Nigerian Afrobeats singer Dammy Krane has found himself at the centre of a storm after dropping a new single titled “Champion’s Arrival (Hahaha)”, which many music fans are accusing of being a thinly-disguised replica of Bolu ‘Champz’ Wizkid’s freshly released EP of the same name.
The track, which went live on major streaming platforms on November 11, arrived on the same day the 14-year-old Boluwatife, son of music superstar Wizkid, dropped his “Champion’s Arrival” EP — a project that already surged to over 1 million Spotify streams within 24 hours.
What has ignited widespread commentary is the uncanny similarity in title and timing between Krane’s song and Champz’s release. On social media, critics and fans alike questioned Krane’s motives — with many branding the move as opportunistic and undermining younger artists. One commenter said: “Do you know how many songs this guy has buried in his archive?”
Krane is no stranger to controversy. His reputation for dropping music that overlaps with larger-budget projects released the same day — albeit under slightly different titles — has been under scrutiny. As entertainment outlets have noted, while song titles can’t be copyrighted in Nigeria, the pattern of his releases has provoked questions about artistic originality.
Dammy Krane has not issued a public statement explaining the timing or intent behind “Champion’s Arrival (Hahaha)”.
