The famous Nigerian singer Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke, revealed that he is the most criticized celebrity in Nigeria. According to him, this hostility has nothing to do with his music but rather with his origins.
A guest on the Culture Knock Out podcast, the successful artist known for his multiple Afrobeats hits discussed the burden of stigmatization related to his status as a “rich kid,” a heritage he says he tried to hide at the beginning of his music career.
“I am the most criticized artist in Nigeria. I have been at the top for a while. Initially, people didn’t know that my father was rich… I had already released three hits before people found out that my father has money,” he explained.
According to Davido, this initial ignorance about his origins allowed him to avoid a wave of rejection that could have hindered his rise. But when the truth came out, he faced a wave of judgments and prejudices, as if his passion and hard work were illegitimate because of his background.
“People started hating me because my father is rich. But I continue to release good music, and it works,” he added.
For him, these attacks are inevitable once a person excels in their field. “Once you are the best in a field, you are criticized. You run for election, people love you and vote for you. But once you become president, they hate you,” he concluded.