Idowu
Nigerian hip-hop artist Emeka Akumefule, better known as Blaqbonez, has voiced his thoughts on the overemphasis of streaming metrics and chart rankings in the music industry.
He argues that an artist’s worth should not be measured purely by numerical data, as these figures can be artificially inflated.
Blaqbonez, who has previously raised concerns about the use of bots to skew streaming stats in Nigeria, addressed the issue after a fan criticized him for celebrating his diss track ‘ACL,’ aimed at Odumodublvck, topping Apple Music Nigeria’s charts.
The rapper clarified that while he acknowledges the excitement around charts, he believes artists should not be judged solely by them due to their susceptibility to manipulation.
He encouraged fans to evaluate music based on its artistic merit rather than just streaming numbers.
“I’ve never dismissed charts—they’re thrilling, but they shouldn’t define an artist. Many of the Nigerian artists I currently enjoy aren’t even on the charts.
“People rush to call someone a flop based on stats we all know can be gamed. Trust your ears—if a song is great, it’s great. That’s my point,” he posted on X.
Grace Effiong
