The now-famous Nigerian music star Davido deftly pretended to be impoverished during his early days in the music industry, according to a fascinating story that British-Nigerian singer and record producer Maleek Berry recently shared from his early career.
Maleek Berry talked about his experiences working with Davido when they were both up-and-coming musicians on the “90s Baby” podcast.
He described how they would go to a studio in Bermondsey, London, to record music together.
Maleek Berry reflected on their time spent in the studio, pointing out that even with Davido’s affluent upbringing, the singer fit right in with his peers’ more reserved way of living.
This led Maleek Berry to believe that Davido came from a less privileged family. However, this perception changed dramatically when Berry visited Davido’s father’s mansion.
In his words:
“I was there when Davido only have four thousand YouTube views. I used to take him to a studio in Bermondsey when he visited London so we could record him,” he recalled.
“It was one of his cousins that connected us via social media. He wasn’t even known then. We were just two music-loving Nigerian guys who connected.
“He acted around us like one of those poor kids. But when I pulled up to his dad’s crib, I was surprised. There’s money and there’s money!
“I was just so taken aback because at the time, my mind didn’t used to move like he [Davido] had money. He used to blend in with us. When I saw the tower, I was like, okay, they’re rich.”
Berry also disclosed that years later, Davido was the one who introduced him to Wizkid.
Published by Ejoh Caleb