Afrobeats superstar Davido has revealed the difficulties he faced in the early days of his musical career with his father’s disapproval. He went further to note that his breakout hit ‘Dami Duro’ wasn’t just a street anthem, it reportedly found its way to the highest office in the country.
In a recent interview on Power 105.1 FM in the United States, Davido shared the dramatic story of how his once-disapproving father, billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke, tried to shut down his music career by any means necessary.
“My dad accepted my decision to do music after he heard my second single, ‘Dami Duro’. The song blew up,” Davido recalled. “Before then, he was using the police and army to shut down my shows. He would go after promoters, artists, anyone involved.”
The turning point? Davido claims that ‘Dami Duro’ was so popular, it even became the ringtone of the former President Goodluck Jonathan. “Someone told me it was the President’s ringtone,” he said, noting that this level of recognition prompted people to urge his father to reconsider his stance.
After realizing the impact of his son’s talent, Deji Adeleke made a complete U-turn, eventually becoming one of Davido’s biggest supporters.
“I went further and accepted to return to school. I said I didn’t have to run away, that I should have spoken to him. But back then, I was scared. He was unapproachable. Now, we’re best friends. He comes to all my shows and is very involved in my business.”
Davido’s story is a classic tale of passion, rebellion, and redemption with a presidential ringtone twist that underscores just how far his music has reached.
