Headies 2023: Afrobeats gets even with Burna Boy

On Sunday at the Cobb Energy Center in Atlanta, US, during the 16th Headies, which celebrated outstanding Nigerian music feats in more than 30 categories, the genre sent him a strong message. The messenger? The 23-year-old Rema.

During an Apple Music interview right before the arrival of his new album and latest ego trip, I Told Them, Burna Boy suggested that Afrobeats suffered a message deficit, an incendiary remark presumably made to drive up first-week figures for the project. 

“That’s why you hear most Nigerian music, African music or Afrobeats, as you people call it, is mostly about nothing, absolutely nothing,” he chuckles during the interview. “There is no substance to it, like nobody is talking about anything, it’s just a great time. But at the end of the day, life isn’t an amazing time.”

As one would expect, the condescension by the self-styled ‘Afro-fusion’ pioneer, who has routinely elected himself as the spokesman for African music, left critics foaming at the mouth, and Twitter let him have it. The overwhelming consensus there was that the Grammy winner’s behaviour exposed him as a selfish and emotional vampire with a messiah complex.

You would expect (even excuse) younger acts for such recklessness, but veterans like Burna Boy should set a better example. Alas, it is the new generation that is now seen as a source of guidance within the culture. 

Although Rema and Burna Boy both won three Headies each, it was the ‘Calm Down’ singer who came off as the night’s biggest winner due to an acceptance speech that was honest, passionate and humble. Burna Boy, meanwhile, was absent from the event altogether.

Rema’s rousing message, which struck a delicate balance between playfulness and seriousness, acknowledged Afrobeats’ current peak but pointed out that other genres and artists had reached similar heights in the past. This, he said, highlighted Afrobeats’ pivotal moment – a moment in which its future would be defined, for better or worse, by its next steps and the high standards it had now set in place.

“I must say, it is very important that I should let everyone know that I’m not here because of the awards,” Rema said. “I’m here because it is important to support our institutions, the bodies that support you to be able to achieve these major successes … We are in a very sensitive period. If we don’t give our attention to our institutions, we will miss this chance that we have, and we will never have this chance again.”

The real gem for many is the line that followed: “Be it Afro-rave, Afro this, Afro that, last last, we go jam for Afrobeats award.”

Unlike Burna Boy’s virtue signalling, Rema’s is charismatic and composed, showing a keen awareness of his influence on culture. If Afrobeats needed a spokesman, Rema has now filled that role.

When he declared himself “the future” during the 2019 Headies while accepting the Next Rated Award, some may have dismissed it as braggadocio. But four years later, returning to same stage, perhaps at a time when Afrobeats urgently needs it, Rema has proven why his voice matters. 

Since its inception in 2006, the Headies have positioned themselves as a significant gathering for the Nigerian music industry. Over time, the platform has evolved into a crucial meeting point for Afrobeats stakeholders. Rema’s speech, a lesson on how ambassadors of the genre should speak, is timely and puts to bed the prevailing chaos around Afrobeats.

Burna Boy’s attack on Afrobeats may have partially fuelled the success of his new album – the first Afrobeats album to top the UK Albums Chart – but it’s probably doing him more harm than good in terms of his perceived persona. The collection has broken global records, with the highest first-week streams for an African album on Apple Music in 100 countries. It simultaneously held the top spot in 69 countries, with 10 tracks in Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100. ‘Cheat On Me’ featuring Dave reached No 44 globally and the top 10 in 32 countries, while ‘City Boys’ reached No 1 in Nigeria and No 16 on Shazam’s Global Charts.

Rema’s accomplishments shouldn’t be taken lightly either, even if he hasn’t won the biggest award of all – a Grammy – which Burna Boy took home in 2021. Nonetheless, a few stats for ‘Calm Down’, alone, are in order: The version featuring Selena Gomez made it on Spotify’s Songs of Summer playlist chart last month. The music video for the song boasts a YouTube record for the most-viewed Afrobeats video of all time with 620 million views. It ranks high on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the best-charting songs by an African artist. Spotify has also named Rema as Afrobeats’ most exported artist.

Success is great. Remaining humble at the height of one’s career is the real litmus test. 

Whether intentionally or not, Burna Boy may have put the spotlight on an aspect that he criticised during his Apple Music interview: the depth of lyricism in Afrobeats music. Now, due to his undeniable influence, it could serve as a catalyst for creative elevation, inspiring younger artists to push the lyrical envelope and explore deeper themes and storytelling in their music. 

Afrobeats has answered back through the warmth and wisdom of a young artist, who is proving that success can be attained without PR shenanigans and the illusion of originality.