“Wizkid is considered the best musician in Nigeria,” sent shockwaves through the online community, igniting a firestorm of controversy.
The online realm has been buzzing ever since the showdown between Wizkid and Davido kicked off on X, leaving fans embroiled in heated debates over who reigns supreme among the “big 3” a term used to qualify the top 3 biggest Nigerian music artists. In a quest for answers, a group of fans turned to Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant renowned for its voice-command interaction, only to receive a shocking response that left some unable to accept the outcome.
It all started innocuously enough, with a simple question posed to Siri, by a curious Nigerian guy among his shirtless friends on a hot afternoon on Instagram, “Hey Siri, who is the best artist in Nigeria?” The response? A resounding declaration in favor of Wizkid, proclaiming “Wizkid is considered the best musician in Nigeria,” sent shockwaves through the online community, igniting a firestorm of controversy. Particularly among Davido fans who vehemently opposed the verdict, even going so far as to cast doubts on the authenticity of the guy’s iPhone. As others attempted to pose the same question to Siri independently, they found themselves reluctantly concurring, as Siri reiterated the same answer.
Though neither Wizkid nor Davido have responded to this viral video, their loyal fanbases remain staunchly supportive. But let’s not rush ahead of ourselves. To truly grasp the enormity of this rivalry, we must journey back through the annals of Nigerian music history, where feuds and competitions have raged for decades.
Right from the time Olufela Sowande started music in Nigeria, there has always been a contest on who the best artist is in different genres of Nigerian music.
In 1977 there was a long-standing feud between Barrister and Kollington Ayinla in the Fuji music genre. It started when Barrister claimed that he was the sole creator of Fuji music, inspired by Allah. Kollington Ayinla disputed this claim, leading to a series of verbal attacks and musical responses between the two artists.
As we move into the time of Afrobeats, it seems this contest and feud are passed down from generation to generation. If we can recall Olamide and Don Jazzy clashed on the Headies Award show in 2016 when Reekado Banks was given a Headies award and Olamide came to the stage to voice out his displeasure which led to a war between the two individuals which took the intervention of Dangote, before both parties reconcile.
Yet, for Wizkid and Davido, the feud appears unending, characterized by a rollercoaster of affectionate public displays when they’re seen together, juxtaposed with online controversies, prompting some fans to ponder whether it’s all a publicity stunt, especially preceding album releases.
But what about Siri’s verdict? Is Wizkid truly deserving of the title of Nigeria’s top musician? Can he rightfully claim the top spot in Nigeria’s Big 3? A deep dive into the stats reveals a staggering array of achievements for the Starboy.
As one of Nigeria’s most celebrated artists, Wizkid has shattered numerous records and cemented his status as a true pioneer of Afrobeats on the global stage.
According to Wikipedia, he has been nominated for over 286 awards and he has won 88 career awards under his belt, including a historic Grammy win for his collaboration with Beyoncé on “Brown Skin Girl”, Wizkid has transcended boundaries and redefined what it means to be a global music icon. But his triumphs don’t end there – he has shattered records by debuting an album in the top 10 of the Spotify Global Album Chart and achieving platinum certification in the US for his chart-topping hit “Essence”.
What sets Wizkid apart is not just his accolades, but his ability to seamlessly collaborate with music royalty like Beyoncé, Skepta, Justin Bieber, Ty Dolla Sign, Tyga, Wale, Trey Songz, H.E.R, Ella Mai, Damian Marley, Chronixx, Future, and French Montana, propelling Afrobeats to the forefront of the international music scene. His influence knows no bounds.
His songs have appeared on UK No. 1s once, UK Top 10s once, UK Top 40s 3 times, UK Top 75s 11 times, Weeks in the Top 1 15 times, Weeks in the Top 10 51 times, and Weeks in the Top 75 104 times.
In contrast, Davido, while undeniably talented, falls short in comparison, with fewer accolades and a less impressive track record on the charts with no songs appearing on the charts except in the UK Top 75 and Weeks in the Top 75, 3 times, and 21 times respectively.
Though he’s collaborated with several international artists, including Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill, Summer Walker, Popcaan, Tinashe, Wale, and Dababy, and boasts 69 nominations and 18 wins (sans a Grammy), he still trails behind Wizkid in terms of impact and recognition.
So, is Siri’s verdict justified? Is Wizkid truly the undisputed king of Nigerian music? As the debate rages on and fans take sides, one thing is for certain: the clash between Wizkid and Davido is far from over, and Nigerians are watching with bated breath for the next chapter in this epic saga of musical rivalry.
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