Global media brand Forbes Magazine described Nigerian singer Davido as the “King of Afrobeats’’ when he made their cover.
The declaration of Davido as the king of the music genre created by late legendary musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti has generated a lot of controversy in the Nigerian entertainment space, especially between Davido’s fans and fans of other Afrobeats superstars like Burna Boy and Wizkid.
Davido weighed in on the debate during an interview with Billboard and said he agrees with Forbes naming him the king of Afrobeats because of the role he has played in seeing the genre sweep across the globe.
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Davido said:
“I mean, it’s true. I have lived in both places; I have lived in America. I went to school right here too, in Alabama. I was always spreading the gospel of African culture; the food, fashion. So, when it was time to do music, my dream was always the crossover; ‘When will that crossover happen?’ And you know, I was one of the first to get signed by a major label.”
However, the “If” crooner did not fail to hail Fela as the real originator of Afrobeats.