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How saying ‘Ghana influenced Nigerian music’ got me cancelled – Mr Eazi
Nigerian music pioneer, Mr Eazi, has reflected on being a victim of cancellation culture after expressing his opinion that Ghana influenced present-day Nigerian music. In 2017, Mr Eazi tweeted that Ghanaian music had a significant impact on contemporary Nigerian music, sparking controversy and criticism.
In a recent appearance on the Afrobeats Intelligence Podcast, Mr Eazi stated that he didn’t regret his statement despite facing threats and backlash.
He expressed frustration with those who still harbor resentment, describing it as “hate” and asserting that his critics are using the statement as a guise for their underlying issues.
Mr Eazi also criticized individuals in the music industry whom he considered friends but who joined others in canceling him instead of privately addressing the matter. His comments shed light on the challenges and complexities surrounding cancellation culture within the music industry.
Mr Eazi said, “When the whole issue with me being cancelled, even till tomorrow, I see people come on my [social media] profile and still throw hate. They said, ‘Oh, yeah, you said that.’ I’m like, ‘Fam, really? This energy take it to your local politician wey dey run you street.’ You feel me? I didn’t kill anybody. I said what I said.
“And I said it many years ago. If that is the reason you hate, then you hate me for something else. It’s deeper than that. And realising that just make me feel free. That’s the lens to which I look at e everything. Because I was seeing guys I was saying ‘Hello’ to, coming out to say, ‘F*ck Mr Eazi.’ And I was like, ‘Bro, you could have called me and say Eazi, I just saw this interview, you shouldn’t have said that.
“This is what I advise you to do.’ But it just became a thing of let’s all band together. And that’s why in my song ‘We Dey’, I said, ‘Twitter fingers steady showing fake love.’ Because it’s crowd mentality. It’s trendy to hate you, and now it’s like for clicks.
“There are people making art and nobody is caring about their life whether they jump or sit. It’s like they are invisible. Love and hate is acknowledgement of your existence, I’m even blessed to be able to invoke something.”