Nigerian singer CKay has called out some of his fellow Afrobeats artists, accusing them of copying the unique style he introduced to the genre, despite initially mocking him for it.
CKay, best known for his global hit song ‘Love Nwantiti,’ claims he pioneered many of the trends that have now become common in Afrobeats music.
The artist reflected on how he was among the first to heavily promote Afrobeats songs on TikTok, a strategy that some of his colleagues ridiculed at the time.
However, those same artists, according to CKay, are now adopting the very approach they once criticized and benefiting from it.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, CKay expressed his frustration with attempts to rewrite history and take credit for trends he believes he started.
He wrote, “History can’t be rewritten just because some people got paid to rewrite it. I’ll always be here to remind you.”
He continued, emphasizing his role as a trailblazer in Afrobeats: “CKay is the first. I pioneered many vibes Afrobeats artists thrive off today… if you know, you know (iykyk). Y’all laughed when I came up with emo-Afrobeats and was on TikTok all day, but now many are doing the same thing, giving it ridiculous names—and making money off it. You’re welcome, though.”
In his message, CKay seems to be pointing out the irony of the situation, where the very people who criticized his innovations are now profiting from them.
The artist’s frustration also hints at the larger issue of how trends can be co-opted without giving credit to those who started them.
