The foregoing experiences could suggest that, by and large, Afrobeats has not made much progress over the last decade. Combined with recent tragedies such as
MohBad’s death in September 2023, some could even argue the industry is regressing. Such claims would be wrong, of course, but not entirely. Nigeria’s music industry has evolved into
a billion– dollar –industry that has gained the attention of global ‘superstars’ like Beyonc
é. But the persistent lack of infrastructure points to the fragility of Afrobeats’ growth, its international bias and local neglect. What makes the connection between D’Banj’s and Burna Boy’s experiences even more noteworthy is that Burna Boy (who
performed at the Koko Concert) went on to release his debut album,
L.I.F.E, in 2013. A decade since, Burna Boy, who is arguably Afrobeats most successful ambassador—a Grammy award-winning artist, who has sold out international venues including
Madison Square Garden—but who also has a fragile relationship with his local audience thus gives us a window to consider and possibly even question the growth of Afrobeats.
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