Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, has offered a defense of Afrobeats, describing the genre as a form of escapism for Nigerians.
Her statements come in response to recent criticism from Jamaican reggae legend Buju Banton, who dismissed Afrobeats as lacking substance and predicted its decline.
Speaking on a recent episode of the ‘Shopping The Sneakers’ podcast, Banton argued that Afrobeats lacks the depth needed to endure in the long run.
In reaction to his statements, Tems acknowledged the reggae icon’s perspective but emphasized that Afrobeats serves a different purpose.
“I understand where Buju Banton is coming from. Reggae is not Afrobeats, and Afrobeats in Nigeria is specifically for escapism; that’s the purpose of Afrobeats,” Tems explained.
The ‘Love Me Jeje’ crooner elaborated on her point, noting that the genre is designed to provide a reprieve from the harsh realities of life in Nigeria, rather than to address societal issues directly.
