Davido EXPOSED: TEN things you didn’t (but should) know about Davido
THE JUIWEEZ: Davido is headlining the festival that kicks off festival season in Kenya. And what better way to get to know him than finding out all the scoop you need? So, I picked up a few stories from your favorite lunatic (who probably has a poster of Davido in his bathroom, #truth) and here is what you absolutely MUST know about Davido.
1. Davido’s owes his debut success to Naeto C
Naeto C took a chance on this kid and featured on his first single. Not to take anything away from Davido, but a co-sign from a major artiste is always a sure-fire way to get put on. (Ref: Estelle ft Kanye West “American Boy”, Lil Wayne and Young Money “Bed Rock”, P-Square ft May D “Chop My Money”)
Here is “Back When”:
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2. Davido is kind of/sort of/not really/comparably Africa’s Justin Bieber
Davido was EIGHTEEN when he got his big break. That’s right, EIGHTEEN. By the beginning of 2012 he had Africa’s two biggest singles “Back When” and “Dami Duro” out. He was getting all the radio airplay, mad MTV rotation, travelling and getting paid all across the continent, getting groupies all at the age of EIGHTEEN. Must be nice. What were you doing at eighteen? Last year of High School? Gap year? A-Levels? Fresher? Bumming at home? Hehe, read and weep. (Or to make yourself feel better, #IfHuddahIs21 we can all just say we were eighteen last year.)
3. He doesn’t really have to do anything
Ok, so let’s add salt to that wound #2 created. Davido, by virtue of family, is rich. I see your train of thought: Pffffft, who cares, you’re getting paper too.
Sorry, Imma stop you there. Let’s go at this again.
Davido’s grandfather, the late Late Chief Adebayo Adeleke conceived, planned and designed Banana Island. What is Banana Island you say? Only Africa’s first artificial island with the highest sale/rent rates on the continent. Might as well be called Billionaire’s Island. Even Chris Brown thinks this island is impressive.
Davido’s father, Mr Deji Adeleke, is the chairman of Keplo-Pacific Energy Holdings. With companies in Banking, Steel, Merchandising, Printing, Hauling, Agronomics and Energy(Oil, Gas and Electricity). He is also the founder and chancellor of Adeleke University.
Davido’s uncle, Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was chairman of University of Calabar, then the first civilian Governor of Osun State, then the Senator of Osun State.
I’m saying that Davido could sleep till he dies and his great grandchildren will still be RICH. Its called that GWZ (Generational Wealth Zone). Only Trust Fund Babies allowed. Prezzo, stay in your lane.
4. So….. I pretty much exposed that Davido is a liar?
His first song was all “Back When I was broke, nobody wan snap a photo.” But he was never broke? Or was he…
Davido’s father (understandably) was unaware of his son’s music adventures. After he finished high school, while his father thought he had gone to University in the States, Davido was back home hustling to become a singer. So yes, TECHNICALLY he was never broke, but he did rough it for a while. He was staying with friends, just layying low, making beats and writing songs for a few months there.
So, no, he is not a liar. It’s not uncommon for celebrities to have other rich/famous family members. However, many choose to make it on their own merit and not off their “family name”. Just ask Victoria Kimani, it worked perfectly for her.
5. Scandal, scandal and more scandal.
Davido is the KING of celebrity scandal in Africa. EVERYONE loves to write about him, whether true or false. Let me do a rough timeline of his most famous scandals for you (I’m sure there are others I haven’t found.)
May – December 2011 : Davido drops debut single and consistently keeps dropping follow up music. Africa talking, everyone wants to know “Who is Davido”
March 2012 : A 19 year old girl leaks pictures of her in bed with Davido. (Pictures insinuate it was postcoitus) Davido does not respond.
April 2012 : NSFW-Youtube video starts making rounds. Davido Concert. Malaysia. Daggering.
May 2012 : Beautiful Nish Kards (#teamfisi FTW) makes a few appearances in Davido’s instagram. Is this his rebuttal to groupie accusations? Are they dating?
June 2012: A tipsy, arrogant and argumentative Davido allegedly gets slapped during a routine check by the Nigerian Police after an Abuja show.
July 2012 : Davido launches his debut record called O.B.O: The Genesis. O.B.O is initials for Omo Baba Olowo (in Yoruba means son of a rich man). But the Yoruba word obo is as harmless as the Japanese city Kumamoto.
Nish and Davido
August 2012 : Davido allegedly invites a groupie to his apartment. She asks him for a ridiculous amount of cab money, so he slaps her, slaps the cab driver, instructs his bouncers to beat up the cab driver.
September 2012 : Wizkid vs Davido rumours swirl. Davido and his crew allegedly walk out of an award show when Wizkid starts performing.
December 2012 : The slap fest rumours spin out of control. Now reports have it that he is slapped by King Saheed Elegushi. (Why Nigeria still got Kings though???)
December 2012 : Another groupie in Davido’s bed! This one starts a pretty funny meme.
January 2013 : Asa Asika (Davido’s manager) quits. Rumour has it Davido’s antics have become unbearable and he is impossible to manage.
January 2013 : Davido has twitter beef with blogger over false stories. (Homophobic undertones involved.)
January 2013 : Davido’s female fans start tatting tributes to him on their bodies and twitpicing them to him. WHOA!
June 2013 : Davido pictured throwing bandzzzz in a strip club in Atlanta.
June 2013 : Davido tats are back in style! But this time we’re talking about the not so successful ones.
July 2013 : Davido tweets out some witty responses to Nigerian twitter trolls. (Need some vaseline for that burn?)
6. He is unable to humblebrag.
Davido goes against this cardinal rule of blue-bloods. (Go hard or go home! Humblebragging is for peasants #TeamLavish) He is proudly ostentatious. He tweets pictures that scream “I have money!” Class is so overrated; every one and their father gets a twitter/instagram account and trys too hard to act bourgeois. His instagram is a grand explosion of elite-ignorance. He has no time to pretend otherwise. And we absolutely LOVE it.
7. He has two cousins a record label.
Seriously, words cannot describe how bad Davido wants us to know his two cousins labelmates. He mentions them at LEAST twice in EVERY SONG by name, he features them in his songs, he puts them in his videos, he performs on stage with them, he travels with them, he tweets and retweets them. I’m telling you, he really, really, really wants you to know.
8. His mother is his biggest inspiration
The Late Dr. Veronica Adeleke is his biggest inspiration. Davido has said that losing his mother was the most traumatic experience he has ever had. “She’s the reason I do what I do… I like it when people are joyous, it reminds me of my mother’s personality. Her spirit. My mom loved to dance too. When I’m in the studio, my motivation is to create the kind of beats that would make her dance… I plan on continuing her legacy.”
9. His repertoire is HUGE
He is headlining the biggest festival in Nairobi this year (during the mid year festivities). I’m sure most of you are familiar with his songs on heavy rotation in Nairobi (Dami Duro, Gobe, Ekuro) but go ahead and discover some more. I wouldn’t go through the entire repertoire in one day, or it might start to sound like one long fifty-hour song (remember Camp Mulla). But you must appreciate how much he has managed to do in barely two years. I would personally recommend Overseas, Back When, Carolina, All of You and Okpekete.
10.
I don’t know. I just completely lost my train of thought. Shame, one minute ago I really had a good ending. Ugh, don’t you hate getting distracted at work! Ummmmm, >insert final joke<. Davido concert. YAAAAY! FUN FUN FUN! No, seriously, he’s got some awesome music.
See you at Boombaataa! festival!
PS: Get tickets to Boombaataa! festival at a HUGE discount HERE
