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By Oscar Okhifo
Afrobeats megastar, Burna Boy has ignited fresh round of controversy in the music scene with a cryptic post many believe is aimed at fellow artist Rema, who recently declared himself as the “future of Afrobeats.”
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday night, Burna Boy wrote: “When you’re the blueprint, you don’t compete. They follow, I lead. Simple.”
Though, he didn’t mention names, the post has been widely interpreted as a response to Rema’s recent bold assertion during a press tour in Benin, where he not only referred to himself as the genre’s future but also received high praise and royal recognition from the Oba of Benin.
Fans and observers quickly took to social media, dissecting Burna’s words and linking the timing of the statement to Rema’s rising prominence. Some see it as a subtle dig meant to remind younger acts of Burna Boy’s established dominance on the global stage.
While Burna Boy’s loyal supporters applauded his confidence, others accused him of reigniting unnecessary rivalries in a space already buzzing with unhealthy competition and jabs.
So far, neither Rema nor his camp has responded publicly to the perceived shade.
As Burna Boy continues to defend his legacy as one of Afrobeats’ biggest global exports, industry watchers will be keen to see whether this tension will spills over into future songs or stays in the realm of cryptic tweets. At this point, their fans who want peace in the Afro beats “republic” could only say, “keep it clean guys. The space is big enough for all of you to thrive”