There is internal tension in HKN as Davido and B-Red battle over a lot of issues.
Yesterday, April 17, 2016, Davido came out to accuse his signed act, B-Red of ‘hating’ on him over the success of his newly signed artiste Mayorkun.
The HKN Boss in 2016 has created a new imprint, Davido Music Worldwide (DMW) to cater for his personal business away from HKN Music. He has also signed two new artistes, Mayorkun and Dremo. Mayorkun’s debut single ‘Eleko’, currently has over a million views on video sharing site, Youtube, and has made its way into circulation all over the country. According to the singer, this success has made B-Red envious, and he is ‘hating’ on it and Davido.
Davido wrote, "My own blood hating on me .. Over MAYORKUN’s success wow !!! I’ve done so much for u .. U still no blow !! FUCK OUTTA HERE!! Hater oshi. You don do over 10 videos and nothing happened, so don’t bring ur anger to me please".
But this is more than just a hate on Davido and Mayorkun. Pulse has gathered that the tension in HKN goes beyond the hating, as recurrent issues with his other signed artistes have led to this.
Some years ago before Davido, B-Red and Sina Rambo relocated to Nigeria to fully pursue their music careers, the trio had been working in Altanta, US as a music crew called B International. Sina Rambo was the frontline artiste with Davido only handling music production. B-Red, a very talented drummer assisted with verses.
Then Davido began pursing a singing career seriously, broke out as a solo artiste and decided to return to Nigeria in 2010 to fully launch a music career. Starting off HKN Gang with his elder half-brother Adewale Adeleke aka Chairman HKN, they added (as only expected) B Red and Sina Rambo to the team and approached M.I‘s manager Abuchi Ugwu to manage him.
Abuchi however turned down the offer (he is credited to mixing and mastering Davido’s monster hit song ‘Dami duro‘), Davido met up with a very enthusiastic Asa Asika (Asa in December 2012 parted ways with HKN) and well, the rest is history. The team planned to push Davido first, then Sina Rambo and finally B-Red. Kamal Ajiboye has since assumed the helm of their careers via his management company, Twenty/20 Management.
B-Red and Sina Rambo’s careers have failed to pick, neither has that happened to Danagog, another artiste who was signed in to HKN in 2014, and Deekay who is estranged to Davido.
Deekay, a Ghanaian rapper first worked with Davido on a single named ‘High Fever’ in 2013. Over the coming months he was snagged from his record label, Impeccable Entertainment, and signed to HKN in 2013. He was later reported to have a beef with Davido which made the star freeze him out. In January 2016, Davido gave indications of this when he tweeted on B-Red, Sina Rambo, and Danagog, omitting Deekay’s name. Deekay is technically still signed to HKN but Davido has refused to recognize him.
Due to Deekay’s acrimonious exit, sources say Davido, in other to make amends, began promotion of Danagog’s ‘, and in February, gifted Danagog, and his hypeman, Special Ed, with Rolex wristwatches.
Sources close to the HKN camp has stated that the success of Mayorkun, a ‘new’ artiste has created more tension in the camp. B-Red feels that Davido has not promoted them enough, but gives the full range of his star power to the new guy. “The boys feel that Davido does not push them enough. They even beg him to post on social media.” Our source said.
There has also been rumors about the other artistes not receiving enough promotional funds for their proposed projects. B-Red, Sina Rambo, and Danagog, push their promotions personally. Our source revealed that on some occasions Davido is even begged to post updates on them on social media.
Pulse also gathered that there is a feeling that Davido has plans to dissolve HKN, and move on with Dremo and Mayorkun under the new imprint, DMW. The future of Rambo, B-Red and Sina Rambo in the label is unsure.
“Davido does not believe in those boys, and their talents,” says Ayomide Tayo, an industry analyst and Senior Associate at Pulse Nigeria. “Davido has clearly shown that through his actions and that’s why the new acts are being pushed.”
This is not the first time the HKN Gang has had a fight. In 2012, Davido, B-Red and Sina Rambo were involved in a fight in Atlanta. They later settled issues quickly.
Pulse reached out to HKN’s Digital Publicist and Head of Social Media, Sam Frank, for comments, and he replied that “HKN isn't ending soon”.
“There's nothing of such, David and B Red don't want to speak about this right now. In fact, the matter has been settled already. David only set up a new company called 'Davido Music Worldwide' to nurture some new guys he found. HKN is still a label of its own, and David is still a director under HKN.
Speaking further he said, “Davido Music Worldwide is affiliated to HKN Music, but it's a different company. If you are signed to DMW; you are part of the HKN Gang as well.
“On the B Red/Davido issue, it was a little misunderstanding. Davido wrote stuff about it on social media out of anger but it has since been resolved. They are family. They will always stick together”
Davido has had a thriving 2016. The artiste signed a two-album deal with Sony Music, and recently covered Fader Magazine. He also performed at international concert SXSW, and signed a brand endorsement deal with beverage company, Pepsi.
See more on the beef and other celebrity gossip below.