Davido and the 30BG are eating good after the afrobeats star scattered the internet with his “old cat, new cat” comment in a Brut interview.
Now, music fans and critics are riled up; everyone is making a strong case for their favourites. Amid the chaos, our own question is, where are these “cats” who once had our attention with their music?
Ayo Jay
Source: Instagram (@iamayojay)
Wasn’t he going to be our next Justin Bieber? He crawled so that Fireboy, Omah Lay and the new “cats” could walk. But, the last we heard of Ayo Jay was a freestyle to Burna Boy’s Last Last last September.
W4
Source: Instagram (@w4shaaa)
You just had to be there in the 2000s when W4’s Kontrol had everyone in a chokehold. The music aside, his eccentric style made us think we’d finally gotten our 21st-century Fela Kuti. Sadly, it was all too short-lived. W4 fizzled out of the scene just as quickly as he grabbed our attention. He’s had multiple releases post-Kontrol, but none quite lived up to it.
Mo’Cheddah
Source: Instagram (@mocheddah)
She should be up there doing queen-level shit with Tiwa Savage, but these wishes, quite sadly, are not horses. Mo’Cheddah’s 2010 debut album, Franchise Celebrity, is a cocktail of bangers that’ll still beat any good music lover into shape on the dance floor in 2023. These days, she’s still in our faces but her interests have shifted to lifestyle content. We love it for her sha.
Maye Hunta
Source: Instagram (@mayehunta)
The year was 2009. Ladies clutching their pearls and men shamelessly attempting falsetto runs — this was the hold Maye Hunta’s Ekaette had on Nigerian music lovers. Finally, we’d gotten our own Usher— or so we thought. 14 years later, Hunta still makes music, but does anyone care?
Di’Ja
Source: Instagram (@aphrodija)
The Gen-Zs will probably roll their eyes to the heavens if an Awww, Looku Looku or Take Kiss plays at the club today — and we won’t judge them. Di’Ja was poised to take over as Mavin’s first lady after Tiwa but Mama Jamjam clearly left big shoes to fill. And Di’Ja is hardly part of the music conversation these days…
D’Prince
Source: Instagram (@dprincemavin)
This cat might be missing on the front-end of things, but we’re glad D’Prince blessed us with the goodness that’s Rema and Ruger.
Kayswitch
Source: Instagram (@therealkayswitch)
Hard to tell if he’s still in the business of music, but we can’t deny that Kayswitch had a good run with the good ol’ Mo’Hits crew; Booty Call and Pere are classic hits. He promised his fans new music last November, but there’s a lot of work to be done if he wants to keep up with the current industry.
