On a beautiful Monday morning, Wizkid decided to scatter Elon Musk’s app by going on a series of unexpected “rants”. Amidst the series of tweets, one particular tweet caught everybody’s attention: the one in which he posted the viral, ever-hilarious video of Davido in strawberry pyjamas begging on his knees. The caption, a reply to a Twitter user, read, “Beg me like this. Send video”. From that moment, it was clear it was going to be a long day.
What we didn’t expect, however, was Davido’s response much later at night. This sparked a heated exchange between the two artists, reigniting a feud between Davido and Wizkid, which we thought had ended, and dashing fans’ hopes of a joint tour. As they traded insults on the timeline, Wizkid fired back at Davido with one particular interesting “insult”: “I got nun to say to u my boy! I can retire today and you still not on my level. You be influencer with a songwriter. Wish you well.”
I have a few thoughts on their reignited feud, but that’s not the focus of this article. I’m writing this article to address Wizkid’s tweet and the misconception that using a songwriter is an insult.
It’s time to dispel the misconception that employing songwriters detracts from an artist’s credibility. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. A lot of artists, both domestically and internationally, have hired songwriters to write songs for them..
Take Beyoncé, for example. She has worked with a multitude of songwriters throughout her career, including Sia, The-Dream, and Ne-Yo, to name a few. Her iconic song “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” had four writers on it; her, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, and Thaddis “Kuk” Harrell. Also “Halo” was written by Ryan Tedder and E. Kidd Bogart.
Similarly, Rihanna has had songwriters such as Sia, Drake, and Calvin Harris create some of her biggest hits. From “Diamonds” to “Work,” these collaborations played a pivotal role in shaping Rihanna’s musical legacy.
Even music legends like Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley relied on songwriters to bring their visions to life. Elvis’s iconic hit “Can’t Help Falling in Love” was written by Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, and George David Weiss. While “Thriller,” one of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, was written by Rod Temperton.
Bringing the focus back to Nigeria, we see examples like Cobhams, who wrote Asa’s hit song “Jailer,” and Peruzzi, who has written hundreds of songs for various artists. However, the fact that these songs were written by him remains largely unknown, mainly due to the stigma associated with artists hiring songwriters. Even Wizkid has used many songwriters to write many of his hit songs. So I’m not sure why he’s dragging Davido on that.
In the international music scene, the use of songwriters is not only accepted but openly acknowledged. It’s common practice for artists to work with songwriters, and the writers are most times credited. People understand that the involvement of songwriters does not diminish the talent or authenticity of the artists. Instead, it’s viewed as a natural part of the creative process, where artists draw inspiration from various sources to create music. Although having said this, there are still instances in the international music scene where people shame artists for employing songwriters. But, in Nigeria, the stigma is worse. There’s a heightened sensitivity and stigma attached to the use of songwriters compared to other parts of the world.
The reality is that songwriting is a collaborative process that often involves multiple contributors, each bringing their different talents to the table. Artists may excel in singing, performing, or composing melodies, but may seek assistance in crafting lyrics. Why is it okay for an artist to hire a producer to make beats but can’t hire a songwriter to write their song? Hiring a producer to create beats or collaborate on the overall production of a song is widely accepted and recognized as a standard practice in the music industry. Hiring a songwriter to assist with crafting lyrics should be viewed in the same light.
Both producers and songwriters bring their own skills and expertise to the creative process, contributing to the final product. Both roles serve to enhance the artist’s vision and elevate the quality of the music being created. Just as artists may not have all the technical skills required to produce high-quality beats, they may also not have the skills to write songs and will benefit from collaborating with experienced songwriters who specialize in crafting lyrics.
The use of songwriters is not a reflection of an artist’s lack of talent but rather a testament to their willingness to collaborate and explore new creative avenues. It actually takes talent for an artist to recognize the value that songwriters can bring to their music.
In response to Wizkid’s remarks, many Twitter users came to Davido’s defence, arguing that the use of songwriters shouldn’t be an insult.
It’s time to debunk the stigma surrounding the use of songwriters in the music industry. Collaborative efforts should be celebrated, not criticized. Artists should feel empowered to explore all avenues of creativity, knowing that their authenticity lies in their ability to connect with audiences through their music, regardless of who helped craft it.
Let’s shift the narrative away from judgment and towards appreciation for the diverse talents that contribute to the music. After all, “It takes a village to make a hit.”
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