The debut of Grammy-winning musician Burna Boy’s seventh album, ‘I Told Them,’ has been met with heated reactions on social media, reversing the singer’s criticisms of Afrobeats.
The 32-year-old, born Damini Ogulu, enraged Afrobeats fans with his words in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on Monday to promote his new album, which is set to be released on Friday (today).
He argued that many of his contemporaries’ records lacked substance.
“Ninety percent of them have no real-life experiences that they can understand. Which is why you hear most of Nigerian music or African music, or Afrobeats, as you people call it, is mostly about nothing, literally nothing,” he said.
Burna asserted that “there is no substance” to the genre because most Afrobeats musicians merely sing about having “an amazing time” in their songs.
The remarks on YouTube did not appear to have any impact on the reception of the African Giant’s current endeavor, with the accompanying videos for his 15-track album being overwhelmingly positive.
However, a large number of fans on Twitter were far more critical, using phrases like “no substance” and “mid,” a slang term for something mediocre.
Below are some reactions by disenchanted Outsiders — as his fandom has come to be known:
Be like u don forget to add that substance u talked about to this ur album omo oro ?
— 7:18:01:25🕊️💨 (@Ynw_szn) August 24, 2023
Bro 14 skips on one album is scary, thanks to Seyi vibes for the one good song
— Big P ⚡ (@Oluwamhayor7) August 24, 2023
With all the nonsense you said on interviews, the album turned out to be so mid
— Hokage 🥷⚛️ (@73lV_) August 25, 2023
No substance
— Tjbrandy (@Tjbrandy_) August 25, 2023
Mid on arrival
— Balogun Easy (@balogun_easy) August 24, 2023
Na prank you drop?? pic.twitter.com/40LuZ8lfaE
— 𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖌𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙🇺🇸🇬🇧🇳🇬🖤 (@SPECIAL_D_ghost) August 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/Wizzfarukk/status/1694853934739825144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1694853934739825144%7Ctwgr%5Ea572d3d60c40d865abeff4c2a2b8cfa2fd7866d6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelstv.com%2F2023%2F08%2F25%2Firate-fans-review-bomb-burna-boys-new-album-after-controversial-afrobeats-comment%2F
T-R-A-S-H: pic.twitter.com/WWLpLJl7AD
— SAMBO MAI HULA (@Abdullahiabba_) August 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/IbrahimDankifi/status/1694857104115286395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1694857104115286395%7Ctwgr%5Ea572d3d60c40d865abeff4c2a2b8cfa2fd7866d6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelstv.com%2F2023%2F08%2F25%2Firate-fans-review-bomb-burna-boys-new-album-after-controversial-afrobeats-comment%2F
you’re below mid. This is trash, you just drop the most ridiculous album in the history of afrobeats… you can’t do better I was expecting this from a finished artist like you. You’ll pay for all this
— Crackhead. (@0Chynese) August 25, 2023
https://twitter.com/moshpuppyy/status/1694852180107215319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1694852180107215319%7Ctwgr%5Ea572d3d60c40d865abeff4c2a2b8cfa2fd7866d6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelstv.com%2F2023%2F08%2F25%2Firate-fans-review-bomb-burna-boys-new-album-after-controversial-afrobeats-comment%2F
Your best album remain TWICE AS TALL. The rest, no substance
— 🆆🅴🅰🅻🆃🅷 $ (@CryptoPlays_) August 24, 2023
