Afrobeats stars Davido and Wande Coal have sparked tensions after the “Unavailable” singer explained why their joint version of “Come My Way” never dropped, prompting a sharp response from the veteran artiste.
During a recent episode of the Uncut Podcast, Davido reflected on the evolution of Afrobeats and specifically addressed the viral unreleased verse he recorded for Wande Coal’s 2021 track.
“He hit me up at the time to do the song. He hadn’t released it so I recorded that verse and that verse is stupid hard. I think he wanted to drop it first then drop my own as a remix and I was like no oh, I didn’t record it as a remix. It would have been nice sha,” Davido said.
The snippet of Davido’s verse had circulated widely among fans who believed a full collab would have been massive.
Wande Coal wasted little time responding on X with a direct and fiery message:
“Carried the song to give you, as how? Song that had a release plan and date!!! Song that wasn’t your own, you wannt to dictate its release plan. That song fuckin did well without you on it bruv!!!”
The exchange has set social media ablaze, with fans taking sides over whose version of events holds more weight and whether the collab would have elevated the song further.
In the same podcast appearance, Davido also painted a broader picture of the current state of Afrobeats. While acknowledging the genre’s financial boom, he lamented the loss of unity among artistes.
“Financially, it is a great time doing Afrobeats, but the relationship amongst artists is a failure,” he stated.
He fondly recalled the early 2010s, particularly 2012 to 2013, when artistes regularly hung out and supported one another.
“When I recorded ‘Dami Duro’, in the studio was Wande Coal, Shank, Bigiano. They were artists there. We were always in together,” Davido added.
According to him, success changed everything.
“Everybody just got too big… And then now everybody is finding their own.”
The comments have sparked wider conversations about how wealth and global fame may have eroded the close-knit community that once defined Nigerian music. While Davido framed his “Come My Way” story as a simple difference in release strategy, Wande Coal’s reply makes it clear he felt the younger star overstepped by trying to dictate terms on a song that was not his.
The back-and-forth adds another chapter to the complex relationships that continue to shape Afrobeats.