In response to his recent tweet that seemed to tease Wizkid, Nigerian rapper Ladipoe has weighed in on the ensuing controversy. This came after the Mavin Records artist appeared to mock Wizkid for his comments on the state of hip hop.
Sharing his thoughts on his official handle, Ladipoe wrote, “Nigerian rappers who survived the claim that ‘hip hop is dead’ are now witnessing the challenges faced by Afrobeat artists.”
Upon being alerted to the tweet, Wizkid reacted by stating, “Lol, I will not engage with artists signed to influencers. Moving on.”
He subsequently retweeted two posts insinuating that he was referring to Don Jazzy, the head of Mavin Records, as an influencer.
Wizkid’s implied dig at Don Jazzy sparked a wave of backlash on social media, with various celebrities, including comedians Mr. Macaroni and Nasboi, as well as reality stars Doyin and Tacha, criticizing him for showing disrespect towards the Mavin boss.
In a recent interview with Cool FM in Lagos, Ladipoe expressed his amusement at the chaos that ensued.
Clarifying the intention behind his tweet, Ladipoe stated, “The tweet was meant to be humorous. Just as hip-hop faced false claims of its demise in the past, the same is now being said about Afrobeats. It was more like saying, ‘We’ve been there, you’ll get through this too.'”
He further elaborated, “My tweet was directed towards those who blindly accept such narratives. Who are we to declare any genre ‘dead’?”
Reflecting on the aftermath of the tweet, he added, “When I saw all the reactions, my initial response was one of amusement.”