Nigerian music star Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, has disagreed with reggae legend Buju Banton’s claim that Afrobeats was influenced by Jamaican music.
Speaking on The Breakfast Club podcast, Tems talked about how Afrobeats has grown worldwide and expressed her pride in its success.
She pushed back against Banton’s view, saying that Afrobeats is not just a trend, but a movement that is spreading globally.
“Afrobeats is about what each artist feels and what matters to them,” she said. “It’s not just about what’s happening in the country or in their life—it’s personal to each artist.”
Tems also explained that Afrobeats is all about uplifting and danceable music, especially for Nigerians, bringing joy and energy through its beats.
The structure of afrobeat is that it is supposed to be a danceable music and so Nigerians loves that music because it is just to forget about everything you are worried about and enjoy life, that is what Afrobeats gives.”
She highlighted the originality of the sound, rooted in African culture, and how it’s impacting the global music scene.
“ I always say that in music, there are different genres and for other purposes, so while you listen to Afrobeats, you still listen to RnB.
“There are different moods and times; there are times you want to play reggae and just feel that vibe, so it is just for other purposes.
“Afrobeats has to do more about the originality, which is from Nigeria, for a particular purpose for the Nigerian people.
“So if you from outside like Afrobeats, then you are enjoying what the Nigerian people enjoy because it is originally from them.”
However, a Jamaican singer Buju Banton in a recent interview with ‘Drink Champ’ accused some afrobeats artists of borrowing from Jamaican reggae and dancehall without proper credit or respect.
“Everyone wants to take from reggae; you want to ostracize us (Jamaican music) and underpay us. Afrobeats did not stem from Africa but from Jamaican influence.
I’m sure Afrobeats artistes would say to you, ‘Afrobeats is Afrobeats and has nothing to do with Jamaica,’ we say to them, ‘Our music has everything to do with Africa.’
We don’t dichotomize, we don’t separate ourselves from Africa, no time, no day. This is because the drum in our music is what speaks to our soul.
In reggae music, there are a lot of culture vultures out there. We sat and watched reggaeton take reggae music. You’re f***** our music so hard and stolen our culture.
I’m knocking nobody, but you don’t give us any respect, and you still expect us to come and act like we took something from you? This is the king’s music.”
Tems has garnered numerous honours, including a Grammy Award, a Billboard Women in Music Award, four NAACP Image Awards, four BET Awards, and three Soul Train Music Awards.
