World Friendship Day 2024: Afrobeats Artists Beating The Odds

By Ayo Ajayi

Truly, friendship is amazing! That’s what you’ll likely conclude upon when you take a trip down the lane of the internet and different social media platforms, replete with musings and think pieces from diverse individuals, who haven’t held back from identifying as pro-friendship.

This is not to say friendship is as easy as blinking the eyes, in fact, it demands a consistent input of time & effort to be brought alive and sustained.

The music industry as viewed, does not seem to be beating the allegations of being a dog-eat-dog world, where competition and rivalry is cheered on by an over excited and drama-loving audience who live and thrive for the tea or ‘vawulence’ in X(Twitter) lingo.

At the whiff of a brewing scandal, fans & foes of the momentary opposing music artists gather in the comment section of such posts, to further fuel the atmospheric discord, with the hopes of their fave emerging from the feud as champion.

Drake’s song, “no friends in the industry” from his 2021 album Certified Lover Boy popularised and additionally pushed the narrative of a non-friendly music work-climate.                                                                      In the song, he reflects on his experiences with feuds and betrayals, bearing down on the challenges of navigating relationships in such a highly competitive environment. His point?  Your work colleagues aren’t your friends!

Afrobeats, before our eyes, is now globally recognised,  received & acclaimed. What this translates to is the genre’s artists being in a fiercer competition for recognition & a bigger slice of royalties, leaving almost no room for camaraderie towards colleagues. However, certain Afrobeats artists of note have been seen to defy the odds of red ocean towards colleagues, proudly flaunting their friendship with one another, which in turn, creates a cohesion that overflows with awesome creativity, birthing superb music collaborations.

In honour of World Friendship Day, Today, we shine the spotlight on some Afrobeats artists worthy of note, who have made public professions about their friendship with fellow Afrobeats artists, coupled with joint activities which is complementary to their affinity:

1. Waje & Omawumi: These women easily come to mind and top the list, when curating a list of industry best friends. While they’ve been on the friendship journey for almost two decades, they’re also good business partners. Their sisterly love and relationship demonstrates that true friendship can grow, flourish and withstand the test of time and fame.

2.  Davido & Kizz Daniel: “He is a very special person to me” “we have an insanely good working relationship” Kizz Daniel once said in an interview about Davido. With a couple of songs under their belt, the relationship between this duo is quite reflective of how the music industry can offer brotherhood, full support and positive energy.

3. Tems & Ayra Starr: While their friendship story is fairly young and recent, Ayra & Tems haven’t held back from giving each other accolades, publicly, from time to time, inclusive of girls time out together as seen on videos shared by the duo on social media. Their friendship seemingly holds so much promise, which fosters eager anticipation of the goodness it brings going forward. 

4. Burna Boy & Seyi Vibez: Both fellas have shown a strong bond both personally and professionally. Seyi Vibez in interviews has mentioned Burna Boy to be a significant source of inspiration for him, encouraging him to stay positive and keep moving forward regardless of challenges.

Highlights of their friendship include when Burna Boy shared a video of them having breakfast together on social media serving as a pointer to their close relationship. Additionally, a few months ago, Burna Boy gifted Seyi Vibez a multi-million-naira 7Gents chain. If this isn’t evidence of a budding and promising friendship, what could it be then?

5. Simi & Falz: After their first meeting since a decade ago, the result has been nothing short of a productive snowball effect. From numerous song collaborations, to being close friends and more like family behind the music perfomance scene, this pair do not cease to always radiate positivity! Their playful energy is contagious & rib-cracking. Whether they’re making music or gracing interviews as a duo or individuals, their friendship always shines through when centred upon.

6. Olamide and Phyno: These gents are basically long standing models  for brotherhood in Afrobeats!  Olamide, the voice of the streets, and Phyno, the king of Eastern rap, have created a bond that transcends music. They’re constantly lifting each other up, collaborating on smash hits, and proving that music can bridge any cultural divide. Their friendship is a beautiful example of unity in diversity, showcasing how much strength lies therein.

It is hoped that these friend-‘ships’ will continue to have a successful sail in the face of stormy weather, staying as a model for generations present and upcoming.

Here’s to celebrating the beauty of friendship and staying inspired to believe in friendships all over again. Cheers!