20th September, 2024
By Oluwapelumi Oluwayemi
Veteran Nigerian music producer ID Cabasa has responded to recent criticisms of Afrobeats by Jamaican reggae legend Buju Banton.
Banton, in August, described Afrobeats as a “shallow and unsubstantial music genre,” claiming it fails to highlight the struggles of Africa, despite its widespread popularity.
Speaking at the memorial lecture of the late cleric Denis Joseph Slattery in Lagos on Thursday, Cabasa dismissed Banton’s comments, suggesting that the reggae icon does not fully understand Afrobeats’ language and storytelling style.
“Buju Banton does not understand the genre. Can he speak our language? No,” Cabasa told journalists.
He further explained that Nigeria’s unique style of expression, including sarcasm, is often misunderstood by outsiders, which may lead to misinterpretations of the music’s substance.
Cabasa pointed out that while Banton’s generation conveyed deeper messages through their music, modern Afrobeats artistes have found a way to simplify their truths.
“These guys present the truth in a very simple way… You listen to Burna Boy, BNXN (formerly known as Buju), Olamide, and Asake. Are you going to tell me there’s no substance in what Asake is doing?”
The music producer emphasized that Banton’s criticism stems from a lack of understanding rather than a lack of depth in the genre, adding, “That you don’t understand a lot doesn’t mean you should just criticize it.”
