Rolling Stone Africa has unveiled Davido as the cover star for its March/April 2025 issue, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first male living artist to grace the magazine’s front page.
The Nigerian afropop superstar, known for global hits like, ‘Fall’, ‘Blow My Mind’, and ‘Unavailable’, has been a key figure in shaping Afrobeats and elevating African music worldwide.
Since breaking onto the scene at 19 with Dami Duro, Davido has built an empire—not just as an artist but also as a record label owner, mentor, and cultural ambassador.
His journey of resilience and innovation is the focus of the Rolling Stone Africa cover story, which provides an exclusive look into his upcoming fifth studio album, 5ive, and his lasting influence on African music.
Obi Asika, Director General of Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), expressed pride in Davido’s achievements.
“At the National Council for Arts and Culture of Nigeria, we are delighted and excited to enter into this wide-ranging alliance with Rolling Stone Africa. It is, of course, fitting that the launch icon is Davido, one of our Kings of Afrobeats and a global ambassador for Nigerian music, culture and fashion, sharing positive energy with his massive global audience.
“We are proud of him, his journey and of all of our Ambassadors who continue to make Nigeria front page news globally in music, film, fashion, literature, sports, comedy and more. Congratulations to him on his 5th album and to Rolling Stone Africa on the relaunch and look out for ‘Nigeria Everywhere’ and other unique activations coming from us with Rolling Stone.”
Obi Asika
Similarly, D.R. Bellegarde Smeralda, CEO of Rolling Stone Africa, praised Davido’s contribution to Afrobeats and panafricanism.
“To inaugurate our partnership with the National Council for Arts and Culture in Nigeria, which will give birth to our monthly segment called Nigeria Everywhere, we could not have picked a better cover story than Davido.
“Davido has for years been a great ambassador of Afrobeats and Nigerian culture globally, and it is remarkable to witness what him and his team have achieved in music and beyond, constantly promoting panafricanism.”
D.R. Bellegarde Smeralda
Launched in August 2024, Rolling Stone Africa is dedicated to celebrating African music, culture, and stories, operating through a joint venture between the Mwankom Group and Penske Media Corporation (PMC).
A portion of Rolling Stone Africa’s proceeds goes toward charities supporting African history preservation and children’s welfare, reinforcing its commitment to making a tangible impact beyond entertainment.
Davido’s Rolling Stone Africa cover is more than a milestone—it’s a testament to the unstoppable rise of Afrobeats and the global impact of Nigerian culture.
Davido on Never Meeting Nicki Minaj
The Nigerian Afrobeats singer revealed that he has never met US rapper Nicki Minaj, despite collaborating with her twice on songs.
He disclosed how his collaborations with Minaj happened.
“You know the crazy thing? I have never met her [Nicki Minaj]. It’s crazy. We speak on the phone all the time. The first time we linked was through DM. I noticed that she was following me, and I texted her. I woke up the next morning and saw her reply. I was shocked. I told her I had a song for us, and she said she was interested. I think it was 2019 or 2020. I sent her the record, and two days later, she sent me her verse.
“We went to L.A. to shoot the video, but it didn’t work out because she was having her baby at that time. But we’ve always been close since then. She hit me again with the record last year for Pink 3, I think her anniversary album. She’s always supportive. She’s amazing.”
Davido
Davido and Nicki Minaj collaborated on the singer’s 2020 hit ‘Holy Ground’ and also on the rapper’s anniversary album last year.
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