- Joeboy said ego and rivalry are affecting collaborations among Nigerian artists
- He explained he prefers working with friends to avoid creative conflict in music projects
- Wizard Chan added that collaboration should focus on creativity, not competition or control
Afrobeats singer Joeboy has said that ego is increasingly affecting how Nigerian artists collaborate on music projects, leading to unnecessary competition and tension in the industry.
The singer made the remark during a recent interview on Cool FM Lagos, where he appeared alongside fellow artist Wizkid Chan.
According to Joeboy, some musicians approach collaborations with a mindset of rivalry rather than creativity, which often affects the final output of joint projects.
He explained that he prefers to work with artists he shares a friendly or cordial relationship with, as it reduces ego clashes and encourages smoother collaboration in the studio.
“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.
Joeboy further noted that he does not view collaboration as a competition and actually expects featured artists to perform exceptionally well, even to the point of outperforming him on a track.
“Personally, if I feature you, I expect you to outshine me in the song. That is why I featured you. So, I don’t get the competition,” he added.
On his part, fellow artist Wizard Chan also shared his thoughts on the issue, stressing that ego remains one of the biggest challenges in musical collaborations.
He explained that true collaboration should be based on mutual respect for each artist’s creative process, rather than attempts to control or influence another performer’s style.
“My problem with collaboration is just ego. I would never interfere when you’re recording; you just also do the same,” Wizard Chan said.
He criticised situations where artists attempt to dictate how their collaborators should perform or adjust their sound to fit a competitive mindset.
According to him, the purpose of collaboration is to blend different artistic strengths to create something unique, not to compete for superiority within a single track.
“The reason I would feature anybody is because I cannot do what they are doing. And I cannot even tell them to sound like me or do my style,” he said.
Wizard Chan further added that some artists even go as far as re-recording their verses after hearing a stronger performance from a collaborator, an action he described as counterproductive.
The conversation has sparked discussions among fans and industry watchers, many of whom agreed that ego-driven rivalry can sometimes undermine the spirit of collaboration in Afrobeats, a genre known for its global rise and increasing international partnerships.