Two Kings, No War. - by Quareeb Jagun

I am not really a music person. I’ll be honest about that. My song gallery probably doesn’t even have up to fifty songs, I don’t know every release date, and I’m certainly not following every gist in the industry. But I listen to rhythm. I listen to lyrics. I listen to songs that actually mean something, and somehow, even with my small playlist, Davido and Olamide have both found their way into it. From Davido’s “Fall” and “FIA” to songs like “Unavailable,” there are moments when his music simply does what music is supposed to do: make you feel something. Olamide has done the same for me in a different way. Songs like “Wo!!”, “Melo Melo” and “Motigbana” remind me why his name has remained relevant for so long. There is something about the way he carries his sound, his language, and his identity that makes his music feel very Nigerian, yet still able to travel far beyond Nigeria.That is why I find the conversation around these two interesting. Davido recently said that if any Nigerian artist can match his catalogue, he would pay a million dollars. Naturally, the internet started looking for a name, and Olamide was one of the names people brought into the conversation. Davido has since clarified that he wasn't referring to anyone in particular. But we know how the internet works. Once people smell a competition, the explanation can almost become irrelevant. Suddenly, people are comparing catalogues, wealth, influence, longevity, and everything else. Videos are everywhere. Arguments are everywhere. It made me wonder: when did we stop simply enjoying music and start looking for battles inside everything? A statement is no longer just a statement. We immediately ask, <blockquote>“Who is he talking about?”</blockquote> A song is no longer just a song. We ask, <blockquote>“Who is he shading?”</blockquote>Two successful artists standing beside each other somehow isn't as interesting to us as two successful artists fighting. But honestly, Davido and Olamide don't need a battle to prove anything.Both men are outstanding in their own ways, especially when it comes to giving. Giving us songs. Giving us moments. Giving us sounds that become part of people's lives. Giving younger artists something to look up to. Their styles are different. Their journeys are different. Their audiences may overlap in some places and differ in others. But their impact is undeniable. A catalogue is not a weapon you use to defeat another artist. Behind every song are years of work, late nights, risks, failures, experiments and moments when they probably wondered if any of it would pay off. I may not know everything about music, but I know that kind of work deserves more than an internet-generated rivalry. I am still learning how to separate noise from substance, not just in music but in life generally. And maybe that is why this whole conversation caught my attention. For me, the best songs aren't the ones that help someone win an argument online. They are the ones that meet you quietly on a difficult day and somehow give you the strength to keep moving. So, rather than manufacture a war between two men who have already achieved a lot, maybe we should just appreciate what they have built. Davido can be Davido.Olamide can be Olamide. Maybe we can simply appreciate what both men have given to Nigerian music and the generations that have grown up listening to them. But then again, perhaps I am looking at this too simply. Because if we are talking about catalogues, longevity, influence and the ability to consistently give us hits, **who really has the stronger catalogue between Davido and Olamide?** Not who has more money.Not who has more followers.Not who has the louder fanbase.Just the music. The hits. The classics. The songs that have stayed with us. If you had to make the case for one of them, whom would you choose: <ol><li>Davido — 30BG</li><li>Olamide — Baddo, </li><li>What song would you use to defend your choice?</li></ol> Note: we can debate the music without creating a war.* 😂

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