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    Wizkid, Grief, and Sold-Out Stadium: The Story Behind Long Live Lagos

    Emma TeeBy No Comments4 Mins Read

    Behind the roar of a sold-out stadium and the global applause that followed, there was a moment when Wizkid almost walked away from music entirely.

    That fragile crossroads is laid bare in Long Live Lagos, the new HBO documentary now streaming on Max, which chronicles the making of one of the most important shows in Afrobeats history and the quiet personal battle that nearly stopped it from happening.

    Wizkid, Grief, and Sold-Out Stadium: The Story Behind Long Live Lagos
    Wizkid, Grief, and Sold-Out Stadium: The Story Behind Long Live Lagos

    The film captures Wizkid’s historic leap as the first Afrobeats artist to headline a venue of that magnitude successfully. But beneath the celebration, the documentary reveals a deeply human story of grief, pressure, and resolve.

    At the center of it is Jada Pollock, his longtime manager and partner, who opens up in rare, emotional detail about the weight Wizkid was carrying at the time.

    Jada P, 42, has managed Wizkid for eight years and shared a life with him for six. Together, they have two children, Zion and AJ. In the documentary, she reflects on the period leading up to the July 29, 2023, concert, a moment that should have been triumphant but instead arrived during one of the darkest chapters of Wizkid’s life.

    “He wanted to quit a lot,” Jada admits in one of the film’s most sobering moments.

    Just as preparations for the concert intensified, devastating news arrived: Wizkid’s mother needed urgent cancer treatment. The timing was brutal. The emotional toll was immediate, and many close to the production believed the show would not go ahead.

    Presenter Julie Adenuga, who appears in the documentary, recalls the atmosphere backstage when the news spread. “When the news of his mom’s state broke, the organizers believed the show was cancelled,” she says. “They were expecting an email to say it’s not happening anymore.”

    But amid the grief and uncertainty, Jada describes a quiet turning point, a moment of reflection that reshaped Wizkid’s perspective on what the concert truly represented.

    “It was a time where I felt like he was forced to reflect. But Wiz realises that this show will open so many doors for artists coming up under Wiz; for executives to understand the reach of the sound; and for every kid back home that is dreaming of becoming Wiz. It’s going to give them a dream to know that it’s possible to get there.”

    That realization kept him going. Wizkid ultimately chose to step onto the stage, not just as a performer, but as a symbol of possibility. Weeks later, tragedy struck when his mother passed away on August 18, 2023, casting a deeper emotional shadow over what would forever remain a landmark moment in his career.

    The concert itself became historic. Wizkid sold out the 60,000-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, becoming the first African artist to achieve the feat.

    The performance was a defining stop on his More Love, Less Ego tour, weaving together early classics like Ojuelegba and Don’t Dull with global hits such as Essence and Joro.

    Beyond music, Long Live Lagos also paints a portrait of partnership, one built on trust, loyalty, and shared endurance. Wizkid speaks openly about Jada’s role in his journey, crediting her strength during moments when everything felt close to collapsing.

    “I love her so much, she is very hardworking, very passionate and loyal about work,” he says in one scene.

    “I just feel like women are easy to work with. Women have that mother instinct to always hold stuff together.”

    In the end, the documentary is more than a celebration of Afrobeats’ global rise. It is a reminder that behind every historic moment lies unseen sacrifice and that resilience, when shared, can carry an entire culture from the streets of Lagos to the world’s biggest stages.

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