Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has sparked reactions online after suggesting that he could eventually leave the music industry to focus on building greater wealth.
Davido made the comment during an exchange with Nigerian rapper Erigga on X, following a post by the rapper praising musicians who built their careers without financial support from wealthy families.
Erigga had written: “Shoutout to all the musicians who don’t come from family money and had to grind for every single dollar they earn.”
Davido responded by arguing that musicians who come from privileged backgrounds can also work hard to achieve success.
“No be we say make your pops no guard o. Shoutout to the ones that came from family money and still grind to the top,” the singer wrote.
The exchange became more heated as Davido described Erigga’s message as “useless motivation” and referred to the rapper as an “imbecile.”
He subsequently suggested that he may step away from music in the future, writing: “No worry o I go soon leave their music for una go make my billions… then that shit gonna be boring AF.”
Davido also questioned whether people genuinely desire poverty, asking, “Deep down, who like poverty?”
The comments have generated discussion about wealth, privilege and hard work within Nigeria’s entertainment industry. While some social media users interpreted Davido’s statement as a retirement hint, his remarks did not amount to a formal announcement that he is quitting music.
The development is notable given Davido’s position as one of Africa’s most commercially successful musicians and his established interests outside music. His comments appear to suggest that financial and business ambitions could become a greater focus for him in the future.
Davido, whose career spans more than a decade, has continued to release music and perform internationally, while Erigga has built a reputation for his distinctive Nigerian hip-hop style and street-oriented storytelling.
For now, the exchange has added another chapter to the ongoing conversation about how family wealth, personal effort and artistic achievement intersect in the Nigerian music industry.
