Veteran rapper Ruggedman believes the global “Afrobeats” label attached to Nigerian music may soon lose relevance. Speaking on Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds, he said Nigerian music has grown so huge that it may eventually outgrow the tag entirely.
“I just have a feeling that this whole Afrobeats thing, the tag might end soon. Nigerian music is in the forefront and I’m happy it is Nigerian music,” he said.
While celebrating the genre’s global success, Ruggedman expressed concern about what he considers a drop in lyrical and artistic depth among many current stars.
He distinguished Afrobeat — Fela’s iconic, socio-political, jazz-infused sound — from Afrobeats, the mainstream pop wave. According to him, grouping pioneers like Fela, KSA, and Kwam 1 under “Afrobeats” is historically inaccurate. He prefers the umbrella term Nigerian music.
Ruggedman also commented on rap’s reduced visibility, saying artists now chase quicker financial returns, and pushing rap takes more resources.
Meanwhile, the rapper has released acoustic versions of five of his classics in collaboration with guitarist Fiokee, in a move he describes as the first of its kind in Nigerian hip-hop. He also confirmed upcoming collaborations with OdumoduBlvck, Jeriq, Magnito, 2Baba and others in 2026.
