“Afrobeat Is Ours and It Must Be Protected”: Ace Producer ID Cabasa Reacts to Grammys’ Definition of the Genre
- Popular veteran Nigerian producer ID Cabasa who is regarded as one of the gatekeepers of the Afrobeats culture and music genre, has reacted to a statement by the Grammys
- ID Cabasa slammed the American Recording Academy music award institution for trying to appropriate Afrobeats as a fusion of American sounds and Nigerian beats
- The record label boss noted during a chat with Legit.ng's Oke-Hortons Nosa that the Grammys'definition of Afrobeats is wrong and a misrepresentation of its true origin
Veteran music producer and record label boss Olumide Ogunade better known as ID Cabasa, has called on other Nigerian music industry practitioners to rise and protect Afrobeats against foreign misrepresentation and definition.
ID Cabasa said during a recent chat with Legit.ng's Oke-Hortons Nosa that his only fear at the moment about the massive growth and recognition the Nigerian industry is currently witnessing is the fear of our sounds, especially Afrobeat, getting misapprehended.
Source: Instagram
He explained further that he recently saw an article by the Grammys award defining Afrobeats as a fusion of African-Nigerian sounds with American sounds.
ID Cabasa noted that when he saw the article, he was infuriated, and that's why at the moment, his biggest fear about the growth of Afrobeat is seeing other people define it and not Africans themselves.
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Read Cabasa's statement about the misapprehension of Afrobeats below:
"If there is anything that I think we should be scared for, is the fact that it should not be defined by other people aside from Africans. I saw a definition the Grammy award gave to Afrobeat and I was a bit disturbed by saying its a sound from West Africa that is influenced by American sounds. No! we're not influenced by them rather some of the things they took from Africa during slave trade and colonization is what they see traces of in their own and claim it influenced our sounds."
The ace beat maker then went on to draw further music similarities that may seem like their own but originated from African music and art. He said:
"What is Rap music? Rhythm applied poetry, what is Ewé? rhythm applied poetry too.
My fear is our music, sounds getting defined by other people. However, I think some of our guys are trying to really correct this wrong perception by doing documentaries; documenting the evolution of Afrobeat the sound that we're celebrating now came to be."
Nigerian singer CKay warns Western fans and songwriters that Afrobeat Is not just a trend to jump on; it's a culture
Legit.ng recalls when internationally famous Nigerian singer CKay had boldly stated during an interview that Afrobeat is the new pop and carries its own culture.
The Emiliano crooner also noted that as hip-hop culture grew and became a global phenomenon, Afrobeat would also achieve such global influence.
CKay, in the course of the interview, knocked all those who constantly make a case to argue who the better artist is or who is a better singer. He said instead of making comparisons, it would be smarter for everyone to support each other and enjoy the music.
Source: Legit.ng
