How beneficial is beef to “Sounds From The Other Side” mixtape?

For the past few weeks, Wizkid and Davido have been going at it via twitter. The ‘beef’ as we love to call it has been full of shades, animal references, and perhaps, too much emphasis on the ‘international jump’.

Fans have had a field day throwing mud at each other. They have weaponized each artists profile, achievement, strengths and weaknesses, using them as missiles to cause damage, and score points. Does Davido have a frog voice? Would Wizkid’s international campaign throw him off balance and alienate him from his crucial home support base?

How about Tekno, the guy who threw himself into the beef, only for him to find out a new truth about his physical appearance? Wizkid thinks he has a duck-face. Fans seem to agree with that description. Banky W wants the beef to end, MC Galaxy respects Wizkid-Davido hegemony, Cynthia Morgan thinks MC Galaxy should shut up, and everyone else thinks everyone else has an agenda.

What a time to be alive! Wooo!

But Wizkid has a mixtape coming soon, and questions are being asked about his decision to tackle his detractors publicly is a ploy to get everyone’s attention looking his way. Check out this tweet by yours truly, which asks the question: What if Wizkid and Davido beef is just an organized sideshow to promote the new project “Sounds from the Other Side.”

The mixtape will be dropping on Friday, July 14 2017 worldwide. And the preceding weeks have had beef as the main focus of Wizkid’s story. Is there a connection?

Right now, this line of thought feels like conspiracy theory yarn. But it is possible. When Psquare decided they needed to release “Double Trouble” album in 2014, they took to the media with stories of a physical fight and trouble in paradise. Peter and Paul Okoye conned Nigerians into begging for a reunion. That reunion became an album.

It has happened before, and even as we ponder over Wizkid vs Davido, it is still happening. Showbiz is a giant rolling wheel of strategy and smoke screens. We just might be in the middle of one.

But does beef really contribute positively to “Sounds from the Other Side?” Does the presence of strife benefit the release of new music?

Yes. It does. No one can generate a system of determining the correlation between this beef and the album sales, but it does generate press. Due to the events of the past week, there is a renewed sense of anticipation back home for Wizkid’s new project.

Fans and followers would want to experience another win over Davido, and the release of this project would give them that adrenaline rush and bragging rights. Neutrals and opposing fans want to pick holes in the project, hence they would rush to get the project, interact with it intimately, and use any perceived and evident lapses as further missile.

Regardless, it’s a win for Wizkid. People are paying attention, buying his music, and consuming it. No matter the intent of their hearts, whenever art is consumed, there’s something positive in there.

Ideally, beef should never be a part of the art in Nigeria. There’s power in unity and collaboration. We grow when we are at peace, forging a singular front. But somehow, out of something so ugly, there just might be beauty in it.

“Sounds from the Other Side” will be out on Friday, July 14 2017. It will be released across all global digital stores and streaming services.