David Adeleke, better known by his stage name Davido, is an Afrobeats artist. He has asserted that D'banj was the pioneer of Nigerian musicians to attain international fame.
Before D'banj's 2012 smash hit "Oliver Twist" went viral around the world, he claims, Nigerian artists were struggling to acquire international bookings.
In a recent interview with Apple Music, Davido discussed how D'banj's global success sparked a change in perspective that ultimately helped African music gain popularity in the West.
His initial inspiration for a Nigerian musician dominating the global stage came from D'banj, he remarked.
As soon as I watched Kanye West in D'banj's 'Oliver Twist' music video on YouTube, my perception of Nigerian artists' booking prospects shifted.
The popularity of 'Oliver Twist' prompted American venues to begin booking performances by D'banj, 2Face, P-Square, and other African musicians.
Their earnings each show were around $1,000,000. Because of this, I made the decision to change gears and focus on African music, which is my heritage.
Although D'banj played a role in the early export of Afrobeats and other forms of African music, many critics disagree with Davido's assertion that he was the first Nigerian musician to become a worldwide superstar.
Many Nigerian musicians from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s achieved international fame, including Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Majek Fashek, and countless more.
Years before D'banj's 'Oliver Twist' came out, 2Baba—then known as 2Face—won multiple international honors for their smash hit 'African Queen.'
It was featured on the soundtrack of the hit American romance comedy 'Phat Girlz' (2006).
