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Wizkid and Davido
Football lovers throw banters every now and then about who the better soccer player is between Messi Lionel and Christiano Ronaldo.
Food lovers try to state clearly for a fact which jollof rice is more delicious between that of Nigeria and Ghana.
At a restaurant where I had lunch last week, I heard two ladies compare Cardi B with Nicki Minaj; each trying to defend her preferred diva.
Everyday, people’s preferences clash over certain topics. One of these clashes is the argument about who the better artiste is between Wizkid and Davido.
On January 2, 2010, Ayodeji Balogun (popularly known as Wizkid) dropped “Holla At Your Boy” which was the lead single of his debut album with the tag “Superstar” released in 2009. The work earned him the Next Rated award by Headies in 2011.
“Holla At Your Boy” was released under Banky W’s EME records and the song became a hit under two months after its release. But before all these successes came, Wizkid had to fight his way to limelight.
Ayodeji began music at age eleven with the name “Lil Prinz” which he changed in 2006. But before he became the Star Boy who is much celebrated today, it wasn’t all roses for the young songster.
According to Wikipedia, during an interview with Adesope of Factory 78 TV, Wizkid described his life in a nutshell. He said he formed a group called the Glorious Five with a couple of his church friends. The group managed to release an album prior to disbanding.
Wizkid later met OJB Jezreel, a record producer who prevented him from recording for a year. While visiting OJB’s PointBeat Studios frequently, he watched 2 Face Idibia record songs for his Grass 2 Grace album. He was also present during the recording sessions for Sound Sultan’s debut album, “Jagbajantis.”
Wizkid cited Naeto C as one of the people who mentored and coached him when he was 15 years old. He also told Factory 78 TV that his parents weren’t receptive of his music from the onset.
You could describe Ayo as a regular kid blocks away who had passion and determination for success burning in his eyes like wild fire.
He attended Ijebu Ode Grammar School. In mid-2009, he dropped out of Lagos State University (LASU) to focus on his craft. He later attended Lead City University, but dropped out after completing two sessions. Struggle takes a major part of his story.
David Adeleke (popularly known as Davido) on the other hand didn’t really struggle to get anything he wanted in life while growing up. Unlike Ayo, you can say David was born with two silver spoons in his mouth in the city of Georgia in the United States.
With a billionaire father and the entire world at his beck and call, it was very easy for Davido to break the yolks in the music industry on first trial by dropping “Damiduro” in 2011 which earned him the title “Omo Baba Olowo” (OBO), won him the Headies’ Next Rated award and became an instant hit.
Perhaps, it is because of the emotional attachment to this issue that many people are on the side of the Starboy Records’ boss, Wizkid.
However, it has been rumored several times that Davido doesn’t have as much vocal dexterity like Wizkid does. Many say his songs thrive on promotion. Above all of these, I hold just one thought.
Success should not be rated by recognition or popular opinion, but by how much one gives back to the very people that made them successful.
Between Davido’s exit from HKN Records in 2017 and now, Davido Music Worldwide (DMW) has signed seven music artistes, and 95% of them are doing amazingly well in the industry. Mayorkun, Peruzzi, Idowest and Yonda are the front liners.
Wizkid’s Star Boy Records on the flip seems to put little focus on its other artistes apart from Wizkid himself. Legendury Beatz, L.A.X and Terri who are the only three talents in the company are not doing too badly but could do a lot better.
At the end of the day, the middle point of all the comparisons is preference because our standard for judgment most of the time is sentimental.
Whether the standard for your choice is wealth; or vocal dexterity; or fulfillment of social obligation, the bottom line is that inasmuch as both do amazing music and are repping Naija excellently, we prefer one from another based on personal taste and sentimental likeness. Nothing to tear cloth about. I give you that assurance.