Wizkid, Drake: ‘One dance’, ‘Come closer’ romance was always about music, nothing personal

Wizzy and Drizzy has been a great musical relationship for fans. Three great songs have been the fruits and highlight of the collaboration.

Wizkid and Drake made our 2016 come alive in Nigeria, and at some point, our 2017 too. It was one of those magical music stories that (sadly) didn’t become personal.

As true music fans, many would have wanted the fusion of Wizkid and Drake to become a bromance. Some sort of personal and musical partnership and friendship that would stand the test of time. Many would have prayed that just as Chris Brown, Tinie Tempah, Skepta, Ty Dolla Sign, and Justine Skye have all become extended members of the Starboy family, Drake would have come closer than he did. (I couldn’t resist that pun).

But the relationship was never personal. It was created by chance, destined by fate, and bound by money. Never about feelings.

Let’s go to the start of their relationship. Drake and Wizkid’s romance didn’t start from any physical meeting. Drake was introduced to Ójuelegba’ by a mutual friend of Wizkid – Grime rapper Skepta – who got Drake to remix it. All of that process was made official and managed via emails. There was no meeting.

While Drake was working on his “Views” album in 2016, and needed a little something extra. His A&R team reached out to South African producer, DJ Maphorisa, via email. According to a story he shared with Genius, everything was done via email, with files sent across both parties.

“I was recording Wiz when they sent [the files],” Maphorisa said, referring to Wizkid’s background vocals on the song. “There was nothing really there. We started working on it—I added some production.”

Maphorisa said they finished “One Dance” in only a week—it’s one of four tracks they recorded. But they never met. Everything was via email.

Over the coming months, ‘One Dance’, became phenomenal in its success, generating over a billion streams on Spotify and spending 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard 100 chart.

But through all these shared successes, Wizkid and Drake have never been pictured together. Drake and rapper Future began their Summer Sixteen tour from July 2016, and at all the stops and venues, there has been no ‘One Dance’ performance which featured Wizkid.

Also, the video of the song which was shot in South Africa did not feature Wizkid, although Kyla, who was the other collaborator, was present in the video.

At no point has Wizkid and Drake shared the same physical space. If that has happened, photos from the meeting would have found its way online, most likely from Wizkid’s camp. All of Wizkid’s other international collaborations have had photo opportunities. Tinie Tempah, Ty Dollar Sign, Nico & Vinz, and others have their photos with Wizkid. But none from Drake.

 

The only time Wizkid and Drake did anything that didn’t appear as a song was via Instagram. Drake and Wizkid became buddies by following each other. And also, in the build up to “Views” release, Drake had posted a photo of Wizkid, as a promotional chip. It worked.

In perhaps inadvertent reciprocation, Drake was absent in the two visuals for Wizkid’s ‘Come closer’, prompting speculation that there was a strain in their relationship. Although he acknowledged and promoted the collaboration on social.

When US singer The Weeknd decided to bite off Wizkid’s moniker “Starboy” as the title of his next album, Drake supported the Weeknd, bringing him up on stage at a concert and calling him “the real Starboy.”

Wizkid on his part, have always deflected questions about his relationship with Drake. The singer avoids questions about Drake, and in an interview with DBootleg Kev and DJ Damage on LA’s Real 92.3FM, refused to talk about the rapper.

“I don’t like to talk about another man’s play.” Wizkid said.

 

Drake is yet to acknowledge the release of  “Sounds From The Other Side” mixtape, which was released on Friday, July 14, 2017, under Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records. News have come out that Wizkid has disconnected himself from Drake on social media by unfollowing him.

It has been a great relationship musically for fans. Three great songs have been the fruits and highlight of the collaboration. There have been many musical moments to cherish, and no one knows if the end has come.

But was it worth it? Yes! Drake and Wizkid have been strictly about the music, fans have enjoyed their output, and as for the personal aspect? That’s really their business.

from pulse.ng - Nigeria's entertainment & lifestyle platform online