Omah Lay and British Reporter Argue Importance of Discussing Politics in His Music

Nigerian music has come a long way. Back in the day, our music was relegated really to our nation and the big musicians like Fela Kuti who made music made it not just for entertainment, but also for politics. The music was used to call out corruption, question the state of the nation, and talk about issues that plagued the average Nigerian.

These days, Afrobeats as a whole has become a lot more commercial, and unlike back in the day, the music these days is primarily for entertainment first, before politics. In fact, many musicians these days do not even bring politics into their music. Speaking with the BBC about this, Nigerian musician Omah Lay was asked by British reporter Sarah Montague why this is, and here's what the singer had to say.

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During his interview, Omah Lay was asked "Fela Kuti described his Afrobeats music as a fusion and combination of highlife, jazz, funk, rock, salsa, black power, anti-colonial and anti-corruption politics. How would you describe your music?" He said:

I think it's probably the same thing but I don't know if I'm going to say politics, anti-corruption, I don't know. But every other thing is the same. It's just that I do it differently now because you know, music is different now. Highlife, it's still the same. Afro, it's still the same. The elements that makes Afrobeats is still the same. It's just that it's a new world and I just do it how we do it now in this our modern age. So yeah, it's still Afrobeats, it's just different people doing it.

"Afrobeats originally, it was political. And you have been public on political issues before, but you don't use your music?"

I'm not sure I use my music for political issues. It's not like I don't, it's just that I don't think I have yet. But if it comes to that, when I have to use my music for political issues, then I will. But so far, I haven't done it.

"I wondered if in part it was deliberate because the type of things that you sing about: love, longing, they are universal. So I wondered if that helps it to reach a wider global audience than if you were singing about national politics?"

See I'm not so much of a politics person and my music is me. I make my music for how I am. I am so much of the person you're seeing right now. Love, happiness, dance, have fun, feel good. Maybe when I get to the point when I begin to enjoy politics and I begin to understand politics very much, then maybe I'll start using my music for that. But for now, all I do right now is talk about the things as youth, the things that I understand which is love, heart break, pains as a youth. As a youth, the things that we go through as youth. That's what I use my music for. That's where I am right now.

"I just wondered because Burna Boy described most of his are against the government. And he talks about his song "Collateral Damage" where he sings about how politicians get rich as they watch other suffer. Do you think it becomes risky if you start bringing politics into music or do you feel that if you wanted to, you could just sing about whatever you want?"

Yeah I can just sing about whatever I want. I don't feel like, I don't owe it to anybody how I want to make my music. This whole thing is just the state of the mind. If I start thinking about politics or start getting myself involved in politics so much then I'll definitely start making music about politics. But for now, I don't think I'm in that headspace. I just make my music with the things I find around myself.

What do you think about what Omah Lay said and this new era of Afrobeats musicians not really using their music to discuss political issues? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

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