Veteran highlife musician Bright Chimezie has expressed concern over the lack of meaningful content in contemporary music.
On a recent episode of the CreativTea podcast, Chimezie acknowledged that today’s artists are producing high-quality sounds and enjoying financial success, but he noted that many of their songs do not carry lasting substance.
He encouraged younger musicians to focus on creating lyrics that have enduring value, citing his own career as an example. Referring to his 1984 hit Respect Africa, Chimezie said he still feels proud of the message his music conveyed decades later.
The Ziggima sound pioneer questioned whether the current generation of artists will be able to reflect on their work with the same pride 40 years from now. He urged them to consider the social impact of their music and aim for songs that educate, inspire, and outlast passing trends.
He stated, “Music is more profitable now than before. The only problem I have with the present crop of artists is their lyrical content. In terms of rhythms and everything else, they are doing quite okay.
“But, what message are they passing to society? Some of the things we (my contemporaries and I) sing stick. I remember I did ‘Respect Africa’ in 1984, that’s about 40 years ago. But I can still watch what I did 40 years ago and be proud of my lyrics.
“These days, I ask these boys, ‘The things that are coming out from your mouth, by the time your music stays up to 40 years, can you sit back with your children, see yourself and be proud of yourself?’
“So, those are the things. They are doing very well, but I think it is very important for them to add good lyrics to their music.”
