Nigerian musician, Bella Shmurda, has called on his fellow artists to refrain from belittling Afrobeats through disparaging remarks.

Recent statements by Burna Boy and Wizkid disavowing Afrobeats have stirred controversy. Burna Boy expressed that Afrobeats lacks “substance,” emphasizing his alignment with Afrofusion rather than Afrobeats. Meanwhile, Wizkid distanced himself from the genre, asserting he doesn’t want to be confined to the label of an Afrobeats artist.

However, during an appearance on the latest episode of the London 90 podcast, Bella Shmurda urged Nigerian artists to show reverence for Afrobeats. He admitted to refraining from addressing the issue earlier to avoid being embroiled in controversy.

He remarked, “I recently came across something that troubled me. I contemplated speaking out but wanted to avoid conflict. Nevertheless, it’s crucial for us as artists to honor Afrobeats. This genre is our heritage, and we mustn’t undermine it. Regardless of our status in the music industry, we should uphold this gift bestowed upon us by God.”