Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has once again sparked conversations with his bold remarks, this time taking a jab at fellow artist Zlatan Ibile.
During a candid interview on Echo Room, the ‘Zaazu’ crooner dismissed Zlatan as an upcoming artist, claiming that the rapper lacks recognition among the elite and wealthy. According to Portable, an influential car dealer once advised him to stop engaging with Zlatan, insisting that the ‘Zanku’ hitmaker was merely leveraging his (Portable’s) fame for clout.
“He’s not known among rich people,” Portable declared, adding that Zlatan’s style of music keeps him in the upcoming category.
In his words, “Zlatan is an up-and-coming artist. There was a man I got a car from. I decided to change my car for my birthday, from one of the people I get cars from. He said I shouldn’t have answered Zlatan. He said Zlatan wanted to chase clout with my name. Then he said he didn’t even know his songs and that he just started hearing his name.”
He continued, “A lot of wealthy people don’t know some of these artists’ lyrics. What are they singing? Are those songs? You cannot do call and response. Is that music? Are you joking?”
This latest statement has ignited mixed reactions among fans, with some backing Portable’s claim while others argue that Zlatan, a multiple award-winning artist, is far from being upcoming.
What do you think? Does Portable have a point, or is this just another attention-seeking stunt?