Nigerian Afrobeats star, Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus, popularly known as Joeboy, has lamented the debilitating effects of ego and unhealthy competition on collaborations in the Nigerian Afrobeats climate.
In an interview on Cool FM Lagos with his colleague Wizard Chan, Joeboy revealed that he prefers working with artistes he has a personal relationship with, in a bid to avoid unnecessary rivalry and creative conflicts.
“It is easier for me to collaborate with artists that I am cool with or friends with. Because there will be no ego or inner competition. Personally, if I feature you, I expect you to outshine me in the song. That is why I featured you. So, I don’t get the competition,” he said.
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Wizard Chan, who recently collaborated with Joeboy on the joint project Agaba Romantic, echoed the sentiment, criticising artists who bring controlling attitudes into the studio.
“My problem with collaboration is just ego. I would never interfere when you’re recording; you just also do the same. Some artists will ask for a feature and want to tell you how to do your job. That is wrong. Let me do my thing.
“The reason I would feature anybody is that I cannot do what they are doing. And I can not even tell them to sound like me or do my style. Collaboration aims to bring a different aspect to the song. And it is not a competition”.
The singer expressed frustration at certain artists who re-record their verse on a song when they feel like a collaborator’s verse was better.
“But some artists would go as far as changing their verses when they hear their collaborator’s own, and it sounds better than theirs. It is not supposed to be a competition,” he added.
