A decade of Davido: Spotify shares some of the details behind his iconic debut album

His decade-long career has seen him go from an emerging pop star to a global icon, with an unending list of hits and cross-continental collaboration with international hitmakers such as Nicki Minaj, Summer Walker, Chris Brown, Nas, Lil Baby, Sauti Sol, Focalistic, Uhuru and most recently, Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir.

The 17-track album, released in 2012, is now considered one of the groundbreaking projects that lit the path for modern African music, and inspired a new era of young African musicians that are taking over the world today.

The Yoruba-language album title means “the child of a wealthy father” and alludes to his father’s affluence. Davido, now one of Africa’s top earners in music, has stepped out of his father’s shadow and crafted a story for himself, having built his own wealth and a following that spans the globe. 

More than an artist, Davido is a tastemaker who has driven a number of budding African artists to mainstream stardom by either offering free verses or co-signing them via his independent label, Davido Music Worldwide (DMW).