In a heartwarming cultural exchange that bridged generations of Nigerian music, global Afrobeats star Davido recently hosted legendary highlife musician Bright Chimezie in Lagos.
The meeting came shortly after Chimezie publicly praised Davido’s new single With You, which features fellow Nigerian artist Omah Lay.
The song, a standout track from Davido’s newly released fifth studio album 5ive, cleverly samples Bright Chimezie’s 1980s classic Because of English, blending old-school highlife with contemporary afrobeats in a way that resonated deeply with fans—both old and new.
Videos circulating online captured the beautiful moment Davido welcomed Bright Chimezie at the lobby of a Lagos venue, where he hosted the music icon in the presence of friends and close associates.
Davido, dressed casually and grinning ear-to-ear, gave Chimezie a warm embrace, expressing admiration for the veteran’s musical legacy.
The atmosphere was vibrant and celebratory, with conversations and laughter flowing as generations of Nigerian music intersected in real-time.
One particularly touching moment occurred when Davido placed a video call to his uncle, the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke.
In the clip, Davido excitedly introduced Bright Chimezie to his uncle and his wife, who both expressed joy and reverence for the legendary musician.
“You’re speaking to royalty!” Davido told Chimezie playfully, as everyone on the call shared a laugh.
The exchange highlighted Davido’s deep respect for musical history and his pride in connecting Nigeria’s past with its present and future.
Bright Chimezie had earlier shown love for the track on his own social media page, where he was seen dancing enthusiastically to With You.
In the video, the vibrant entertainer praised Davido and Omah Lay for honoring his work: “This is beautiful. I’m so proud of these boys. They’ve taken our sound and given it a new life. God bless Davido, God bless Omah Lay,” he said with a broad smile.
His approval validated the younger artists’ creative choices and added a layer of cultural significance to the hit song.
With You, produced by the prolific Tempoe, is a sonic fusion of highlife and funk—genres that defined Nigerian music in the 1970s and 1980s, especially through the work of artists like Bright Chimezie.
The track exemplifies the current wave in Nigerian pop culture, where contemporary musicians are increasingly drawing from traditional and classic sounds to create music that is both nostalgic and futuristic.
This musical cross-pollination isn’t new; in recent years, artists like Tems and Asake have also sampled classics from earlier eras to create chart-topping hits.
As Davido basks in the success of 5ive, his fifth album, the singer is also gearing up for his massive 5 Alive world tour.
Among the tour’s 13 scheduled dates is a landmark show at the 60,000-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the United Kingdom.
There, he’ll be headlining alongside American rap legend 50 Cent and R&B queen Mary J. Blige. With his ability to merge old and new sounds, Davido isn’t just making hits—he’s building bridges between generations, cultures, and continents, all while honoring the legends who paved the way.
