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Wednesday, 14th September 2022 was a chaotic one for the music end of Nigerian Twitter as Nigerian artists, fans, and stakeholders disagree over the first artist to jump on the Amapiano sound.

Who did it first?: The battle over the importation of Amapiano | Pulse Nigeria

Adeayo Adebiyi

<p>This article takes a look into the chaos that unfolded and set the record straight on the subject of the importation of Amapiano in Nigeria.</p>

<p><strong>How it started</strong>: It all began after a troubleshooting Twitter user claimed that Davido brought Amapiano to Nigeria and made it successful, and Wizkid's latest single&nbsp;<strong><em>'Bad To Me'</em></strong>&nbsp;which is an Amapiano sound is a result of Davido's influence.</p>

<p>Members of Wizkid FC which is his collection of fans quickly began posting rebuttals in what ushered in an emergency history lesson on the first Nigerian act to make Amapiano.</p>

<p><strong>South Africa's Maphorisa gets involved</strong>: DJ Maphorisa who is a famous music producer, artist, and DJ from South Africa decided to get into conversation and set the matter straight.</p>

<p>In his tweet, he pointed out that it was he and&nbsp;<strong>Kabza</strong>&nbsp;who first put Wizkid and Burna Boy on an Amapiano song in 2020 called&nbsp;<strong><em>'Sponono'</em></strong>.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kabza &amp; Maphorisa was the first to put Wizkid n Burnaboy on a amapiano song Sponono dat was a historical moment 3 years ago, research before tweet <br><br>also it was the first time Wiz n Burna jumped on a same song together <br><br>let it sink in 🦅❤️ <a href="https://t.co/AHkxFmH3Lk">https://t.co/AHkxFmH3Lk</a></p>&mdash; PorryMaduMoneyDoubleTrouble (@DjMaphorisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjMaphorisa/status/1569999282895462400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong><em>"You've never liked me"</em>&nbsp;Davido replies Maphorisa:</strong>&nbsp;In a rather surprising turn of events, Davido replied to Maphorisa's explainer with a tweet stating that Maphorisa never liked him and he doesn't know why.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You’ve never liked me y ? I’ve always been good to you …. Anyways ! AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY NOW!!!!!! Chu chu chu chu chu <a href="https://t.co/0Gi2l0HVEp">https://t.co/0Gi2l0HVEp</a></p>&mdash; Davido (@davido) <a href="https://twitter.com/davido/status/1570033053845561345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Davido's tweet quickly ushered in a contest of the Nigerian artists who pioneered Amapiano in Afrobeats and several artists didn't shy from throwing their hats in the ring.</p>

<p><strong>Nigerian artists disagree over the importation of Amapiano (I did it first)</strong>: Things quickly took a chaotic and rather comical twist when Nigerian artists all engaged in a scramble over who was the first act to jump on Amapiano.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">SA House and Amapiano ti da gobe sile</p>&mdash; Bizzleosikoya.eth (@bizzleosikoya) <a href="https://twitter.com/bizzleosikoya/status/1570122777754992644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<ul><li><strong>Mr. May D</strong>&nbsp;was the first to enter the contest as he claims he was the first Nigerian act to jump on Amapiano with&nbsp;<strong><em>'Get Down'</em></strong>, his collaboration with South African legend Oskido. Interestingly, the song isn't even Amapiano.</li></ul>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Na me bring amapiano come naija , and I have awards to prove that! We started the naija South African collaboration! I don’t like saying shit like this but y’all like putting me under the box</p>&mdash; May D (@MisterMayD) <a href="https://twitter.com/MisterMayD/status/1570044348796141568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ace Producer Kiddominant was having none of&nbsp;<strong>Mr. May D</strong>'s claims as he quickly made claims of his own. According to him, he imported Amapiano into West Africa with </p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Me and Cassper “ewallet” started amapiano in west africa. Sponono followed and made it bigger then David &amp; foca really took the genre to another level. Facts</p>&mdash; KDDO (@KDDO__) <a href="https://twitter.com/KDDO__/status/1570052010099220481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>A quick fact check on DSPs showed that 'E-Wallet' was released on May 29th, 2020 which is a month after&nbsp;<strong>Mayorkun</strong>&nbsp;released his Amapiano record<strong><em>&nbsp;'Of Lagos'&nbsp;</em></strong>on 13th April 2020.</p>

<ul><li><strong><em>"Na Me Bring,"&nbsp;</em></strong>Davido doubles down. While Davido clearly didn't import Amapiano into Nigeria, his decision to jump on<strong><em>&nbsp;'Ke-star'</em></strong>&nbsp;remix was very decisive in popularizing Amapiano in Nigeria and giving listeners a more robust idea of the accompanying elements of the sound.</li></ul>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Na me bring 😂😂</p>&mdash; Davido (@davido) <a href="https://twitter.com/davido/status/1570082961055170560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<ul><li><strong>DJ</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Neptune</strong>&nbsp;wasn't left out as he reminded us that he was the first Nigerian to feature South Africa's&nbsp;<strong>Focalistic</strong>&nbsp;on the Amapiano remix of his smash hit<strong><em>&nbsp;'Nobody'.&nbsp;</em></strong>While he wasn't claiming credit for the importation of Amapiano, he just wanted to put it out there.</li></ul>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And shout out to me too on this Amapiano teeze. How did I forget I made Nobody (Amapiano remix) ft Focalistic, Joeboy &amp; Eazi. In fact the first Naija to feature the kid from SA but I don&#39;t like making noise especially on this 🐦 app, they can change it for anyone</p>&mdash; DJ Neptune #Greatness #Gelato (@deejayneptune) <a href="https://twitter.com/deejayneptune/status/1570077359327289346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<ul><li>Ace Video Director&nbsp;<strong>Dammy</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Twitch</strong>&nbsp;also took the chance to enjoy himself and remind us that he was the first Director to shoot an Amapiano music video in Nigeria.</li></ul>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Na me first shoot Amapiano video for Naija sha ✌🏽</p>&mdash; Dammy Twitch (@DammyTwitch) <a href="https://twitter.com/DammyTwitch/status/1570114979814072320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<ul><li><strong><em>"Give Niniola Her Flowers"</em></strong>. As the&nbsp;<strong>"Who did it first"&nbsp;</strong>contest raged on, there were individuals who were solely concerned about Niniola's place in the debate. Like Mr. May D, they don't care if she was, in fact, making Amapiano.</li></ul>

<p>Niniola is one of the Nigerian artist to interact with South African sound through her music, she combined South African House music with Afrobeats elements of mostly Neo-Fuji and Pop. However her music wasn't Amapiano. </p>

<p>Her first sound that carried Amapiano elements was 'Addicted' through its log drums and snares but the single is still not entirely Amapiano. </p>

<p>The only reason some listeners are insisting she made Amapiano is because they ignorantly and erroneously consider any and all sounds coming from South Africa as Amapiano. </p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One day you people will actually learn to Respect Niniola <a href="https://t.co/xErqlPHVMA">https://t.co/xErqlPHVMA</a></p>&mdash; JISM 🦦 (@djjism) <a href="https://twitter.com/djjism/status/1570059412370235394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>So, who did it first?</strong>: Before we get to the subject of who did it first, we need to quickly examine what is Amapiano? </p>

<p><strong><em>Amapiano is a South Africa music genre that combines SA House music with elements of Kwaito music with distinctive markers such as its use of log drums, snares, mid tempo sonic, syncopated breakbeats, and heavy baselines. </em></strong></p>

<p>As far as mainstream music goes,&nbsp;<strong>Mayorkun</strong>&nbsp;is the first Nigerian act to jump on Amapiano with his 2020 single<strong><em>&nbsp;'Of Lagos'.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p><strong><em>'Sponono'</em></strong>&nbsp;was also released in 2020 albeit with little impact in Nigeria. Other Amapiano songs that were released in 2020 include:</p>

<p>KDDO's&nbsp;<strong>'EWallet',</strong>&nbsp;Masterkraft's<strong><em>&nbsp;'Equipment'</em>,</strong>&nbsp;Rema's&nbsp;<strong><em>'Woman'</em></strong>,&nbsp;Zinoleesky's&nbsp;'Kilofeshe',&nbsp;Davido's<strong><em>&nbsp;'LaLa'</em></strong> and<strong><em> 'I got a Friend'&nbsp;</em></strong>off&nbsp;<strong><em>'A Better Time'&nbsp;</em></strong>album, amongst many other songs.</p>

<p>However, when we talk about the song whose impact popularize Amapiano in Nigeria and made it into a staple in Afrobeats Soundscape, that credit goes to<strong><em>&nbsp;'Ke-star'&nbsp;</em></strong>remix by&nbsp;<strong>Focalistic</strong>&nbsp;featuring&nbsp;<strong>Davido</strong>.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">But did Davido bring the impact of Amapiano to say West Africa, for example? Perhaps. ‘Ke Star (Remix)’ broke a lot of grounds. <br><br>However, the first Amapiano hit record in Nigeria/West Africa was ‘Of Lagos’ by Mayorkun.</p>&mdash; Motolani Alake (@OneMotolani) <a href="https://twitter.com/OneMotolani/status/1570035951954534401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Credit must also be given to&nbsp;<strong>Zinoleesky</strong>&nbsp;who gleaned hits off Amapiano and made it a recognizable street sound.</p>

<p><strong>So who did it first? That will be Mayorkun with his single<em>&nbsp;'Of Lagos'.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

Mr May D, Davido, KDDO, Niniola, Mayorkun

Who did it first?: The battle over the importation of Amapiano

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