A veteran Nigerian rapper, Michael Ugochukwu Steven, popularly known as Ruggedman has called on Davido, Wizkid and other Nigerian afrobeat stars to use their music to preach peace.
The rapper aired his view while being featured in a recent interview with Hip TV, adding that the new crop of Nigerian artists should include consciousness in music.
He opined that everyone cannot venture into music and as such those who are into it should realize their position and use it effectively.
He also called on artists to be conscious of their songs by passing a message while singing.
He said: “Everybody can’t do the same thing. Everybody can’t have the same mindset. So, that’s where inspiration comes in. People who are conscious, who want to do conscious music, who want to pass messages in the music, it’s now left to them to try to inspire those who are all about dancing to beats.”
He acknowledged that Afrobeat has gone global and as such artists should be conscious of promoting creativity and positivity.
“Afrobeats is global right now. We have millions of people, including non-Nigerians, who are listening to Nigerian music right now. So, imagine if artists who are being listened to worldwide now decide to do conscious music and use their platforms to preach peace, creativity, and positivity. That means millions of people would hear you.
“I hope the likes of Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, Rema, you know, even while they are doing the dancing, Amapiano, and having fun, I just pray it hits them a little to realise the power they wield with the positions they are in right now and they include some consciousness into their music,” he added.
