Veteran music producer ID Cabasa defended Afrobeats after Jamaican reggae legend Buju Banton criticized the genre.
In August, Buju Banton called Afrobeats “shallow and unsubstantial,” saying it does not show Africa’s struggles, even though it’s popular worldwide.
At a memorial lecture in Lagos for the late cleric Denis Joseph Slattery, Cabasa told reporters that Banton doesn’t understand Afrobeats’ language and style.
Cabasa said, “Buju Banton doesn’t get the genre. Can he speak our language? No.”
He added, “Nigerians are very sarcastic online. If you don’t get our sarcasm and how we tell stories, you might think there’s no story at all.”
Cabasa continued, “These artists share the truth in a simple way. Just because Banton’s generation sang complicated songs doesn’t make them better.”
He asked, “Have you listened to Burna Boy, BNXN (who we also call Buju), Olamide, and Asake? Is there really no substance in what Asake is doing?”
Cabasa concluded, “If you don’t understand something, it doesn’t mean you should criticize it. I think Banton likes the beats so much that he overlooked the message behind them.”
