In an in-depth interview with Oral Ofori of TheAfricanDream.net, legendary Ghanaian musician and three-time Grammy nominee, Rocky Dawuni, shared his thoughts on the rise of Afrobeats as the new face of African music; its commercial success, and the general decline of conscious music in the new limelight of African sounds.

With a career cutting across decades, Dawuni has been a constant voice for ‘conscious music,’ inspiring a model for new-generation artistes. The three-time Grammy nominee is celebrated for his unique ‘Afro Roots’ sound, which creatively blends Reggae, Afrobeats, Highlife, and Soul music.

In his interview, Dawuni emphasized the importance of consciousness in music, citing Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Bob Marley as inspirations.

“Music has to have purpose and message,” he said to Ofori, highlighting the need for artistes to strike a balance between commercialisation and conscious narrative.

The decline of authentic storytelling in Afrobeats, Dawuni argued, can be attributed to the pressure for commercial success.

“The need for commercial success as a key part of defining an artiste’s career has made it very difficult for many artistes to strike a balance between infusing socially conscious narrative into their music as against simplistic commercial creation.”

However, Dawuni remains optimistic about the future of Afrobeats, urging artistes to reclaim their purpose and use their music as a tool for social transformation.

“If this becomes a new state of our musical mentality, then that will start transforming the music that we make,” he said.

Discussing his genre, Afro Roots, Dawuni described it as a fusion of Reggae, Afrobeat, Highlife, and Soul, which has evolved through his experiences and collaborations with like-minded producers.

“As a producer, I have always been at the helm of defining my own sound, but now another development is working with like-minded producers to offer different perspectives of the sound and its further globalization,” he said.

In a response to Ofori of TheAfricanDream.net about breaking free from “formulaic constraints,” Dawuni credited his diverse influences, from indigenous ethnic music to popular styles.

“When you are a true student of these influences, you find an endless treasure trove of inspirations to constantly innovate.”

“Music has to be a force to inspire hope and build a mindset of resilience against the drift to purely material aspirations,” calling out the need for Afrobeats artistes to address socio-cultural issues, and inspire hope.

The legendary musician announced his single “Rise,” which was released on August 30, 2024, and merged Afro Roots with a conscious message of empowerment.

“I feel ‘Rise’ is an answer to all of these conversations about Afro Music,” he said.

Over decades, his Afro Roots sounds have gone across Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. In that time he has collaborated with legendary artistes such as Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Jason Mraz, Janelle Monáe, and John Legend.

Dawuni’s successful merger of music and activism has led him to become a prominent spokesperson for various global causes.

He was appointed as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, focusing on environmental issues. In this role, he works to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.

He was also named the Global Ambassador for the World Day of African and Afrodescendant Culture, recognized by UNESCO. Through this platform, he uses his music to shine a light on crucial issues facing the global community and promote cultural understanding.

Looking to the future of African sounds, Dawuni expressed excitement about the endless possibilities for innovation in African music.

“I believe that once we can find that intrinsic value that is embedded in our cultural gifts with the ever-evolving available technology, it will spawn a golden age of global music,” he added.