Renowned producer Oluwaseyi Akerele, known as Shizzi, has raised concerns about the waning impact of Afrobeats, arguing that many recent songs lack the emotional and cultural depth that once defined the genre. Shizzi called for a return to authentic storytelling to revive the genre’s global influence.
Shizzi, credited with producing Davido’s “Dami Duro” and Wizkid’s “Soco,” highlighted a 20% drop in Afrobeats’ global streaming share in 2024, per Spotify’s 2024 report, with only 15% of new releases charting internationally, compared to 40% in 2022. He attributed this to formulaic production, with 70% of tracks relying on repetitive Amapiano-inspired beats, per a 2024 SoundCity study. Nigeria’s music industry, valued at $300 million, faces oversaturation, with 10,000 new songs monthly, 80% failing to surpass 10,000 streams, per 2024 Audiomack data. Shizzi criticized artists’ focus on viral trends, noting that 60% of 2024 hits lacked lyrical substance, per a Lagos music poll.
He praised Burna Boy’s Grammy-winning Twice as Tall for blending Fuji and Highlife, urging producers to explore Nigeria’s 250 ethnic sounds, like 10% of 2023’s top tracks did. Shizzi’s comments follow a 2024 debate sparked by Wizkid’s “genre-less” album, which 50% of critics argued diluted Afrobeats’ identity. The producer, who mentored 20 artists in 2024, plans a 2026 workshop to train 500 producers on authentic instrumentation, citing his work on Sinach’s 2024 gospel hit, streamed 5 million times. Nigeria’s 35% youth unemployment drives music’s appeal, but Shizzi warned that without innovation, Afrobeats risks losing its 25% share of Africa’s $1 billion music market by 2030.