Veteran Nigerian musician SkyB has publicly accused Grammy winner Burna Boy and other Port Harcourt artists of turning their backs on him despite his role in elishing the city’s music industry. Speaking candidly on a recent episode of the KAA Truth podcast, the singer behind the hit ‘Pray For Me’ detailed how he invested time, money, and resources into building a platform for Port Harcourt musicians, only to find himself abandoned when his own career faltered.
SkyB recounted specific instances where he provided direct assistance to artists including Timaya and Mr. 2Kay during their early careers. According to the veteran singer, these same musicians have now distanced themselves from him as his star has waned. He shared a particularly painful anecdote about arranging a performance opportunity through a government connection, only to have a fellow artist reject the contract specifically because it would require sharing a stage with him. The rejection, he suggests, came from someone he had personally helped in the past.
While acknowledging that he never directly assisted Burna Boy during his rise to international stardom, SkyB maintains that the Grammy winner has a responsibility to support those who built the foundation for Port Harcourt’s music scene. He argues that Burna Boy should have offered either financial support or a career-rejuvenating collaboration to acknowledge the sacrifices made by earlier generations of artists from the region. For SkyB, this lack of recognition represents a broader failure of solidarity within the Port Harcourt music community.
Perhaps most controversially, SkyB introduced an ethnic dimension to his grievances. He claimed that if he belonged to Nigeria’s larger Igbo or Yoruba ethnic groups, he would have received more support from fellow artists. The singer from Rivers State suggested that regional and ethnic envy has played a role in his isolation, adding a layer of cultural politics to what might otherwise be seen as simple industry ingratitude.
SkyB’s public complaints highlight ongoing tensions in Nigeria’s music industry about mentorship, loyalty, and the obligations successful artists have toward their predecessors. While Nigerian entertainment has produced global superstars like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido, questions persist about whether the rising tide truly lifts all boats. Veterans from earlier eras often struggle for relevance even as the genre they helped elish conquers international markets worth billions of dollars.
Whether SkyB’s appeal will prompt any response from Burna Boy or other Port Harcourt artists remains to be seen. As Nigeria’s music industry continues its global expansion, the conversation about intergenerational support and regional solidarity is likely to intensify. For now, SkyB’s lament serves as a reminder that success in the entertainment world can be fleeting, and that today’s hitmakers may become tomorrow’s forgotten pioneers without the goodwill of those who follow in their footsteps.
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