Davido, the Afrobeats superstar whose real name is David Adeleke, recently opened up about being Nigeria’s most criticized celebrity, all because he comes from a wealthy family. In a candid chat on the Culture Knock Out podcast, he shared how the “rich kid” label could’ve derailed his music career early on if he hadn’t kept his background under wraps at first.

He explained that he’d already dropped a few chart-topping hits before people found out about his family’s wealth. “By the time they realized my dad had money, it was too late—I’d already blown up with three hit songs,” he said with a grin. Davido admitted the stigma of being a rich kid in music could’ve been a bigger hurdle, but his early success shielded him from the worst of it.

Driven by pure passion, he was ready to chase his music dreams no matter what—even if it meant giving up everything. “I didn’t care if I ended up broke or homeless. Music was all I wanted, and nothing was going to stop me,” he said.

Over time, though, the hate started rolling in, largely because of his privileged background. But Davido’s response keeps making great music that speaks for itself. And it’s been working. He shrugged off the criticism with a relatable take: “It’s just how it goes. When you’re at the top of anything, people will come for you. It’s like running for office—everyone loves you until you win and become president. Then the hate starts.”