise of Afrobeats traces its lineage to Fela Kuti, whose politically charged fusion of jazz and highlife helped lay the cultural and musical foundation for the modern African pop sound.
Over the years, the genre has evolved into a global export championed by artists such as D'banj, Timaya, Wizkid, Davido, and Tiwa Savage.
A newer generation of artists—including Tems, Burna Boy, Rema, Asake, and Ayra Starr—has further expanded the genre’s reach globally under the popular “Afrobeats to the World” movement, earning international recognition and major award wins.
The Rise of ‘Emo-Afrobeats’
While the debate around the term Afrobeats continues, CKay has been carving out his own musical lane through experimentation and genre blending.
The singer is widely credited as a pioneer of what he calls “Emo-Afrobeats,” a style that merges emotionally driven songwriting with the rhythmic foundations of Afrobeats.
Artists like CKay and Omah Lay have helped popularise the sound, which often explores themes of heartbreak, vulnerability, complicated relationships, and introspection—giving Afrobeats a more reflective emotional dimension.
Explaining the sonic elements of the style during an interview with journalist Larry Madowo, CKay said the genre relies heavily on melodic and atmospheric production.
“Using emotional chords, minor scales a lot, very warm ambient synthesisers and instruments like guitars, electric or acoustic, keyboards—all these things together with very poetic, deep and emotional lyrics give you Emo-Afrobeats,” he explained.
The Global Impact of “Love Nwantiti”
CKay first achieved worldwide recognition with his 2019 single Love Nwantiti, which became a viral sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic after fans began using its instrumental chorus in social media videos.
The track went on to top the inaugural Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart in April 2022 and remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for more than 52 weeks, peaking at number three.
Its success reached another major milestone in December 2025 when the song surpassed one billion streams on Spotify, making CKay the first Nigerian solo artist to reach that landmark on the platform.
Reflecting on the achievement, the singer admitted that the scale of the song’s success exceeded his expectations.
“I knew it would be successful, but I just didn’t know it would be that successful,” he said. “I would say the scale of the success was something that came as a very pleasant surprise.”
Looking Ahead
At 30, CKay says he remains focused on pushing creative boundaries while contributing to the evolution of African music on the global stage.
The singer believes consistency and innovation will be key to shaping the next chapter of the continent’s musical influence.
“I think consistency and being committed to the journey is key. I try to create trends, not follow them. I try to create sounds, not copy them,” he said.
“I try to build on the legacy and history of what our ancestors made and take it to the next level. I want to be remembered as someone who innovated the sound, advanced the culture, and made the world a better place than I met it.”