Some of the most pivotal moments in Afrobeats history have been defined by sharp disses, fierce feuds, and divided camps.
By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro
Nigerian and African music has achieved remarkable success over the years, breaking boundaries and elevating artistes to unimaginable heights. In recent times, Afrobeats acts have become synonymous with sold-out arenas and stadiums, bringing their music to every corner of the globe. However, beyond the heart-thumping rhythms and notable party anthems lies a unique perspective to it: music feuds.
Some of the most pivotal moments in Afrobeats history have been defined by sharp disses, fierce feuds, and divided camps. In this piece, Afrocritik explores these feuds involving Afrobeats acts, both within and beyond their music.
Eedris Abdulkareem vs Tony Tetuila
One of the music feuds that rocked the Nigerian music scene in the late 90s and early 20s was the notable beef between luminaries, Eedris Abdulkareem and Tony Tetuila. Together with Eddy Remedy, Eedris Abdulkareem and Tony Tetuila formed the Hip-Hop group, The Remedies, signed to Kennis Music in 1997.
The group dominated the late ‘90s with “Sakomo” and “Judile”. These tracks not only became anthems but also helped define a pivotal era in the Nigerian music scene. Interestingly, Tetuila wasn’t part of the group from the beginning.
According to an interview with Punch, Eedris revealed that Tetuila joined the group a year later, contributing financially to its operations. Although Tetuila didn’t record the group’s breakout hits, he performed with them during their tours.
Initially, the group divided their earnings equally until greed set in and questions about each member’s importance within the group arose. Tetuila—feeling disrespected and sidelined after they allegedly accused him of lacking talent—left the group.
Tetuila’s departure sparked a public fallout, starting with his 1999 diss track, “Omode Meta N Sere”, which featured Plantashun Boiz and Ruff Rugged and Raw. The other members of The Remedies responded with “Jealousy”, featuring Pasuma.
Tetuila later found massive commercial success with the hit record, “My Car”, which subtly mocked Eedris. In retaliation, Eedris fired back with “Oko Omoge” and later attacked Plantashun Boiz in “Wackawikee M.Cs”.
Despite their rivalry, both artistes enjoyed thriving solo careers. Eedris released hits like “Mr Lecturer”, “Jaga Jaga”, “Koleyewon” amongst others, while Tetuila delivered fan favourites like “Fefe Na Efe” and “E Go Better”.
While it is unclear if their feud has been resolved, it solidified their legacies perhaps in a way that makes this author believe it was for the best that the group disbanded.
9ice vs Ruggedman
The feud between luminaries, 9ice and Ruggedman began in 2009 when the former released “Once Bitten Twice Shy”, a song about infidelity that sparked rumours involving Ruggedman and 9ice’s then-wife, Toni Payne.
Despite a public backlash against Ruggedman, 9ice refused to clarify the rumours, leading to strained relations and diss tracks from both sides. The tension escalated in 2011 when a leaked phone call revealed Ruggedman pleading with 9ice to clear his name, a request 9ice ignored.
The feud cooled by 2015, with Ruggedman declaring it over, and by January 2016, 9ice publicly apologised. He clarified that the accusations against Ruggedman and Toni Payne were unfounded and expressed regret for the misunderstanding.
Olamide vs Don Jazzy
The 2015 Headies Awards will forever be remembered for sparking one of Nigerian music’s most iconic feuds–with two heavyweights: YBNL boss, Olamide, Mavin Records CEO, Don Jazzy, right in the middle of it.
The drama centred on the ‘Next Rated Award’ category, a highly-coveted award for the most promising act in the year under review, which came with a brand-new car. The category featured rising stars like Reekado Banks (Mavin Records), Lil Kesh (YBNL Nation), and others, but the competition quickly narrowed to Banks and Kesh as fan favourites.
Reekado Banks, known for hits like “Katapot” and “Sugar Baby”, was announced the winner, leaving Lil Kesh—who arguably had a better year with anthems like “Shoki”, “Shoki (Remix)”, “Gbese” and “Efejoku”—empty-handed. Olamide took the loss personally.
During Adekunle Gold’s (a YBNL signee at the time) acceptance speech for ‘Best Alternative Act’, Olamide seized the mic, passionately defending Lil Kesh’s contributions and claiming he deserved the award. His rant, which ended with an angry exit and a middle finger to the organisers, left live audiences stunned at the Landmark Event Centre, and went viral across social media.
Later that night, Don Jazzy took the stage to accept the ‘Special Recognition Award’. In his acceptance speech, he addressed Olamide’s outburst with a pointed remark: “Egbon Olamide, if you want the car, come and collect it.”
It was a mic-drop moment that set social media ablaze. Fans, critics, and celebrities amplified the drama with memes, tweets, and hot takes. Olamide fueled the flames with a series of fiery tweets, including the now-iconic phrase, “Leave trash for LAWMA”.
Amid the escalating chaos, cooler heads prevailed. Less than 48 hours after the incident, Don Jazzy and Olamide issued a joint statement, accompanied by a photo of them. The feud was officially squashed, with both men expressing regret for their actions. Since then, Don Jazzy and Olamide have maintained a cordial relationship, with Don Jazzy even attending Olamide’s Unruly album listening party in 2023.
BNXN vs Ruger
The rift between BNXN (formerly Buju) and Ruger, two of Nigeria’s young generation Afrobeats stars, was also one for the record books.
BNXN, known for his melodic collaborations with artistes like Burna Boy and Wizkid, gained fame as a melody king. Ruger, a hitmaker with tracks like “Bounce” and “Girlfriend”, also rose to prominence under Jonzing Records. Their conflict began in mid-2022 after Ruger dismissed BNXN’s success, claiming it was dependent on features rather than solo hits. This sparked heated exchanges on social media, with both artistes firing shots through tweets.
BNXN appeared to have the upper hand in 2022 when he won the ‘Next Rated Award’ at the Headies, a category both were nominated for. In his acceptance speech, BNXN addressed Ruger with a cheeky “I love this boy”, adding fuel to the rivalry. It would seem that Ruger responded with his hit track, “Asiwaju”, widely seen as a diss record.
Despite the intensity of their feud, both artistes surprised fans in 2024 by collaborating on a single, “RMD”, and later releasing a joint EP, RnB. The project marked a turning point, as they set aside their differences to create music together.
While some fans believe the feud was genuine, others suspect it was a publicity stunt to build hype around their respective careers.
Blackface Naija vs 2Baba
The story of Blackface and 2Face began in the mid-1990s when they were friends at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu. They formed Plantashun Boiz, later joined by Faze, and became one of Nigeria’s beloved R&B groups.
After releasing two successful albums—Body and Soul in 2000 and Sold Out in 2003—the group disbanded when 2Face signed with Kennis Music in 2004.
Tensions arose as Blackface accused 2Face of using the group’s intellectual property, including the hit single, “African Queen”. 2Face’s solo career soared after the release of his 2004 debut album, Face 2 Face, which included “African Queen”, further fueling Blackface’s resentment.
In the following years, the feud escalated with accusations, lawsuits, and diss tracks. Blackface claimed to have written portions of “African Queen” and later alleged that 2Face stole another song, “Let Somebody Love You” featuring American singer, Bridget Kelly.
In 2016, 2Face sued Blackface for defamation. Blackface countered by releasing the diss track, “War”, in which he accused 2Face of sabotaging his career and even questioned his sexuality, leading to public backlash.
Despite the tension, the two reached an out-of-court settlement in 2019, agreeing to royalties for Blackface. In 2021, during a tribute to the late Sound Sultan, they reconciled and performed together with Faze, marking the end of their long standing beef.
By 2023, while the Plantashun Boiz trio performed separately at events, they appeared supportive of each other, signaling a truce even as a full reunion remained unlikely.
Tiwa Savage vs Seyi Shay
The girlies aren’t left out of the action, as one of the notable feuds in the Afrobeats scene transpired between seasoned acts, Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay. The feud began in 2018 when Shay discovered Tiwa’s track, “Lova Lova” featuring Duncan Mighty, which she allegedly co-wrote with Ceeza Milli.
Shay claimed she wasn’t informed that Tiwa was using the song, and when she reached out for clarification, she faced roadblocks in obtaining rights and metadata for the song. While there was allegedly a cold war between them, it was evident that there was bad blood, when in 2019, Shay subtly targeted Savage in her verse of the viral #FuckYouChallenge.
She accused Savage of deception, heartlessness, and trying to block other women in the industry. Shay’s verse included jabs like “I no get time for you anymore/ You know I’m not Savage, I dey pay my bills”.
Their conflict reached a boiling point on June 8, 2021, when both artistes unexpectedly met at a salon in Lekki. Despite the awkward atmosphere, Shay approached Tiwa to greet her, but a confrontation soon ensued after Tiwa allegedly walked over to Shay, leading to a heated argument. Given the history of tension between them, the likelihood of reconciliation appears slim.
Burna Boy vs Davido
In Nigerian music, the “Big 3” of Afrobeats—Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy—stand as pillars of the genre’s global rise. While they’ve individually achieved incredible success, the rivalry between Burna Boy and Davido has been particularly captivating.
Their relationship began amicably. Burna Boy appeared in Davido’s breakout 2011 music video, “Dami Duro”, and they supported each other’s early efforts, including Davido’s presence at Burna’s 2018 concert. Even as Burna Boy celebrated major milestones like his 2019 BET win and African Giant’s Grammy nomination, Davido publicly congratulated him, reinforcing their camaraderie.
However, tensions began to brew in 2020 when Burna Boy proclaimed himself the best in Nigerian music and dismissed the contributions of those who may have paved the way for him. The claim was perceived as divisive, with fans speculating it was a veiled jab at his peers, including Davido.
Shortly after, the two artistes planned album releases for July 2020, with Davido’s A Better Time coinciding with Burna Boy’s Twice As Tall. The overlap fueled online debates about album supremacy.
The feud spilled into their music. Burna Boy’s “Way Too Big” and “Real Life” included veiled insults toward Davido, referencing his 2019 album, A Good Time. Davido countered with “FEM”, a defiant track whose Yoruba title translates to ‘shut up’. “FEM” became an anthem during Nigeria’s End SARS protests, symbolising resistance and amplifying Davido’s influence in the feud.
Their rivalry took a dramatic turn in December 2020 when they allegedly clashed physically at a nightclub in Ghana. After the altercation, both artistes maintained a period of silence, sparking speculation about reconciliation.
Yet, in 2023, tensions resurfaced when Davido, during a Brut Afrique interview, referred to Burna Boy as a “new cat”, a remark Burna subtly dismissed. Despite occasional moments of apparent peace, their rivalry remains alive, underscored by fan reactions and banter till date.
Odumodublvck vs Prettyboy D-O
The feud between Nigerian rappers, Odumodublvck and Prettyboy D-O, began when the former posted a series of cryptic tweets in January 2024, accusing an unnamed artiste of manipulating streaming numbers. His tweets, written in all caps, and implied their chart success on Spotify wasn’t reflected on other platforms like Apple Music.
Fans speculated about the target of Odumodublvck’s tweets until Prettyboy D-O responded, asking him not to let a ‘man without talent’ (a veiled insult to Odumodublvck’s label boss, Teezee) create conflict between them. Prettyboy D-O had been a significant influence on Odumodublvck’s career on the come up before his mainstream success in 2023, and past tweets showed Odumodublvck’s admiration for D-O.
However, Odumodublvck later accused D-O of calling him a “clone” and denied the feud stemmed from Teezee. D-O refuted the accusation, stating it was Native co-founder, Chubbz, who had used the term.
Chubbz also addressed the controversy, asserting that Native Records didn’t sign D-O in the past due to unsatisfactory demos and advised him to move on. Despite their heated conflict, a video later surfaced of Odumodublvck, Prettyboy D-O, and Teezee spending time together, indicating that the trio had resolved their differences privately.
However, their feuds fed social media with the quotable, “Nor be all this cho cho cho! Show working! Show working! We put our blood on this P!”
Wizkid vs Davido
The rivalry between Nigerian music icons, Wizkid and Davido, has unfolded over the past decade, marked by social media clashes, subtle jabs, and moments of perceived camaraderie.
Speculations suggest that it began in 2014, when Wizkid seemingly appeared to have shaded Davido in a tweet praising his own concert, writing, “I already killed NY!! London 26th Sept!! Manchester 28th Sept! Big surprise! Still proper shows! proper venues! #fuckboysuckadick!” While Wizkid denied targeting Davido, tensions grew as both artists exchanged subtle barbs through social media posts and interviews.
In 2017, Wizkid’s “frog voice” comment, believed to reference Davido, sparked another wave of controversy. Despite these tensions, 2018 brought a rare moment of unity, with both artistes performing at each other’s concerts and declaring a truce after their entourages clashed physically.
However, the rivalry reignited over the years, with Wizkid ignoring Davido’s 2020 album release but later showing solidarity by delaying his More Love, Less Ego album release to honour Davido’s late son in 2022.
In January 2023, Wizkid announced plans for a joint tour with Davido, but by 2024, the rivalry returned to the spotlight.
While their rivalry is being spurred by Wizkid FC (Wizkid’s fan base), and 30BG (Davido’s fanbase), their on-and-off rivalry has kept fans engaged, and has kept them in conversations pertaining to African music. Their feuds have led to quotables from various camps, such as “Dem nor dey hear your gbedu again” and “Osakpolor”.
While it is possible to imagine an Afrobeats ecosystem where there are less disses shot from one camp to another, what’s the essence of peace without a sprinkle of violence every once in a while?
Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro is a content writer and journalist with an insatiable knack for music and pop culture. When he’s not writing, you will find him arguing why Arsenal FC is the best football club in the multiverse. Connect with him on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BughiLorde