Wizkid's announcement of an 'Essence' remix with Justin Beiber received a very mixed reception.
The majority of his London fans were bitterly disappointed just because they thought his surprise announcement was going to be a confirmation of additional dates to the London leg of his 'Made In Lagos Tour'.
Music purists didn't like the idea that an international pop artist, like Beiber, was being allowed to partake in the Afrobeats song (some gate keeping is absolutely necessary when it comes to black cultures #NotRudeHonest), while other fans were happy that the song would be brought to a wider audience.
Personally, I felt that an 'Essence' remix simply wasn't necessary, regardless of who it was with. When I listened to the remix, I was further assured that I wasn't wrong. Having said that, from a purely "career growth" perspective, I can definitely recognise the advantage that having Beiber on the track of the summer can have for Wizkid's career, and overall international profile. I also know the benefits that remixing an already popular song can have on the song's success - remixing 'Old Town Road' four times allowed Lil Nas X to break Billboard records.
I don't like the remix with Justin Beiber, but I can see Koffee, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Drake or Chris Brown bringing some flavour to the track that will both elevate an already perfect song, and increase its profile dramatically.
Who do you think would make a great remix?
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