Written by: Hope Bassey
In this blessed country where the internet is hotter than pepper soup on a Sunday afternoon, one thing is sure: every two market days, one celebrity must collect. It is the cultural reset we didn’t ask for but always receive. Whether it’s claiming Nigerian streams don’t count, or waking up to declare rap is dead, or rocking a mini skirt that triggered half of Alausa, the people of X (formerly known as Twitter) will drag you like a generator cord.
This week’s lucky winners? Ayra Starr and Wizkid.
Yes, Nigeria’s celestial princess teamed up with Starboy Extraordinaire to drop ‘Gimme Dat’, a song so soaked in sultry nostalgia it could double as the soundtrack to a 2005 perfume ad. The beat? Smooth. The vibes? Elite. The lyrics? Horny. The controversy? Immediate.
Because in the middle of all that booze and passion, Ayra starr starts screaming “Diallo, Diallo” like she’s invoking a spirit lover from the other side of Nollywood. But plot twist—the internet, specifically best in “Cultural Hot Takes” of X.com, quickly reminded everyone that Diallo isn’t just a sweet-sounding syllable. It’s Amadou Diallo—a real person, a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant gunned down by New York police in 1999.
And just like that, the song that was supposed to make people slow wine turned into a historical symposium with footnotes.
To be fair, the original sample is Wyclef’s “911,” a chaotic duet about dangerous love, not his song “Diallo,” which mourns police brutality and pays tribute to Amadou’s tragic death. So technically, Ayra starr and Wiz weren’t sampling the protest track.
Whew! Crisis averted. Right? Right??
Except… explain to us, why is Ayra starr seductively moaning Diallo in a chorus that otherwise sounds like it was written inside a scented candle?
Cue the court of public opinion, in full regalia. One X user, clearly defending their thesis in Cultural Hot Takes 601, tweeted:
Another, from their sensitivity chamber echoed:
Calling the use of ‘Diallo’ tone-deaf and expressing discomfort with its casual use in a love song. Critics argue it trivializes a serious historical tragedy.”
Translation? They said, “Pack it up, Ayra Starr. This is not your playground.
But let’s give credit where due. Nigerians didn’t wait for a press release. No. They activated their sixth sense for gist and turned this situation into an A-level moral debate. The only thing missing was a PowerPoint presentation and an appearance by Chimamanda.
Was it a tribute? A coincidence? An innocent lyrical filler gone rogue?
We may never know. Because while the masses debated cultural ethics, Ayra was busy serving waist and wardrobe on the timeline like nothing happened. As she should. Because apparently, controversy is just content.
Now let’s not pretend Nigeria is the headquarters of cultural sensitivity. We literally remixed police sirens into an Uptown disco (Baddo, we’re looking at you). But even that has limits.
“Diallo” isn’t just a name. It’s history. It’s a trauma. It’s a memory.
And when you take that and drop it inside a sensual track, some people are bound to feel some type of way. Whether or not that was the intention doesn’t change the reaction.
This is where artistic freedom meets cultural responsibility.
Let’s be real. Music sampling has always been messy. One minute you’re honouring the old school, the next you’re being accused of spiritual theft. And Nigerians? Nigerians? We’ll call you tone-deaf in the morning and stream your song all night.
In fact, Gimme Dat is already charting in the Top 10 of the U.S. Billboard Afro Songs Chart. Controversy or not, Ayra’s voice still dey enter body.
But maybe, just maybe, this situation deserves more than “it’s not that deep.” Because when African artists start repurposing names tied to African trauma, in Western contexts, for Western charts, well, even the most infectious beat can’t save you from critical questions.
So whether or not “Diallo” was meant to invoke Amadou, the reaction was clear: the beat may slap, but the past doesn’t forget.
Still, if this week has taught us anything, it’s this: Nigerian celebrities urgently need media training and, more importantly, one blunt cousin who will hear your unreleased track and say, “Aunty, e pause orin yen na ( Aunty, Pause the music)”.
Because in this country, the internet never forgets. It only refreshes.
Until the next market day.
