Wizkid and Davido had their records played at a prestigious Hollywood party. Why it matters.
Nigerian music got into the Golden Globes afterparty, and guess who made it happen? Drake himself.
For those who don’t know what the Golden Globes is, it’s a big deal. The Golden Globes is an annual award ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign. Beginning in January 1944, 2018 makes its 75th edition, and somehow, Nigerian music found its way to the afterparty which was organized by streaming giants, Netflix.
Drake The Naija DJ
Drake spontaneously took over the turntables at the after-party. The tuxedoed Canadian rapper showed up to the bash — where Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Pharrell Williams circulated — and was later seen approaching a DJ to take over the decks, according to reports.
And after setting up his playlist, he began to play some of his personal best records. And in his playlist, he spun five of Wizkid’s songs. The rapper’s history with Wizkid is well documented, but much of it is tied to three major releases between them: ‘Ojuelegba’ remix, the phenomenal ‘One Dance’, and 2017’s ‘Come Closer’.
According to reports from attendees and Snapchat videos, Drake only played ‘Come closer’ from that three, but the rest were Wizkid’s core singles. They include: ‘Jaiye jaiye’, ‘Show you the money’, ‘Ojuelegba’, and ‘Daddy Yo’.
Davido’s FIA
That wasn’t all. Joining the singer at the deck was US-born Nigerian rapper, Wale. Drake would later play Davido’s hot record, ‘FIA’. A video clip of the reaction by Wale was recorded and released online. The clip shows Drake striking a pose for the gram, while bumping to the record.
Davido would later post the video on his social media pages, eliciting polarized reactions from fans and music enthusiasts. For many, it was a novel step in the right direction for Nigerian records to be played at such significant venues. While for many others, it’s no big deal.
Davido in an earlier interview had declared that “Drake no be God,” while discussing plans for the new year. Well, fans who watched the clip responded with the quote on Twitter, with Davido responding, while standing by his words.
A Twitter user with the handle @Prhyme_EM said ‘Buh “Drake no be God nau”, to which Davido responded “Yes, he’s not." Others pulled similar moves, and the singer had just the perfect response for them.
Why This Matters
Nigerian records being played at the Golden Globes after party matters a lot. In fact, it’s a big deal. Think about 10 years ago, would an Afropop artist make it to a playlist at such a prestigious party in Hollywood?
No.
Over the past 5 years, we have had tremendous growth in Nigerian music, with an increase in the audiences that our music attracts. Nigerian music has increased in visibility and distribution, and slowly, it is steadily penetrating new markets. This latest inclusion on the Golden Globes party playlist is further proof that the music is spreading. So yes, it matters enough to be a big deal.