Why Ghanaian singer King Promise and other African artists don’t want to be boxed into Afrobeats | CNN
Over the last decade, Afrobeats has become a global phenomenon, bringing African music into the Western mainstream. There’s now an Afrobeats category at the MTV Video Music Awards, and performers like Burna Boy and Wizkid can sell out major venues in the US and Europe.
Ghanaian singer King Promise says he doesn’t object to being called an Afrobeats artist, but that his music covers many other genres, from R&B to highlife. Pictured, King Promise performing at the 2024 MOBO Awards in Sheffield, England, February 7, 2024.
Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images For MOBO
South African singer-songwriter Tyla won the Best Afrobeats award at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards for her song "Water." In her acceptance speech she said: "There’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats,” adding that, “African music is so diverse. It's more than just Afrobeats."
