Nigerian pop star Davido won Best International Act on Sunday at the BET Awards and urged greater collaborations between US and African musicians.
Nigeria's Davido dedicates BET win to Africa-US collaboration, condoles with D'Banj
The BET Awards, established by Black Entertainment Television to recognize the best in African American culture, maintains an international category for black music from outside the United States.
Davido, 25, thanked his listeners in Nigeria and said that Africa as a continent “has been so blessed.”
“I’m telling you guys, come to Africa, eat the food, wear the clothes,” he told the audience full of African American A-list celebrities.
Other nominees were South African hip-hop producer Cassper Nyovest and house music innovators Distruction Boyz from South Africa along with Kinshasa-born singer and guitarist Fally Ipupa and Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage.
“Let’s collaborate, everybody. Let’s collaborate, man,” Davido said.
Davido, the US-educated son of a wealthy business mogul, is one of the leading forces in the Afrobeats movement that has swept the continent’s music scene.
Nigerian stars mourn death of D’Banj’s son
Davido also took time to send out condolences to D’Banj over the loss of his son. Daniel Oyebanjo III, the one year old son of Nigerian Afrobeat star Daniel Oyebanjo popurlarly known as D’Banj drowned to death on Sunday at his father’s residence in Nigeria.
Trying Times ??. But my God is Always and Forever Faithful ?. A post shared by D’banj D Kokomaster (@iambangalee) on Jun 24, 2018 at 2:20pm PDT
I was just holding you last Month celebrating your birthday. I’m in shock, my heart is broken. This is unbearable ??? A post shared by Tiwa Savage (@tiwasavage) on Jun 24, 2018 at 4:27pm PDT
My heart and prayers are with Dapo and his family. No parent should ever have to bury a child. As a parent, it’s the worst thing imaginable. May God give you the fortitude to bear the loss, Dbanj. pic.twitter.com/PqdpiaI3GU— Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (@Chief_Obasanjo) June 24, 2018