Flashback: Inside the 2015 Don Jazzy vs Olamide Beef That Shook the Nigerian Music Industry

 

Before the generosity, collaborations, and good vibes that Nigerian music stars are now known for, the industry was the scene of one of its most famous fights in 2015: the infamous beef that occurred between Don Jazzy and Olamide. 

The drama reached its peak during the 2015 Headies Awards (held in early 2016), when Olamide took the stage to express anger after his YBNL artist, Lil Kesh, lost the “Next Rated” award to Mavin Records’ Reekado Banks.  Olamide's now-viral line, "Lil Kesh is our own Next Rated," shocked the audience. F** that s***!” *

 Shortly after, Don Jazzy responded during his own speech, subtly saying, “Egbon Olamide, if you want the car, come and collect it.”  One of the "biggest musical beefs" in Afrobeats history erupted as a result of that comment, which sparked a firestorm on social media.

Fans were divided.  Twitter (now X) exploded with hot takes, memes, and loyalty battles between Team YBNL and Team Mavin. 

 Although the beef did not result in diss tracks, it caused industry tension for months. Eventually, peace returned.  Both music titans went on to achieve even greater heights after quietly coming to an agreement.

 The conflict is now viewed as a defining moment that demonstrated how passionate artists are about their protégés and how fierce competition was in shaping

Nigeria's new music stars. Looking back, the conflict is now seen as a defining moment. Fans are also recalling Don Jazzy's earlier years, including the highs, lows, and iconic rivalries that made him the legend he is today, as his $100 million donation continues to trend today.