As exclusively reported by NET in 2012, the once buoyant relationship between Ayo 'Wizkid' Balogun and David 'Davido' Adeleke has run into stormy waters.
Though the music stars have maintained relative peace in the last one year, they have once again resumed hostilities on popular social network, Twitter.
Currently, the young pop stars are at loggerheads over what insiders say is a claim to superiority between 'Wizzy' and 'Omo baba olowo.'
Both camps have taken sides, insults have been traded and subliminal messages thrown around; the tension between both artistes keeps threatening any air of peace left.
The dispute between Wizkid and Davido, which have seen older Nigerian celebrities, Iyanya and Wale Gates trying to mediate, dates back to the parting of D'banj and Don Jazzy, as reported by The NET.
First Blood
It all started with the news of D'banj signing Davido to his DB Records back in May 2012 – the news turned out to be false, but this obviously didn't go down well with the 'other camp.'
'Davido was very close to Don Jazzy and the Mo'hits squad before they parted with D'banj. When Jazzy heard Davido signed with D'banj, he wasn't entirely happy', a close friend of both camps tells NET.
Second Round's On Me
Don Jazzy is said to have immediately told Wande Coal (who mentors both Wizkid and Davido) to stop visiting Davido at his Lekki home.
Davido, at the time, was still recording his debut album and had plans to collaborate with Wande and Wizzy on separate songs. When Davido contacted Wande Coal, the pop singer's management asked for an exorbitant fee (reportedly N1.5m) for the collabo. Sources say Davido was keen to get it done, but his manager Asa Asika was having none of it. This 'sudden policy' led to a war of words between Asika and Wande's manager Nana. The collabo never happened. Wande and Davido stopped talking to each other.
Strike Three
Davido moved on to record the much talked about duet with Wizkid. But when he sent the instrumental to the EME team, Wizkid, sources say, told them he couldn't work with Davido on the song, saying the beat wasn't up to standard and he didn't want to lower his brand. Little did Davido know that it was his fight with Wande that made him (Wizkid) immediately take sides.
'Wande is like Wizkid's elder brother. Wizzy looks up to him a lot and anything Wande says, Wizkid will do. When Wande told him about what happened between him and Davido, he just took sides with him' says our inside source.
Davido, losing on both ends, scrapped both songs and even though it was a huge blow, he didn't let it get him down. The disappointment is said to have inspired the first track on his album 'All of you.' Davido, well known for his boisterous attitude, laid it all out on the song, claiming to be better than 'everyone', referencing artistes such as 2face, Psquare and D'banj as his mentors, conspicuously leaving out the MAVIN and EME crew. The MAVINS seemingly responded by not attending Davido's album launch, held at the Eko Hotel and Suites.
'Davido doesn't send Don Jazzy or them Banky W again, that's what inspired that song. He believes they aren't better than him, and to an extent, he does prove it' said our source.
As It Stands
After the Don Jazzy-D'banj split, crew members decamped and spoils were taken. While Don Jazzy took pop singers Wande Coal, Dr SID, and rapper D'Prince, launching his MAVIN Records label with surprise signing Tiwa Savage, D'banj went the other way, with his younger brother Kay Switch. Other familiar friends like Naeto C, Ikechukwu, Davido, the HKN Gang and Mo'Hits hype man Special Ed readily affiliated themselves with D'banj.
Cat And Mouse Game
After all that happened in 2013, Wizkid and Davido sheathed their swords and then began the cat and mouse game.
Davido's HKN Gang continued working and soaring high, while Wizkid kicked off his StarBoy Entertainment even though he was still signed to EME.
The pop stars tried to avoid each other most of the time and when it was unavoidable, they put up a façade to give the impression of a good relationship.
Change Of Handlers
Davido fell out with his cousins and fellow HKN team but later reconciled with them while Wizkid also reconciled with EME and signed on two acts in the United Kingdom.
A few months after Davido parted ways with his manager, Asa Asika, Wizkid also parted ways with his manager, Osagie Osarenkhoe after their contract expired.
Kamal Ajiboye immediately took over Davido's management while his elder brother, Adewale Adeleke took over the running of the HKN Gang businesses.
Meanwhile, Wizkid immediately employed the services of Godwin Tom as his manager. The two camps looked good to go and take on any team but the façade relationship remained, with Special Ed always claiming the two were cool.
The Sesan Ogunro Part
Unknown to many, the relationship between Wizkid, Davido and top music video director, Sesan Ogunro, also contributed to the ongoing battle for supremacy between the two.
Earlier in the year, Sesan Ogunro shot one of the three videos for Davido'smonster hit, 'Skelewu,' but the video was leaked days before it's official release, after which Davido went on a Twitter rant accusing the filmmaker of breaching terms of agreement.
While Sesan, who is hardly drawn into the limelight except through the videos he made, cleared the air, Wizkid was quick to show his support for the talented filmmaker, throwing shade at Davido by praising the Sesan's work and referring to Davido and his crew as 'smellos.'
A few weeks later, Sesan shot Wizkid's 'Jaiye jaiye' video, while Davido worked with Mr. Moe Musa on a new video.
And They Grew In Leaps And Bounds
Between 2013 and 2014, Davido and Wizkid amassed more affluence, fame and awards than their contemporaries and older colleagues.
From Nigeria to other parts of Africa, Europe and America, the young men continued to conquer the world as their rivalry thickened.
Winning awards from Hip Hop World awards to MOBO, NEAs, MAMAs and BET, the competition for the most superior between the two grew, as their rivalry got deeper.
Just as they performed at tours and concerts across Europe and America, jealousy and envy became the order of the day and the dislike for one another couldn't be quenched.
Trouble once again reared its ugly head after Davido threw shade at Wizkid for allegedly parting ways with his old friends and buddies, Wizkid replied with his concert success, featuring Akon and Wale on stage at his New York show.
The Twitter Rants
Both Davido and Wizkid were quick to take to Twitter to express their mutual dislike, thereby kicking off a beef-trending week.
Here are some tweets from the duo, despite claims that all is well between them.
'Snitch. No wonder you are not rolling with your day 1 niggas,' Davido
'Thank you so much New York! Amazing show last night, big up @Wale and @Akon. Proper show, proper venue, boys talk, men work,' Wizkid
'Pull Half of my crowd before talking shit Nigga' Davido
'It's all fun and game till somebody gets knocked out! Ask around, I got them hands!! You would always have a H factor, Smello…' Davido
'Done with all this shit!! Back to music…smooth sailing.. Tick tock' Davido
'Easy to type shit about somebody and put it on twitter, another thing wen you see face to face,' Adewale Adeleke
All ima say is it won't be pretty niggas ain't pussy but if you are willing to find out, we can take that route as well…' Adewale Adeleke
'ROTFLMAO…' Wizkid
Iyanya, Wale Gates Appeal To Warring Parties
Following what seemed like a brewing battle between the two, older colleagues of the music sensations have decided to wade in.
Iyanya and Wale Gates have tried to calm frayed nerves without calling any names.
While Wale Gates used Twitter to reach out to the youngsters, Iyanya took to Instagram to preach about peace.
[Credit TheNet.NG]
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