I’m the lifeblood of Nigerian music – Davido declares

Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has claimed that the Nigerian music industry would have been boring without his contributions.

Davido made the assertion via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, where he wrote: “Imagine no Davido… sht [the music industry] would have been boring AF.”*

The post immediately sparked mixed reactions online, with some fans agreeing with the singer’s influence on Afrobeats, while others accused him of overestimating his impact on the industry.

This is not the first time Davido has described himself as central to Nigeria’s music scene. In an interview with Apple Music in April 2025, the singer claimed the industry “shut down” when he took a break from social media in November 2022 following the tragic death of his son, Ifeanyi Adeleke.

According to Davido, both fans and critics pleaded for his return during the three-month hiatus, insisting his absence was strongly felt across the industry.

Davido rose to prominence in 2011 with the release of his hit single Dami Duro, at a time when the Nigerian music industry was witnessing the emergence of a new generation of Afrobeats stars, including Wizkid.

However, his influence has not been without controversy. Veteran music producer Samklef recently claimed that Davido’s emergence introduced rivalry and toxicity into the Nigerian music industry. He argued that before Davido’s rise to fame, there was more mutual respect among artists.