X/@Mbahdeyforyou
With this endorsement of an Afrobeats anthem, which has been subject to much debate and ranged from burning support and acclaim to an ironic jest, Nigerian social media personality Mbah has since precipitated a digital fire storm. The content creator shared a snippet from Khaid’s “Anabella” beat video, accompanying it with the caption “I’m beginning to like this song🤠,” which generated hundreds of responses, with debates on the worth of the song and others questioning why Mbah ever would endorse it. The video featured some eccentric dancing and auto-generated captions considered hilarious by some users.
Advertisement
An immediate polarized response followed. One user said in genuine wonder at the affirmative side of the track: “I never knew this song could be sweet like this oo😩😩 Don’t judge a book by its cover,” which indicated that before MBAH had endorsed the beat, this user would never look at the track favorably. This was the tell-tale sign of how an influencer’s opinion can alter the perspective of the audience regarding cultural content.
Some others went on to ridicule and question Mbah suddenly liking the song. “Once ‘alert’ de enter, you de begin like anything 🤣😭,” insinuated that there could have been some monetary compensation for the endorsement other than true artistic appreciation. Another comment asked starkly, “How much dem pay you for this rubbish song???”, showing the cynicism that fuels the darker aspect of influencer endorsements.
The technical issues of the video instigated a plethora of discussions. One thread went, “Those mangled subtitles like ‘Boomba Claat’ and ‘Ha Desserts’ turn it into pure comedy gold. Afrobeats meets chaos! 🤣”, signaling how those auto-generated captions create a kind of accidental humor that then becomes part of the viral appeal of the video.
Many laughs came from the visual corrections, mostly concerning one of the dancers in the video. “See as kolu resemble human being” and “See as Kolu be like Bobb Marley😅😅” referred to the peculiar looks of one of the dancers, thus basing the visual elements of beat videos as fodder for discussion.
MBAH’s endorsement undeniably had immediate measurable effects. “Make I go stream Asapuuu🔥,” one commented, indicating they were off to a streaming platform immediately to search. Another said, “What’s the song title…make I go stream am,” revealing the direct action of influencer recommendations on beat sales.
More focused on the beat themselves, some critics said, “You too dey like rubbish songs. Maybe them dey pay you,” one remarked, and another added, “What made you like the song, the beginning part of the video caught my interest until I saw the end result,” again seeking more validation other than the superficial for the endorsement.
Advertisement
The controversy triggered by Mbah’s post shows the making of a twisted player-audience relation present in the digital beat sphere. Fans of his endorsement view it with healthy suspicion of being commercial. This mixed reaction led to immediate acceptance and humor crafted through disdain; they constitute a multilayered conversation between social media personalities and philosophers of art, commerce, and authenticity in the streaming era. This conversation speaks to the resilient, though somewhat questioned, power predictor endorsement still holds in today’s digital terrain.
About the Author
