By Adeayo Adebiyi
Copyright pulse
Afrobeats, like other pop music globally, revolves around light-hearted themes that offer listeners a good time.
However, beyond soundtracking the dancefloor and the happy moments of life, Nigerian musicians also make music that tackles socioeconomic and cultural issues. In light of the sexual health week, we look at the intersection between Afrobeats and sex. While the stars often promote hedonism, they sometimes take a pause and advise listeners to take caution.
If you must enjoy the good life mostly promoted in Afrobeats, you should also listen to the rare messages of caution in pursuing sexual freedom. 2Baba is the epitome of peak artistry and talent in Nigerian music. Hence, it’s not surprising that he has a song that addresses matters of unchecked sexual appetite.
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A man who, at the peak of his fame, was highly coveted so much that he became infamous for fathering children with several women, the award-winning icon knows a thing or two about the consequences of not keeping it in one’s pants.
On the single ‘Pako’ off his album ‘Unstoppable’, 2Baba cautions listeners on the need to protect themselves during sex. “If you want to chuk, make you use condom. No forget where you dey come from,” he sings in pidgin English on a song that shows the emphasis he places on sexual act and its capacity to alter the course of a person’s life.
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“Young man, be careful and think it twice, before you think to use your device. So, you don’t have raindrops falling from your eyes,” the legendary musician restated this message on ‘Raindrops’ where he draws from personal experience to remind young men of the consequences of unprotected sex, especially for those who are not economically and emotionally equipped to be a parent.
Falz is another Nigerian musician whose music captures the complexities of everyday life. On the song ‘Child of the World,’ off his 2017 album ‘27,’ the rapper talked about the issues of sexual indiscipline and sexual assault.
He cautions young people and also draws attention to the sexual assault of young women, especially by relatives, mentors, and powerful men who weaponise their economic means.
A conversation on Afrobeats and Sex cannot be complete without a mention of the Queen of Afro House, Niniola, whose music embodies sexual liberation for African women.
While she’s famous for her risque music that leaves little to the imagination, the singer also advises caution in the pursuit of pleasure.
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On ‘Boda Sodiq,’ she preaches the message of consent and draws attention to sexual assault. In her 2025 hit single ‘Ginger Me (Alum)’, she reminds listeners of harmful myths surrounding sexual health and advises listeners on the need to use protection.
The message for sexual caution isn’t restricted to young people or unmarried persons. In 2016, Afrobeats Queen Tiwa Savage and Rudeboy, who is one half of P Square, combined to record the ‘Get It Together,’ which was an anthem for the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative to sensitize couples on family planning practices.
Together, these songs offer a sobering reminder that in the midst of enjoying Afrobeats’ message of fun and pleasure, listeners should be careful, take responsibility, and protect themselves.
