Controversy As Rotimi Claims To Be Afrobeat Pioneer In US (Video)

Olurotimi Akinosho, the American-Nigerian singer and actor, also known as Rotimi, asserts that he was the pioneer in introducing Afrobeats to the United States music scene.

During his appearance on the 85 South Show Podcast, Rotimi discussed his journey to success and his role in popularizing Afrobeats in the United States.

The ‘Power’ star asserted that he helped popularize Afrobeats-style music in the US prior to the surge of the ‘Afrobeats to the World’ movement driven by international collaborations.

Rotimi recalled bringing his single ‘Love Riddim’ to the radio stations in 2018 and it was not well received because of its Afrobeats influences.

“I remember bringing ‘Love Riddim’ to the 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,” he said.

“I can comfortably say I brought Afrobeats to America.”

Rotimi who blends RnB elements with Afrobeats recalled bringing his single ‘Love Riddim’ to the radio stations in 2018 and it was not well received because of its Afrobeats influences.

His claims have elicited heavy reactions on social media, with many observers pointing out that Nigerian-American singer, Ayo Jay’s ‘Your Number’ (2015), Drake and Wizkid’s ‘One Dance’ (2016), and Davido’s ‘Fall’ and ‘If’ (2017), which were of the Afrobeat genre enjoyed success in the United States, all predated Rotimi’s ‘Love Riddim,’ which was released in 2018.

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