Rotimi, a Nigerian-American musician and actor, has declared himself the first artist to introduce Afrobeats to the American music scene.
In the words of Rotimi, he started the Afrobeats movement in the United States, setting the stage for international collaborations that popularized the music around the world.
In a recent episode of the 85 South Show Podcast, Rotimi discussed his experience submitting his single ‘Love Riddim’ to radio stations in 2018, only to be rejected owing to its Afrobeats influence.
He said:
“I remember bringing ‘Love Riddim’ to radio stations in 2018, and the program director was like ‘This is not good.’” “They didn’t even understand it, and this was before Wiz (Wizkid) got the record with Drake.”
“I can confidently say I brought Afrobeats to America,” Rotimi stated.
Rotimi’s statements, however, have generated a heated debate on social media, with many pointing out that Afrobeats songs such as Ayo Jay’s ‘Your Number’ (2015), Drake and Wizkid’s ‘One Dance’ (2016), and Davido’s ‘Fall’ and ‘If’ (2017) attained popularity in the United States before Rotimi’s ‘Love Riddim’ (2018). These analysts claim that Rotimi’s assertion ignores the achievements of other artists who helped pave the way for Afrobeats in America.
