The music is not yours

Our most recent recording features the celebrated Nigerian poet, psychiatrist, and music critic Dami Ajayi. The major thread of discussion centers on the evolution of Afrobeats—its origins, global rise, and current uncertainties. Ajayi argues that what is now called “Afrobeats” emerged through a mix of local innovation, diaspora influence, and global market forces, rather than a clean lineage from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat. He highlights key turning points such as the late 2000s shift in Nigerian listening habits, the 2012 breakout generation of artists, and the role of streaming and international labels. While acknowledging the genre’s global success, he expresses concern about creative stagnation, commercialization, and weak value capture for Nigerian stakeholders, suggesting that the industry may be entering a plateau phase shaped as much by global capital as by local artistic direction. We also briefly reflect on Ajayi’s multidisciplinary career and intellectual journey, situating his work within broader Nigerian cultural production, touching on literature, criticism, and the role of the public intellectual.