Liberian influencer claims Nigeria only ‘packaged and commercialised’ Afrobeats

A Liberian influencer has stirred controversy after claiming that Nigeria did not create Afrobeats but only repackaged and commercialised it.

Speaking on the In The Fries podcast, he questioned:

“The real question is, who built the foundation and who stole the shine? Now the whole world calls it Nigerian, but let’s be honest, did Nigeria actually create this? Or did they just package and commercialize what other African countries do, including the great Liberia?”

He went on to argue that Liberia had already laid the groundwork with sounds like Pondwine Music and HipCo, insisting the country has its receipts.

The influencer then likened Nigerians to “the white people of Africa,” saying:

“Black people create, white people take it, brand it and sell it. That’s what Nigerians did to Afrobeats. We started this, we breathed this whole thing. Nigeria just figured out how to market and push it globally.”

He also gave a shoutout to Sierra Leone, saying both countries pioneered the vibe long before it became the global sound it is today.