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Slimcase Sparks Outrage After Saying Afrobeats Artists Must Watch Michael B. Jordan’s Sinners to Be Considered ‘Real’
Nigerian street-hop sensation Slimcase has ignited a heated cultural debate after insisting that any Afrobeats musician who hasn’t watched Michael B. Jordan’s new film Sinners cannot claim to be a true Afrobeats artist.
The comment, made during a chat with online personality Teddy A on Echoo Room, spread across social media within hours, drawing sharp criticism and confusion from fans.
In a viral clip from the interview, Slimcase boldly stated, “Any Afrobeats artist who hasn’t seen Sinners by Michael Jordan is not an Afrobeats artiste,” a declaration many listeners found both baffling and needlessly controversial.
The singer was referring to Sinners, the 2025 American supernatural thriller written and directed by Ryan Coogler, where Jordan takes on the role of twin brothers living in 1930s Mississippi.
Any Afrobeats artiste who hasn’t seen ‘Sinners’ by Michael Jordan is not an Afrobeats artiste – Slimcase. pic.twitter.com/IeoC1GnBNO
— Akpraise (@AkpraiseMedia) November 11, 2025
Slimcase went on to explain switching between English and Yoruba, why he believes the movie’s themes of folklore, trauma, and horror should somehow determine the cultural authenticity of Nigerian and African Afrobeats musicians.
His comparison, however, has left many scratching their heads, questioning what connection a Hollywood storyline has with a genre rooted deeply in African sound, identity, and lived experience.
The conversation has since snowballed online, with users debating whether Slimcase was attempting to spark deeper artistic dialogue, making an abstract metaphor about creativity, or simply courting attention with an exaggerated claim.
While some dismissed the comment as “Slimcase being Slimcase,” others criticised it as unnecessarily dramatic.