Controversial Nigerian street-hop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has stirred reactions once again after branding fellow artist Zlatan Ibile as an “up-and-coming artist.”
In a recent interview on Echo Room, Portable downplayed Zlatan’s influence in the music scene, claiming that the ‘Zanku’ crooner isn’t well-recognized among affluent Nigerians due to his style of music.
“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 that he just started hearing his name,” Portable said.
He further criticized the lyrical content of some Nigerian artists, suggesting that their music lacks audience engagement and cultural resonance.
“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?”
The remarks have sparked heated discussions online, with fans and critics weighing in on the ongoing tension between the two artists.
Zlatan Ibile, known for popularizing the Zanku dance movement, has not yet publicly responded to Portable’s comments as of the time of this report.
