Concerns over the global classification of African music have resurfaced as veteran Nigerian rapper Ruggedman criticises the widespread use of the term “Afrobeats” as a blanket label for sounds emerging from the continent.
Speaking in an interview with Day Genius, the rapper argued that the term—now widely adopted in international markets—fails to reflect the richness and diversity of African music genres. According to him, grouping different styles under a single label has led to oversimplification and, in some cases, a decline in artistic standards.
Ruggedman traced the popularisation of the label to the United Kingdom, where, he said, African music was broadly categorised for easier identification. While the term has since gained global traction, he maintained that its application has blurred distinctions between genres and unfairly pigeonholed artists.
“I don’t like Afrobeats as an umbrella genre for every music coming out of Africa. That was a mistake,” he said. “Right now, if I go to the UK to perform, I would be tagged an Afrobeats artiste. It is wrong.”
Beyond concerns about classification, the rapper also took aim at what he described as the creative quality of some artists operating under the label. He argued that the commercial success of Afrobeats has enabled a trend where catchy instrumentals and repetitive lyrics often take precedence over lyrical depth and musical skill.
“For me, Afrobeats with an ‘S’ is a name talentless Nigerians hide behind. All you need is a good beat and street slang, repeat it, and promote it heavily,” he stated.
Ruggedman further alleged that many artists within the genre struggle with live performances and improvisation, attributing this to heavy reliance on studio enhancements such as autotune.
His remarks add to an ongoing debate within the African music industry about identity, authenticity, and global branding. While “Afrobeats” has played a significant role in taking African music to international audiences, critics argue that the term risks overshadowing distinct genres such as hip-hop, highlife, fuji, and Afro-fusion.
As African music continues to gain global influence, conversations around how it is defined—and who defines it—are likely to remain at the forefront of industry discourse.