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Category: Celebrity News

  • Fireboy DML hosts “ZUKO!” listening party on Lagos Live game

    Fireboy DML hosts “ZUKO!” listening party on Lagos Live game

    Fireboy DML is hosting a virtual listening party for his album“ZUKO!” on the Lagos Live game, where players must solve a puzzle to win a ticket to the event at a virtual version of the singer’s mansion.

    Fireboy DML hosts a virtual listening party on the Lagos Live game

    “ZUKO!” is scheduled for release at midnight on Friday, October 16.

    Fireboy DML “ZUKO!” cover art

    The activation brings music promotion into the gaming environment, allowing players to engage with a release through an in-game challenge rather than a traditional listening party. Davido also has a presence in the game, with his house featured as the “OBO Mansion.”

    Artists can also pay ₦50,000 to have their songs played in the game, offering another option for music promotion through interactive digital spaces.

    Fireboy DML “ZUKO!” track list

    The feature reflects how Nigerian artists and music platforms are exploring gaming as another way to connect music with audiences beyond streaming services and social media.

  • Angélique Kidjo submits “Aye Kan” featuring Ayra Starr for 2027 Grammy consideration

    Angélique Kidjo submits “Aye Kan” featuring Ayra Starr for 2027 Grammy consideration

    Angélique Kidjo has submitted “Aye Kan (Are You Coming Back?)”, featuring Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, for consideration in the Best African Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards.

    The song appears on Kidjo’s album “HOPE!!”, released in April 2026. It explores the importance of communication and understanding, with Ayra Starr contributing vocals to the track.

    Kidjo has also submitted “HOPE!!” for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album consideration. Her song “BANDO” is listed for consideration in Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Global Music Performance and Best Music Video.

    Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards and received 16 nominations throughout her career, according to the Recording Academy. Her wins include Best Global Music Album for “Mother Nature” at the 2022 ceremony.

    Ayra Starr has received two Grammy nominations to date, both in the Best African Music Performance category: “Rush” in 2024 and “Gimme Dat”, her collaboration with Wizkid, in 2026. She has yet to win a Grammy.

    Submissions are entries put forward for consideration and do not guarantee a nomination. The Recording Academy has not yet announced the final nominees for the 2027 awards.

  • Babcock University to name new music complex after Davido

    Babcock University to name new music complex after Davido

    Babcock University is set to launch the David Adeleke School of Music and Performing Arts Complex, named after Nigerian singer Davido, with completion scheduled for 2028.

    Davido shared an image of the proposed building on his Instagram Story. The singer graduated from Babcock University in 2015, where he studied music.

    The complex will house the university’s music and performing arts department.

  • FOLA samples Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie after Beyoncé used her speech on “Flawless”

    FOLA samples Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie after Beyoncé used her speech on “Flawless”

    FOLA samples Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s speech at Harvard University’s Class Day in May 2018 on “How Many,” a track off his album “9.”

    The song features excerpts from Adichie’s address, in which she discusses fear, procrastination and the balance between self-doubt and self-belief. In the speech, she says, “Procrastinating is a form of fear and it is difficult to acknowledge fear.”

    Another excerpt focuses on the role of confidence and uncertainty in creative work: “You cannot create anything of value without both self-doubt and self-belief. Without self-doubt, you become complacent. Without self-belief, you cannot succeed. You need both.”

    Adichie is listed as a composer in the credits for “How Many.”

    Beyoncé previously sampled Adichie’s work on her 2013 song “Flawless,” which incorporated excerpts from the author’s TEDxEuston talk, “We Should All Be Feminists.” The talk examined gender inequality and feminism, introducing Adichie’s ideas to a wider audience through the song.

    With “How Many,” FOLA incorporates Adichie’s reflections on fear and confidence into a track from “9,” following Beyoncé’s earlier use of the author’s words in popular music.

  • Lojay visits Paystack offices after shout-out in “Money Lingo”

    Lojay visits Paystack offices after shout-out in “Money Lingo”

    Lojay has visited the Paystack offices following a shout-out to the Nigerian payments company in his song “Money Lingo.”

    The visit comes after Paystack CEO Shola Akinlade acknowledged the reference in the song. After hearing the lyric, “Shey you get Paystack login, make I press you one or two!”, Akinlade shared the song on his Instagram Story with the caption, “Haha did i just hear Paystack.”

    Lojay later shared footage from his visit to the Paystack office on social media, following the exchange with Akinlade.

    The singer has also shared a video of himself singing “Money Lingo” with Folashade Adeleke. The pair have previously sparked dating rumours and have shared moments together on social media.

    Lojay previously said the song was inspired by his father, sharing a video of his father singing along to “Money Lingo” and writing, “Na my papa be this.”

    “Money Lingo” was released in September 2026 and includes references to money, banking and financial transactions.

    The song is available on streaming platforms.

  • GdZilla parts ways with Jonzing World

    GdZilla parts ways with Jonzing World

    GdZilla has parted ways with Jonzing World, the label owned by D’Prince, after joining the label in 2023.

    The artist announced the end of their contractual relationship on social media, describing it as the closure of a chapter in his career. He said the decision was mutual and acknowledged that “not everything went the way I hoped it would,” while expressing gratitude for the experiences and lessons from his time with the label.

    GdZilla first drew attention around his Jonzing World signing after appearing in a mask bearing his GdZilla identity. He later removed the mask several months into his career.

    In his statement, GdZilla said he is now moving into a new chapter with “a renewed sense of purpose,” adding that he is older, wiser and more intentional about his next steps.

    He also addressed listeners discovering his music for the first time, writing: “This time, I’m not asking you to only follow the name. I’m asking you to listen.”

  • Shizzi shares his account of how he produced Davido’s “Dami Duro”

    Shizzi shares his account of how he produced Davido’s “Dami Duro”

    Shizzi has shared his account of how Davido’s 2011 hit “Dami Duro” was produced, days after the pair exchanged words over the song’s production.

    The dispute began after Sexy Steel said in an interview that the beat was originally made for him. Davido subsequently said he started working on the beat in August 2011 for Sexy Steel before Shizzi came in and contributed to the production.

    https://x.com/shizzi/status/2106127529757311111?s=46

    Shizzi initially responded to Davido’s account by writing, “Distorted stories…🧢” Davido then replied, “I know right! @shizzi We Co produced a Classic,” before reposting a 2011 tweet in which Shizzi had responded “Yes with davido!” when asked if he produced “Dami Duro.”

    Shizzi has now released a 12-minute video explaining his version of events. He said he visited Davido and noticed him working on a beat. According to Shizzi, he took over the instrumental, worked on it for several days and made multiple adjustments before sending it back to Davido.

    He said Davido subsequently mixed the beat himself and recorded his vocals for “Dami Duro,” after which Shizzi added further production touches. In the video, Shizzi also played parts of the instrumental while demonstrating how he worked on the production.

    The new explanation has generated further discussion online because of Shizzi’s 2011 tweet acknowledging that he co-produced the song with Davido.

    Contemporary and later references to the song have also credited both artists as producers, including the original release listing.

    The song was released in October 2011 as the second single from Davido’s debut album, “Omo Baba Olowo.”

  • Lojay says his father’s bank statement inspired “Money Lingo”

    Lojay says his father’s bank statement inspired “Money Lingo”

    Lojay has revealed that his father’s bank statement inspired his new single “Money Lingo.”

    The moment began after a blog described Lojay as being “in his feelings” over the song and shared some of its lyrics.

    Lojay quoted the post and clarified, “This one no be feelings o, na my papa bank statement inspire money lingo.”

    He later shared a video of his father, Otunba Lekan Osifeso, in an office while singing along to “Money Lingo.” Lojay captioned the video, “Na my papa be this 💸”

    Osifeso is a Nigerian businessman and socialite who serves as chairman of Retro Group of Companies and Lekai Construction Company. His business interests include construction and other ventures.

    Lojay has also shared a video of himself singing along to the song with Folasade Adeleke in a car. The two have previously sparked dating rumours.

    The song has also caught the attention of Paystack CEO Shola Akinlade, who shared “Money Lingo” on his Instagram Story after hearing the song reference the fintech company. “Haha did i just hear Paystack👀👀” he wrote.

    The reference comes in the lyrics, “Shey you get Paystack login, make I press you one or two!”

    “Money Lingo” is available on streaming platforms.

  • Paystack CEO Shola Akinlade reacts to Lojay’s “Money Lingo”

    Paystack CEO Shola Akinlade reacts to Lojay’s “Money Lingo”

    Paystack CEO Shola Akinlade has reacted to Lojay’s new single “Money Lingo” after hearing a reference to the fintech company in the song.

    Akinlade shared the song on his Instagram Story with the caption, “Haha did i just hear Paystack👀👀”

    The reference comes in the lyrics: “Shey you get Paystack login, make I press you one or two!”

    Lojay had earlier shared a video of himself singing along to “Money Lingo” with Folasade Adeleke in a car. Lojay and Folasade have previously sparked dating rumours.

    The song is available on streaming platforms.

  • SZA defends Tyla after she was body-shamed over 2026 VMAs appearance

    SZA defends Tyla after she was body-shamed over 2026 VMAs appearance

    SZA has defended Tyla after the South African singer was body-shamed over her appearance at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.

    SZA commented on an Instagram post discussing the criticism, writing, “This can’t be real. She’s absurdly beautiful. Stop this shit once and for all!”

    Ghanaian artist Moliy had also spoken about the criticism, questioning the expectations placed on women’s appearances.

    “So yall bully women to look perfect, shame them when they enhance they’re bodies, and the cycle continues, they grow older they’re still criticized for aging, at what point is a woman supposed to feel confident in their skin,” she wrote.

    Moliy also described body-shaming as inconsistent with the belief that people are made in God’s image, writing, “It’s not of God to shame those who are made in Gods image.”

    Tyla attended the 2026 VMAs in a snakeskin bra, matching pencil skirt, choker and heels. She also served as a presenter at the ceremony.