Davido: “Afrobeats Cannot Be Discussed Without My Name”
Nigerian music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has asserted his significant role in shaping the global success of the Afrobeats genre, stating that it is impossible to discuss its history without mentioning his name.
The award-winning singer made this bold claim in the latest edition of TheBeatJuice magazine, where he reflected on his contributions to the genre.
“Afrobeats can’t be brought up without my name. Impossible,” Davido declared.
While Davido is widely celebrated as one of the leading figures in Afrobeats—alongside Wizkid and Burna Boy—he, like his peers, has previously shared mixed views about the genre label.
In an earlier appearance on the Business Untitled Podcast, the ‘Skelewu’ hitmaker criticised the tendency to categorise all African artists under the Afrobeats umbrella, regardless of their distinct musical styles.
Davido explained that he personally identifies his sound as “Afrofusion” but does not take offence at being labelled under Afrobeats, recognising its broader impact on African music globally.
“I don’t get offended when we’ve been categorised as Afrobeats. I mean, we need a genre. It could be R&B or Afropop. I call my music Afrofusion, but I’m not big on, ‘Oh, put Afrofusion on my song.’ I know how long it took for African music to become mainstream,” he said.
Davido’s comments underscore his pride in his role as a key figure in the genre’s rise, while also highlighting the diversity within African music that extends beyond the Afrobeats label.
