“It’s Not Supposed to Be a Competition” — Joeboy Blames Ego for Decline in Artist Collaborations

Nigerian Afrobeats star Joeboy has spoken out about what he believes is hurting collaboration within the Nigerian music industry, blaming ego and unhealthy competition among artists for weakening creative partnerships.

The singer made the remarks during a recent interview on Cool FM Lagos alongside fellow musician Wizard Chan, where both artists discussed the growing tension surrounding collaborations in Afrobeats.

According to Joeboy, he now prefers working with artists he shares a genuine friendship or personal connection with because it eliminates rivalry and allows creativity to flow naturally.

“It is easier for me to collaborate with artists that I am cool with or friends with because there will be no ego or inner competition,” he said during the interview.

The singer added that collaborations should never be treated as contests between musicians, insisting that featured artists are supposed to bring fresh energy and even outperform the main act on a track.

Wizard Chan echoed the sentiment, criticizing artists who attempt to control collaborators in the studio or interfere with their creative process. According to him, some musicians become overly defensive once they hear a collaborator deliver a stronger verse or performance.

“My problem with collaboration is just ego,” Wizard Chan said. “Some artists will ask for a feature and still want to tell you how to do your job. That is wrong.”

He further claimed that some artists even go as far as rewriting or re-recording their verses after hearing a collaborator’s contribution if they feel overshadowed, a practice he described as damaging to authentic creativity.

Joeboy’s comments have sparked conversations online about the evolving culture within Afrobeats, a genre that has grown into one of Africa’s biggest global exports. Collaborations have long been central to the genre’s success, helping artists blend styles ranging from Afropop and amapiano to street-pop and R&B. In recent years, however, fans and industry observers have increasingly pointed to rivalries, fan wars, and branding competition as factors affecting artistic partnerships.