Nigerian musician Phyno has praised parents now for being more supportive of their kids’ abilities than parents in the past.
The award-winning artist talked about his own experience in an interview with the In My Opinion Podcast, stating that his parents did not originally encourage him to pursue his musical goals. “My parents didn’t support my career when I first started. It’s different now,” he said.
He added, “I think the generation after my parents understands what it means to support their children’s talent and knows that there is something special about a child who loves music, or a child who loves to play ball.”
The rapper contrasted the two eras, highlighting how children in the past were often punished for pursuing their passions. “Then, when parents come home and see you playing ball, they beat you and seize the ball and give you punishment. You understand me?” he said.
Phyno commended today’s parents for recognising and nurturing their children’s gifts, whether in music, sports, or other areas. “
“I’m just trying to say that era and this era are different. Now any father who sees his son can play ball and enrols him in an academy. Some, at 1 year old already buy you a ball and say you must play ball like Neymar,” he explained.
Phyno also acknowledged the shift in perception surrounding creative careers, saying, “Different generations, you know and I also don’t blame my parents. I’m sure that the money in music now was never in music then. They also look at people who did music back then as useless people. As people who just wanted to carry dreadlocks and walk around. But now everyone sees the talent and a gift to be shared to the world, and shout-out to this era of parents.”
