Nigerian rapper Emeka Akumefule, better known as Blaqbonez, has said that artists should not be defined solely by streaming numbers or chart positions.
The rapper made this statement while responding to a fan who called him a hypocrite for celebrating his diss track, ‘ACL’ — aimed at Odumodublvck — after it reached number one on Apple Music Nigeria.
Blaqbonez clarified that he has never dismissed the importance of music charts but believes that they shouldn’t be the only standard for measuring success, as streaming numbers can easily be manipulated.
“I never talked down on the charts, it’d always be exciting, but no artist should be defined by it,” he wrote on his X page. “Most of the artists I’m currently listening to in Naija are not even on our charts.”
He went on to explain that many fans are too quick to label an artist a failure based on figures that aren’t always accurate.
“You guys are quick to label someone a failure depending on numbers that we know can easily be manipulated. Use your ears sometimes — if something is good, it’s good. That’s all I’m saying,” he added.
Blaqbonez has previously accused some in the industry of using bots to inflate their streaming figures and chart rankings, a claim that has sparked ongoing debate about the integrity of Nigeria’s digital music scene.
