Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has come under criticism following a heated social media exchange with Nigerian rapper Erigga over wealth, privilege and the struggle to succeed in the music industry.
The controversy began after Erigga praised musicians who built their careers without financial backing from wealthy families. In a post on X, he wrote: “Shoutout to all the musicians who don’t come from family money and had to grind for every single dollar they earn.”
Davido, whose father is billionaire businessman Adedeji Adeleke, responded to the post, arguing that musicians from wealthy backgrounds can also work hard to establish successful careers.
“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,” Davido wrote.
The singer subsequently described Erigga’s message as “useless motivation” and referred to the rapper as an “imbecile,” intensifying the online debate.
The exchange has triggered mixed reactions, with some social media users defending Davido’s argument that family wealth does not automatically guarantee musical success, while others criticised his response and argued that financial privilege can provide opportunities unavailable to less-privileged artistes.
