Angélique Kidjo
OpenLife Nigeria reports that on October 1, 2024, the long-standing rivalry between Nigerian music icons Wizkid and Davido flared up once again, igniting a firestorm of reactions across social media.
It all began in the late hours of October 1, 2024, when Wizkid took to the microblogging platform X with a subliminal tweet, “Beg me! just like …” After his post, it didn’t take much time for his fans and other X users to decipher that the post hinted at a viral video of Davido.
When an X user asked Wizkid, “So if you no beef @davido your song won’t sell ??,” he replied, “I don’t beef wack niggas! We all know he’s wack! No talent!”
Coming shortly after Angélique Kidjo and Davido’s new “joy” music video hit the global space, fans of both music stars are bewildered over what could ignited the fresh fight.
“JOY”
The new music video from multi-Grammy-Award winner and 2023 Polar Music Prize recipient Angélique Kidjo and Afrobeats superstar Davido for their smash single “JOY” saw Davido and Kidjo reuniting with Dammy Twitch, the same director who shot the music video for their first-ever collaboration “NA MONEY,” featured on Davido’s 2023 Timeless album.
The two titans of African music first started working on “JOY” after a chance reunion in New York City this summer and just days ago managed to carve out time from their busy schedules to meet up again in St. Tropez where they shot the song’s official music video with additional footage filmed in Nigeria.
Bursting with color and infectious energy, the natural resonance and musical bond between them radiates positivity, while the lyrics – expressed in both Yoruba and English – highlight the significance of resilience. First released last month, “JOY” entered the Nigerian National Airplay charts at #7 and boasts a Top 20 position in South Africa’s Airplay charts.
The single serves as the second collaboration from Kidjo this year following her previously released single “Sunlight To My Soul,” with Diane Warren (“Only Love Can Hurt Like This,” “Rhythm of the Night,” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”) and the Soweto Gospel Choir, signaling a new chapter in her storied career that stretches over four decades.
Prior to the music video’s release, it was recently announced that Kidjo will be included in the soundtrack of the forthcoming hip-hop musical adaptation of the 1995 Cannes-winning (Best Director and Palme d’Or) film La Haine.
Active as ever, Kidjo just wrapped up a stunning performance at Rock In Rio which saw her in the middle of the crowd of thousands dancing with her fans.
Kidjo will continue to perform across Europe during October before returning to the US for a handful of shows, including a historic performance in celebration of her accomplished 40-year career at New York’s Carnegie Hall this November.
Backed by the Color of Noize Orchestra conducted by Derrick Hodge, the evening will feature hits from Kidjo’s extensive catalog as well as legends like Miriam Makeba, Fela Kuti, and more, plus special appearances by leading artists of the African diaspora and beyond.
Davido and Wizkid
Nigerians have since reacted to his series of posts, with many users expressing their frustration with the ongoing feud.Here’s what some Nigerians have said on the issue:
Popular OAP Do2dtun took to X, saying, “This is the longest rivalry in the history of Nigerian entertainment. We are tired!”
Social media personality Daniel Regha slammed Wizkid, saying, “Wizkid claims Davido is a “wack” artiste with ‘no talent’, but forgets one thing he (Wizkid) wouldn’t be where he is today without Davido. His rivalry with the ‘No talent’ artiste keeps his relevance to this day. And lyrically speaking, none is superior to the other.”
“Wizkid, you can’t be talking about ‘mids’ when you yourself have not dropped a hit song for years; And mind your language,” Regha wrote in another post.
An X user wrote, “Wizkid will be on his own smoking Igbo & eating suya but this other guy’s camp will be shading and insulting him If he decides to talk, y’all will say ‘he started it, he’s looking for clouting, he’s too troublesome’. Hypocrites!!!!!!”
Some social media users even called for Wizkid to be cancelled, “We all agree we are cancelling Wizkid tonight right, enough is enough let’s go.”
“Fan banters, we know as we dey do am as fans. But you and your fcked up team have been doing this sh!t for years. Thinking “Wizkid no go talk” as usual, na there una miscalculate this time. Obsessed niggga,” said another X user.
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