Social media critic VeryDarkMan (VDM) has launched a fresh attack on Afrobeats superstar Wizkid, accusing him of lacking originality and questioning his comparison of himself to late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
The controversy comes amid ongoing debates about Wizkid’s place in music history after the singer recently suggested he is “bigger than Fela.”
Reacting in a viral video, VeryDarkMan argued that Wizkid’s artistry does not measure up to Fela’s legacy, or even that of Fela’s sons, Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti, whom he praised for their live performance culture and musical depth.
“For you to say you’re bigger than Fela, you no even reach Femi or even the Seun sef when it comes to the art of music, because originality is not in you,” he said.
VDM criticized Wizkid’s stage performances, claiming they rely too heavily on backing tracks.
“You don see these men dey perform for stage? No be the one sound dey play for background you go dey jump for stage, when your mouth no even dey follow wetin you dey perform,” he added.
VeryDarkMan also alleged that Wizkid’s early music catalog was built largely on sampling existing songs, referencing the singer’s debut era.
“We are old school people. You started your career without originality. This is your first song ‘Holla at your boy’ you sampled. The original one was in 2009 and yours was released in 2011. If them bring songs wey you sample e go full everywhere. You are bigger than which Fela…” he said.
VDM’s comments add fuel to an already heated conversation in Nigeria’s music space about whether modern Afrobeats stars should be compared to Fela Kuti, whose legacy was built on live instrumentation, political activism, and cultural resistance.
While some fans defend Wizkid’s global achievements and influence, others argue that Fela’s impact transcends charts and awards.