Wizkid’s ‘No Blueprint’ Claim Triggers Fierce Backlash, Fans Defend Banky W’s Legacy

|By Queen Banigo

Nigerian music star Wizkid has ignited heated debate after declaring that he had “no blueprint” while rising in the music industry—despite emerging under Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (EME).

The Ojuelegba hitmaker made the remark in a snippet from his upcoming HBO documentary, Long Live Lagos, saying: “There was no blueprint for me. I had to build a structure for myself.”

His comment immediately stirred controversy across social media, with critics arguing that the statement downplayed Banky W’s pivotal role in his early career and ignored the contributions of the pioneers who shaped Nigeria’s music landscape.

However, the singer acknowledged elsewhere in the documentary that Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti profoundly influenced his musical journey, admitting: “Fela Kuti was instrumental to why I believe I could really make music.”

Reactions on X (formerly Twitter) poured in:

• Franko_Nero argued that Wizkid’s claim was ungrateful, recalling how Banky W once introduced him as “a boy wonder, a gem in the making.”

• Arhcent accused the singer of “erasing” the role EME played in his rise.

• Duke of Isoko countered that Wizkid’s originality—his music style and fashion—was the real foundation for his breakthrough.

• Sir Dickson urged calm, saying Wizkid likely spoke about his artistic evolution, not Banky W’s support: “Wiz has never denied Banky’s impact, nor can he.”

The documentary is expected to provide fuller context when it premieres, but for now, the debate continues to dominate online conversations.