Nigerian singer CKay has criticized some of his fellow Afrobeats artists for mocking him early in his career, only to later adopt his unique style. The Love Nwantiti hitmaker took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, claiming he pioneered several trends that are now popular in the Afrobeats scene, including the rise of emo-afrobeat and the promotion of songs on TikTok.
He wrote, “History can’t be rewritten just because some people got paid to rewrite it… I’ll always be here to remind you. CKay is the first. I pioneered many vibes Afrobeats artists thrive off today… iykyk.”
CKay further recalled the ridicule he faced when he first started promoting his music on TikTok, a strategy that has now become widespread in the industry. “Y’all laughed when I came up with emo-afrobeat and was on TikTok all day but many are now doing the same thing, calling it ridiculous names (& making $$). You’re welcome sha,” he added.
This statement reinforces CKay’s belief in his influence on the evolution of Afrobeats, especially with the success of Love Nwantiti, which became a global hit thanks to TikTok.
