Ghanaian rapper and musician M.anifest has questioned the growing practice of adding the prefix “Afro” to new music genres and their variations created by African artistes.
Speaking on The African Imaginary Podcast, M.anifest said African musicians should not feel the need to attach “Afro” to every genre they create.
He argued that African creatives are innovative and should have the freedom to develop new musical forms and identities.
His comments come at a time when labels such as Afrobeats, Afrofusion, Afro-soul and other “Afro” variations are widely used to describe music connected to African sounds and influences.
M.anifest’s own music has crossed different boundaries, drawing from hip-hop, highlife, African rhythms and Afrobeats.
His career therefore reflects the wider blending of musical traditions that has become common among contemporary African artistes.
The musician also pointed to the history behind the “Afro” label. Ghanaian musician Guy Warren, also known as Kofi Ghanaba, used the term Afro-Jazz to describe his music before Fela Kuti popularised the term Afrobeat.
M.anifest’s comments have renewed discussion about how African music is named, classified and marketed internationally.
For him, the issue is not about rejecting African influences, but about giving musicians enough creative space to explore new sounds without automatically placing “Afro” before every genre.
As African music continues to expand globally, the conversation over genre names and musical identity remains an important part of the industry’s development.
