Music executive Ubi Franklin says the competitive nature of Afrobeats’ Big 3 Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy makes collaboration hard. He says rivalry comes from industry structure, not personal bitterness.
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In a recent episode of the Afropolitan Podcast music executive Ubi Franklin explained why a song featuring Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy may never happen. He said rivalry among them is natural because of their status in Afrobeats.
Franklin said the trio are seen as the “Big 3” of Afrobeats. He said their dominance makes collaboration difficult. He compared them to Nigeria’s top banks in competition. He clarified the difficulty comes from the industry environment, not personal grudges.
Franklin said he has never heard Davido speak ill of Wizkid or Burna Boy. He said the same likely applies to the other two. He added fans and industry pressures push the narrative of competition.
He said structures in the music business reward individual dominance. He said fan base influence and market expectations make joint projects risky.
Fans often anticipate collaboration among the Big 3. Industry figures like Iyanya have expressed optimism. Franklin said respect exists but full collaboration is very unlikely under current conditions.
Franklin’s comments highlight how the structure of Afrobeats as a competitive field makes collaboration among its biggest stars difficult despite mutual respect.
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