Nigerian singer Wizkid has sparked controversy after claiming he had no blueprint while coming up as an artist, despite emerging through ace singer Banky W’s imprint.
The Ojuelegba crooner made the remark in a snippet of his upcoming HBO documentary .
“There was no blueprint for me. I had to build a structure for myself,” he said.
The comment triggered debate on social media, with many arguing that it downplayed Banky W’s influence on his career and showed disrespect to veteran Nigerian musicians who paved the way for the new generation.
Elsewhere in the documentary, Wizkid credited Fela Kuti as a key inspiration for pursuing music. “Fela Kuti was instrumental to why I believe I could really make music,” he said.
Reactions on X (formerly Twitter) included:
- Franko_Nero: “I still vividly remember the day Bankole [Banky W] announced he wanted to introduce a boy wonder, a germ in the making. Today, this ungrateful child is claiming otherwise. If Banky knew that today would come, he would have chased him far away.”
- Arhcent: “This guy is erasing the role Banky W and EME played in his career. The person Banky picked from school into the studio is saying, ‘I had to build a structure for myself.’ God sees all.”
- Duke of Isoko: “If he never built a structure, Banky probably wouldn’t have noticed him. He came out with his own style of music, dressing sense, etc., but I understand that English is a problem in this place.”
- Sir Dickson: “People are debating this with reference to Banky’s impact. There is no real context to that. I believe he was speaking about his style of music. He reinvented himself. Wiz has never denied Banky’s impact, nor can he. Let’s calm down.”