Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has asserted that D’banj was the first Nigerian musician to achieve global stardom. In a recent interview with Apple Music, Davido highlighted D’banj’s 2012 hit single “Oliver Twist” as a turning point for African music’s international success.
According to Davido, prior to “Oliver Twist,” Nigerian artists were not securing international bookings. He noted, “D’banj was my first vision of a Nigerian artist taking over the world. No one in America was booking Nigerian artists for shows, but that changed when I saw Kanye West in D’banj’s ‘Oliver Twist’ video on YouTube.”
Davido credited the success of “Oliver Twist” with paving the way for African artists like D’banj, 2Face, and P-Square to gain international recognition, leading to significant earnings and increased opportunities.
However, Davido’s claims have sparked debate. Critics point out that Nigerian music legends such as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and Majek Fashek gained international acclaim in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Additionally, 2Baba (formerly 2Face) received international recognition for his hit song “African Queen,” which was featured in the American film “Phat Girlz” (2006), prior to D’banj’s global breakthrough.
