Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido has stirred controversy with his recent claim of starting his life in a humble one-room apartment, known locally as “face-me-I-face-you,” in a public compound. The singer made the assertion in his song CFMF from his fifth studio album, 5ive, released on Friday.
In the song, Davido sings about his journey from modest beginnings to his current extravagant lifestyle, attributing his success to divine intervention. He expresses his transformation with the lines:
“Take a step and walk into my life…
Started all the way from face me I face you
Face me I face you
And now, I am living real large all thanks to Jesu
All thanks to Jesu oh.”
However, the claim has been met with skepticism on social media, with many pointing out that Davido is the son of Nigerian billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke. This background contradicts his depiction of humble beginnings, sparking debates about the authenticity of his narrative.
This is not the first time Davido has woven a “grass-to-grace” story into his music. His 2011 debut single Back When similarly claimed that many women rejected his advances when he had no money but later pursued him after his rise to fame. However, that song didn’t achieve much commercial success, partly due to doubts about the veracity of his claims, as his wealth was already well-known.
Davido eventually embraced his affluent background in his 2012 hit Dami Duro, where he confidently boasted of his unstoppable success as the son of a rich man. Despite this, his latest song has reignited discussions about how he chooses to frame his journey to fame, leading some fans and critics to question the authenticity of his “humble beginnings” narrative.
