Award-winning Nigerian superstar Davido has finally addressed the long-standing debate around the origins of Amapiano, and his take is earning him major respect across Mzansi.
In a recent interview on The Breakfast Club with Charlamagne Tha God and the team, Davido openly credited South Africa as the birthplace of the genre, bringing clarity to an ongoing feud between Nigerian and South African music lovers. The interview clip, shared by kreative.kornerr on Instagram, quickly went viral, sparking widespread reactions across social media platforms.
“Amapiano is from South Africa. South Africans since time always had great dope music. Funny enough, early in my career, I’ve been collaborating with South Africans,” Davido stated.
This comes after years of online tension where fans from both nations debated the true roots of the now-global sound. While Nigerians have been instrumental in spreading the genre across borders, South Africans have consistently emphasized that Amapiano was born in their townships, shaped by local DJs and producers.
Davido went on to acknowledge how the sound began to dominate the African continent about five years ago:
“To my knowledge, it’s been going on there since time but it became everywhere in Africa like five years ago.”
He also gave props to Nigerian producers for their adaptability, stating that they jumped on the wave and added their own flair—but made it clear that the genre is South African at its core:
“We tapped in with the sound too. One thing about Nigerian producers, they can adapt. They can remake anything and make it sound sick.”
“Nigeria has a sound, but South Africa, Amapiano, that’s their sound. That’s theirs. They don’t gatekeep it too, but that’s really their sound.”
Mzansi social media was flooded with praise for Davido, with many thanking him for acknowledging South Africa’s contribution honestly and respectfully.
One user tweeted, “Massive respect to Davido for setting the record straight. This is how we bridge cultural gaps—through truth and unity.”
With Davido’s comments putting the issue to rest, fans are hopeful that this marks a new era of collaboration over competition—celebrating what Amapiano has become: a proudly African sound with global reach.
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