The world should stop making assumptions and learn about African cultures, particularly those of Ghana and Nigeria, according to Grammy-winning musician Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems.
At the 2025 Met Gala in New York, Tems spoke with Fashion Bomb Daily and urged people from outside of Africa to visit cities like Lagos and Ghana in order to get a feel for the real thing.
She said that the diversity of African traditions and the abundance of African inventiveness are what make Africa so beautiful.
“I always suggested that people take a holiday in Lagos or Ghana,” she stated. Before you have an opinion [about Africa], you should just visit the continent. Take a look and tell me what you think.
“I believe it [Africa’s beauty] lies in the imagination, the perseverance, the beauty, the music, the traditions, and the cultures.”
Contrary to the widespread belief that all African music is Afrobeats, Tems emphasized the diversity of the genre.
In terms of sound quality, we Africans have a lot of room to grow. Beyond Afrobeats, we are more. Feel free to explore Amapiano, Afrosoul, R&B, and Afro Jazz. According to the artist, “people are not all the way tapped into yet” when it comes to the many kinds of African music.