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Popular Nigerian food critic Opeyemi Famakin has shared his feelings about his controversial 2023 review of Jazzy's Burger, owned by music executive Don Jazzy.
During a recent interview on the With Chude Podcast, he admitted that while his review aimed to be constructive, the backlash and negative interpretation left him with regrets for Don Jazzy.
Speaking on the backlash, he said, "I did not like my review of Don Jazzy's business, Jazzy Burger. That was one of two reviews, along with the tea room restaurant, that I didn't felt very bad. In this whole world, it's just those two. Jazzy is a businessman, a very positive person who was minding his business. But I wasn't being malicious; it was the internet that took it out of context."
I simply did a review, and I wasn't even bashing him. I said the things I liked and didn't like, and he responded and worked on the things I mentioned, and I reviewed it again.
Famakin admitted the experience left him emotionally affected, especially because of his respect for Don Jazzy. Despite his good intentions, the review’s negative reception hurt him deeply.
He explained, "The way it trended and the backlash made it feel like I was coming for this honest person who is an angel and helps people. It felt like I was chasing clout, but I was doing it to help his business, and he listened. The specific things I asked him to work on, he did. But everyone else online was being so nice about it; how would he have grown? They were lying to him, and how would he have known?"
"That one pained me because I love Don Jazzy, and he'd have felt like I was a clout chaser who wanted to ruin his business. It pained me," he concluded, expressing his regret.