Nigerian rapper Emeka Akumefule, popularly known as Blaqbonez, has advised music fans to stop measuring an artist’s worth solely through chart rankings and streaming figures.
The ‘Back in Uni’ crooner argued that music charts are not always a reflection of genuine popularity, stressing that streaming data can be manipulated through artificial means such as bots.
Blaqbonez made the remarks on X (formerly Twitter) while responding to a fan who accused him of hypocrisy for celebrating his diss track, ‘ACL’, directed at fellow rapper Odumodublvck, after it reached number one on Apple Music Nigeria.
Clarifying his stance, the rapper said he was not against chart success but maintained that no artist should be defined by numbers alone.
“I never talked down on the charts; it’ll always be exciting,” he wrote. “But no artist should be defined by it. Most of the artists I’m currently listening to in Naija are not even on the charts.”
He added that fans are often quick to label artists as failures based on streaming performance without recognizing that numbers can be manipulated.
“Use your ears sometimes,” he continued. “If something is good, it’s good. That’s all I’m saying.”
Blaqbonez has long been vocal about transparency in the Nigerian music scene, previously alleging that streaming charts do not always represent true listener engagement. His latest comments reignite the conversation about authenticity and fair recognition in the country’s fast-evolving digital music landscape.
About the Author
