Afrobeats superstar Davido has credited iconic Nigerian duo P-Square with helping shape his early belief that African musicians could achieve global success.
The singer spoke about the influence of Peter and Paul Okoye during a recent interview with the BBC, recalling how proudly he discussed the duo with his school friends.
According to Davido, P-Square’s international collaborations and relationships with major global music figures made a strong impression on him while he was growing up.
He particularly remembered telling his classmates about the brothers’ collaboration with American rapper Snoop Dogg and their friendship with Kanye West.
“P-Square inspired me. I used to tell my friends in school about how they were two African artistes who had a song with Snoop Dogg and were friends with Kanye West,” Davido said.
For Davido, seeing Nigerian artistes establish relationships beyond Africa helped change the perception of what was possible for musicians from the continent.
He said P-Square’s achievements gave young Nigerian artistes the confidence to think beyond the local market and pursue international recognition.
Made up of twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye, P-Square became one of Nigeria’s most successful music acts during the peak of their career, earning a wide following across Africa and beyond.
Their success came during a period when African pop music was increasingly reaching international audiences, helping demonstrate the commercial potential of music from the continent.
Davido has since become one of the Nigerian artistes who carried that ambition further, building an international career through collaborations, tours and global recognition.
Reflecting on his journey, his comments underline the influence of an earlier generation of Nigerian stars whose international breakthroughs helped make global ambition feel more attainable for those who followed.
