The long-standing rivalry between two Nigerian Afrobeat stars, Burna Boy and Davido, has once again sparked intense debates within the entertainment industry.
News About Nigeria gathered that the feud was reignited when Davido claimed in a recent interview that he achieved fame before Burna Boy, referring to him as a “new cat” in the Nigerian music scene.
“Everybody knows now. I was one of the first. Wizkid and I were among the first young artists to blow up, and it feels good seeing new cats like Burna Boy, Rema, Fireboy, Mayorkun, you know, a lot of new cats coming, killing it, Asake, who was on my album. So, yes, I think the future of Afrobeat is in good hands,” Davido had said.
Davido’s comment didn’t sit well with Burna Boy’s fans, fueling a passionate debate and reigniting the rivalry between the two artists. Music enthusiasts have been locking horns over the supremacy between Davido and Burna Boy.
Some fans argue that Burna Boy has been a prominent figure in the industry since the release of his debut album, ‘LIFE,’ in 2013.
On the other hand, Davido’s fans contend that his ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ album, released in 2012, was a bigger hit and catapulted him to stardom.
Commenting on the ongoing supremacy battle, Phil Roberts, the President of the Rock Music Federation, emphasized that every Nigerian music artist has contributed to the growth of Afrobeats, not just Davido.
He stressed that despite the global recognition of Nigerian Afrobeats, it is important to remember that everyone in the industry is engaged in business, which can fuel the desire for supremacy.
“Everybody wants to be on top of their career. Nobody wants to go down.
“As you can see, all of them are making us proud outside Nigeria, but it’s a business. To continue to be on top of your game, you need to see how you can ensure nobody climbs up better than you.
“So, it’s part of entertainment because if they don’t create that kind of discussion, I’m not sure they will trend. Everybody wants to be at the top of their career. So it’s all about competition.
“There’s nothing there. They are just entertaining you because if you listen to only their music, the fun would not be there without this part of the entertainment.
“How would you say Davido brought Afrobeat to the limelight? All of them have been doing their part.
“They all made it more exposed to the world. Afrobeat is an African beat. So who is more African than the other? All of us are African, and all these things are in our genre. So these beats have been there even though they all made it to come out the way it’s all over the world.
“Because when you are cooking a soup, it is not only one ingredient that makes the soup sweeter, it’s different ingredients, so I give it to all of them, Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, among others, because it’s a collective effort,” he said.
