Wizkid & Tiwa Savage’s “Stew” and Davido and Chioma’s “Assurance”: A Tale of two Hypes

They are two of Nigeria’s hottest artistes at the moment. One has been recognized at the hottest pop star in Africa by Vogue Magazine, and although the other has yet to earn that tag, he is unarguably a pop star in his own right.

I write, of course, about Wizkid and Davido. In a list of 10, they would most probably occupy the first 5 spots of artistes firmly in the consciousness of music lovers in Nigeria right now, thanks to the appeal of their music and their persona.

Talking about music, Davido captured the consciousness of Nigerians months back when he released the video of his song “Assurance,” a love jam that calls you to dance and have a convivial time with the one you hold dear.

“Assurance,” released in May, has gone on to rake over 27 millions views on YouTube. This in itself gives an idea of Davido’s appeal as a musician and his hold on Nigeria’s music industry.

It is November already, exactly six months after the release of the “Assurance” video. And it is clear “Assurance” has lost its place in the discussion board of Nigerian music at the moment.

It has lost its place to Wizkid’s “Fever” video which featured Mavin Records’s songstress and “Lova Lova” hitmaker Tiwa Savage. Within 20 hours of release the video has hit over 1 million views on YouTube, a record for an African artiste.

A common thread of love – or the corruption of it – runs through “Fever” and “Assurance.” However, while the scenes in “Assurance” aren’t exactly explicit, the scenes in “Fever” are downright lubricious. Lascivious glances, intense bodily contact and near-osculatory moments make  “Fever” a candidate for 18+ rating.

In reality Davido’s love interest in “Assurance” was someone close to his heart and publicly recognized as his girlfriends : Chioma Avril. However Wizkid’s love interest in “Fever,” is one public figure whose relationship with Wizkid is not exactly known and has been steeped in controversies.

But Tiwa Savage, who has consistently denied having a relationship with Wizkid, most recently in an interview with Sound City, has no regrets for her role in the “Fever.” She recently took to her Instagram page to address those who are trying to make her life a “community project.”

“She no get shame, broken marriage, single mother, Old woman. f any of the above is a crime then take me to court if not then eat this pepper stew I’m serving and drink plenty water because by his grace alone I ain’t stopping anytime soon,” she had written.

And fans haven’t stopped watching “Fever” either. As of this writing “Fever” has got a little over 5 million views. By view count it lags behind “Assurance” by about 22 million views.

Would “Fever” live up to its hype and catch up with “Assurance” in the next six months? Time will tell. However, if you want my opinion right now, it is this: “Assurance” will retain its first position in view count right into 2019; it is one video you can watch in front of your teen without getting (too) uncomfortable. You have my assurance.