A popular disc jockey, Benedict Afagwu, aka DJ Humility, has said that although DJs in Nigeria are the reason afrobeats has been able to gain global recognition, they are not given their due respect in the industry.
He told Sunday Scoop, “It is unfortunate that we (DJs) are not given our flowers and respect. Some guys will just come up, especially in the Diaspora, and claim to be the ones who promoted afrobeats. However, if it was not for the efforts of radio, street and club DJs had not promoted afrobeat, there is no way people would have known those songs.
“It is funny how people don’t seem to know what DJs have done for the music industry. There is no way afrobeats artistes, both old and new, did not pass through DJs. The music revolution actually started in the 90s. Back then, the DJs would get the songs from the artistes and put them out there. If the DJs in Nigeria did not do so, there was no way those in the Diaspora who are claiming to be pioneers of afrobeat would have known about it.”
The disc jockey also stated that technology was both a curse and a blessing to the profession. He said, “Technology has been a blessing and to some extent, a curse to our profession. It has been a blessing, because in the late 90s to the early 2000s, we invested so much in getting music from artistes by buying their records. Then, we would buy one vinyl for N1,300, but now, people get those records for free; thanks to the Internet.
“Back then, there was more dignity for DJs because of the hard work they put into the job. But now, it looks like a lazy man’s job.”
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