David Adeleke, popularly called Davido has opened up on the purported rift between himself and superstar Wizkid and Grammy-nominated artist, Burna Boy.
Fondly called O.B.O, Davido spoke his truth during a live interview with BBNaija host, Ebuka Uchendu, on Bounce Radio Live.
Although the FEM crooner referred to the duo of Wiz and Burna as his brothers, he admitted to having a rocky relationship with the superstars.
Davido burst into the Nigerian music space with his first single ‘Back When’ featuring Naeto C but it was his single ‘Dami Duro’ that really shot him into stardom and he has since become a force in the industry, making him one of the three biggest stars currently running the Nigerian industry alongside Wiz and Burna.
“I saw a young nigga getting it, he was young and actually getting it and that motivated me”, talking about Wizkid who he first met at a yearly Christmas party in his dad’s house.
He admitted they got along afterwards, “me and Wiz dey roll, he knows it,” he said, adding that they party and hangout.
Asked when things started falling apart with Star Boy, he said, “honestly, it has never been on my part. When I did feel like things were beginning to fall apart was, I think when I was just getting bigger. The fans, people around him, people around me, I think from like me dropping my first album, things started getting shaky.”
Davido admitted to being a competition to Wizkid and added that the fans and their respective crew might have knowingly or otherwise fueled the rift between them.
“Of course, he knows that (Davido being a competition) and that could be the only reason he’s vexing at me because I’ve never done nothing… that’s my brother. I love Wizkid and he knows he loves me too, he knows. It’s the competition that caused it.”
He also pointed out “powerplay,” adding that “the fans don’t make it easier, people don’t make it easier, even people around us don’t make it easier… Do you know how many times I and Wiz have been alone and just yan but nothing.. right now, I don’t know,” he added.
The pair however made up after the intervention of an unnamed figure who both artists respected, according to Davido, leading to their first-ever stage performance in 2017 when they performed FiA Together during Wiz’s (WizkidTheConcert) on Dec 24th at the Eko Convention Center Victoria Island Lagos.
“He called Mayorkun that he wanted him to come to his show and I permitted him. Mayor is my artist and I will never block his shine. Then Enemies, Wiz’s bodyguard, called me and said Wizzy say make you show, I said are you sure, he said yeah and I said ok I go show and that was one of the greatest moment in the Nigerian entertainment history.”
Afterwards, according to Davido, things went south again and the pair went back to beefing each other with subs here and there months after. He admitted that they listen to the fans too much and on the positive, the beef has made them bigger, thanks to fans on social media, but maintained that it was not on purpose.
“He’s my brother but there’s really a problem that we need to fix. I’ve tried mehn, I’ve tried. I’ve tried doing an album with Wizzy, I’ve tried doing a tour with him, we’ve spoken about it. Star Boy and 30BG were meant to have a general meeting and sort every problem but it didn’t happen. Like I keep saying, the problem is not from me,” he said.
“I think when we sit down and count the blessings, honestly, we no go dey beef but I’m saying this to the camera, Ayo Balogun (Wizkid) I no get any problem with you, that’s the honest truth.”
Asked if there will be a collaboration between the, he said, “I think a collabo should have happened since but now I don’t care, if e come we go do am… All I know be say hits dey my cabal many.”
Speaking about Burna Boy, Davido was quick to dispel the rumours that he sang his latest single ‘FEM’ to diss the Grammy nominee.
“First of all, I and Burna are brothers. We cannot sit in a room together and have an argument. We have passed that level. I was the happiest for Burna’s success cos I know how many times people discredited him, blocked him… do you know how many times I said Burna would be number one? I don’t want to hate on anybody. If I don’t do music today, all my brothers and sisters are richer than me o. If I go work for my popsi office I will be a billionaire tomorrow in dollars. I’m doing this because I love the craft.”
“Burna is my brother. I met Burna like 2010 bro, since. When I first bought my first Honda, Burna am I lying?, me Burna and Dammy Krane, we drove from one hotel in VI to meet Tuface at Grasshopper, wey army(soldiers) hold us, flogged us because we go wear camo.
“Even after he blew up, we were still cool. Over a while, I started hearing things, but I’ve never in my life said or want to do anything bad to him. I and Burna can’t even have wahala, Grammy nomination, everything, I’m happy.”
Asked what the line ‘tell Odogwu say I like to party’ meant in reference to Burna’s nickname Odogwu and his first single ‘Like To Party’ he said
“I just woke up and saw a funny pix on Instagram of me and Wizkid. Just like Tunde (Ednut) I joke on my Instagram and captioned the picture ‘two greatest of all time. Apparently, Burna got angry and I’m like what? Me, I’m his friend and I’ll always be.”
He said that after the post, he was drawn to Burna’s tweet alleging that Davido was fending off his dad’s riches.
“I’ve never mentioned your dad, come on bro… I no talk abi, I went offline for four months, come, do my thing (referring to FEM)… I don’t want to be violent… No, it’s not about Burna (referring to FEM) it’s about everybody that’s just paraing (vexing) for no reason.
Although he admitted that the line ‘tell Odogwu say I like to party’ was a message to Burna that he is open to hang out, party and chill but said the song was not about him. “I’m happy you’re up, I’m happy you’re rich brother (Burna), na me and you suppose dey run this P now, what’s the fight for? You’re angry that I posted me and Wizkid, right, though Burna didn’t say that, his guy told me… but you’re with Wizkid in London, every day. All the coming together will not work, I’m not fighting them…”
Asked if he thinks they are fighting him, he said, “brother, it’s clear, let’s not be fake… We’re the three biggest in the game as at now. Burna and Wizzy are like my brother so I’m like, what are we all doing? but I will not stand down, I’m not a p***y bro. I’m not fighting you so why are you fighting me bro, for what? I never said one thing bad about you, I never discredited you ever in my life… I don’t wanna fight anybody, I have kids bro… I don’t want to be violent and then something happens….”
“I’ll rather go into the studio and vent, I’ve always done it. Dele Momodu, I did it, Caroline, I did it… My P has always been about my music, I answer you with music, forget the violence. Wetin you wan do? You wan con shoot me and go to jail for the rest of your life? There are bigger things, forget music…. Tell me the problem, nobody can tell me what the problem is… Nobody for this Nigerian music industry go gang up against me wey go work cause I don’t have any bad act towards anybody, so it won’t work, those are my brothers men. I can’t lie, it hurts me sometimes…. ”
“I’ve reached out many times, I’ve tried to do a tour and song with Wiz and with Burna, I’ve reached out, I saw him and asked what the problem is, we still went to the club, come on man, how long I go try? It’s either one thing, you no like me. So I’m saying it here live, wassup, I no fight again, let’s all come together, how far? them no go respond. I’m not fighting anybody but they always make me look like the bad guy. But as them dey make me look like the bad guy the hits dey come in …”
“Like two weeks ago, I met Burna’s dad at a shopping complex in Banana Island and prostrated… He looks like Burna, it’s so funny… He told me, David you’re my son and I greeted him and walked away. So there’s no problem bro but with FEM, I just had to and I’ll rather him reply me than come and fight. Keep it in the music.”
Davido, however, cleared that his father’s wealth did not give him a smooth ride in music but made it harder.
“A lot of people have money. It made it harder. Nigerians roll with grass to grace story. So I had to work, overwork,” he said. He admitted it made it easier with the funds but harder to prove himself… “Some people like my music but they don’t like me,” he added.
Davido has spent about a decade in the industry with back to back hits banging through parties and bagging awards and recognition home and abroad. His first album was O.B.O Genesis, second AGT – A Good Time and he’s about to drop a third album titled ABT – A Better Time.
Moving forward, he added that he felt bad not being on Beyonce’s ‘The Lion King: The Gift’ album which featured Wiz, Burna and other Nigerian artists.
He said, “honestly, to tell you the truth, they planned to not put me on that album. I had producers that worked on the album, they are my friends and didn’t tell me they were working on the album.” He added that he doesn’t know why they didn’t want him on the album but”I felt bad, I won’t lie to you, I was hurt. The whole industry in one album, I was hurt but I know that it was planned. Like I said they keep planning against me but it will not work. Two days later, I dropped blow my mind, wetin dey sup? I know that they planned it but shoutout to Beyonce.”
