Valentine’s Day is a multi-billion-dollar scam, and Afrobeats love songs are the sweet-talking con artists that make us fall for it.
For years, they’ve sold us flawless romance—no stress, no bad vibes, just “baby, I go dey for you” on loop. But real love? Real love is missed calls, seen messages, and one person overthinking while the other sleeps peacefully. Love is not a hit single—it’s a leaked track full of glitches.
Well, it’s time to expose the frauds. Here are eight Afrobeats love songs that absolutely lied to us– a valentine’s day special.
1. “African Queen” – 2Baba
The Lie: 2Baba told an entire generation of men that love is about adoring a woman like she’s the only one in existence—a poetic sentiment, but also a bold-faced contradiction from a man whose love life has been eventful, to say the least.
The Reality: In real life, nobody is flawless. Pedestal love is dangerous because the moment your “African Queen” does something remotely human—like ignore your texts or argue with you—you start questioning the entire relationship. Love is about seeing someone’s flaws and staying, not pretending they don’t exist.
2. Tatto – Fireboy Dml
The Lie: When Fireboy DML dropped “Tattoo”, he made love sound like an uncontrollable, all-consuming high. “Make I be like tattoo for your body,” he croons, as if love should be permanent, untouchable.
The Reality: Real love is not inked on skin—it’s a series of choices. People out here are covering up old ‘tattoos’ with new ones every six months. The truth? No matter how deep you think your love is, there’s always a laser removal session waiting in the corner.
3. Love Don’t Cost A Dime (Re – Up) – Magixx & Ayra Starr
The Lie: Love doesn’t require effort, money, or emotional labor.
“Love don’t cost a dime,” they sang. Ah, yes. The sweet lie we all wanted to believe. Because who doesn’t want to think that love is simply about vibes and chemistry?
The Reality: Love might not cost a dime, but dating? Very expensive. Have you seen the price of brunch dates lately? And beyond money, love costs time, effort, patience, and the ability to apologize even when you swear you’re right.
4. For My Hand – Burna Boy & Ed Sheeran
The Lie: True love is effortless.
Burna and Ed made it sound so simple: “Hold you for my hand, I wanna be in your life till the night is over.” Cute. But where’s the part about conflict resolution? Where’s the mention of compromise, personal growth, or resisting the urge to text your ex during an argument?
The Reality: Love is not a perfectly choreographed duet—it’s two people stepping on each other’s toes and figuring out how to move in sync. If you think love is just about floating in perfect harmony, you’re one minor misunderstanding away from a breakup.
5. Romeo & Juliet – Johnny Drille
The Lie: Love is a fairytale.
Johnny Drille’s “Romeo & Juliet” is drenched in romance, selling the ultimate fantasy of an undying, passionate love story against all odds.
The Reality: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet died after four days of knowing each other. In the real world, rushing into love without proper foundation is a recipe for disaster. Love is not about dramatic declarations—it’s about building something that actually lasts.
6. Runaway – Rema
The Lie: Love means escaping reality together.
Rema’s “Runaway” paints love as an endless adventure, where two lovers can simply leave behind their problems and exist in blissful isolation. It’s dreamy, it’s romantic—but it’s also deceptive.
The Reality: Running away doesn’t solve anything. You can’t outrun commitment issues, bad communication, or the fact that your partner never replaces the tissue roll. Love isn’t about escaping—it’s about facing things together.
7. Forever – Gyakie
The Lie: Love is meant to last forever.
Gyakie’s soothing vocals make you believe that when love happens, it’s a lifetime commitment.
The Reality: Forever is a long time to be promising people things on vibes. In truth, love doesn’t always fade because of cheating or betrayal—sometimes, people just outgrow each other. Sometimes, the same person who once made your heart race now makes you want to put your phone on airplane mode. And that’s okay.
8. Soso – Omah Lay
The Lie: Love can completely heal you.
Omah Lay’s “Soso” is the ultimate sad boy anthem, where he begs love to come take away his pain. It’s poetic. It’s emotional. It’s also a setup for disappointment.
The Reality: Love is not therapy. If you’re dealing with unhealed wounds, expecting a relationship to fix them completely is like trying to charge your phone with a dead power bank. No one person can heal you, fix you, or save you—that’s your job.
The truth is, love is not a flawlessly mixed and mastered track— it’s a raw demo with off-key moments, awkward pauses, and the occasional need for a remix.
So this Valentine’s Day, as you blast these love songs, remember: some of them lied to us. The question is—are you still falling for the scam?
