Davido Thrashed Burna Boy On “FEM” & Still Made It A Hit – The Review
“FEM Review”, Sensational singer, Davido returned to the music scene after a three-month social media hiatus and as expected, he broke the internet. The singer made a huge comeback with the release of “FEM,” a track that he had been teasing fans with for months.
However, further analysis of the lyrics of the track indicates that he is dissing Burna Boy. This would not be the first time Davido would be dissing or addressing controversy via his songs but with “FEM” he appears to be quite intentional. This article examines thoroughly the lyrics and also a review of the track itself.
The Genesis
It is not known if Davido and Burna Boy had any beef prior to this current situation because all seemed to be well between the two at least with the way they showed love to each other on social media. When Burna Boy was nominated for a Grammy award earlier in the year, Davido was amongst the plethora of celebrities to wish him the best.
Unfortunately, he lost the award to Angelique Kidjo, and via his social media pages, he wrote that some of his colleagues were happy that he lost the Grammy Award. A couple of weeks later, Burna Boy in his famous question and answer session in March, revealed that his fifth album “Twice As Tall” would be released later in July. Davido followed suit and revealed that his new album “A Better Time” would be released in the same month. He announced that Tiwa Savage, American Rapper, Nicki Minaj would be featured on the album
Shortly after this, Burna Boy took to his Instagram page to share a cryptic message ““July will be very funny and I shall laugh accordingly.”. Davido then broke the internet by sharing a photoshopped picture of himself and Wizkid and wrote “The two greatest of all time, no [cap].”
In what seemed like a response to Davido’s post, he threw shade at the “Risky” singer calling him an embarrassment.“You cannot play football, everybody knows you cannot play football and you are an embarrassment to the team, but your daddy bought the football team…”
Davido has always been ridiculed for not being talented to have gone that far in the music scene. His wealthy status didn’t help matters as he has always been using his daddy’s money to advance his career. This was obviously directed at Davido.
Burna Boy References Davido on “Twice As Tall”
Burna Boy seemed to have thrown shade at the singer on “Way Too Big“. Burna brags about being too big and smart to be messing around with David and also falling into his traps. “Because I’m way too big, Way too big to be fucking with you, And be moving with you, mmm, Because I’m way too smart, Way too smart to be falling in your trap”. And on the track ‘Wetin Dey Sup‘
Interestingly, on “Wettin Dey Sup,” he switches up saying him and his gang are ready for a fight but based on one or two they are keeping calm. Still on same track he says he isn’t scared of anything that no one should tell him and the gang to Cool down and later comes to say he is not bothered about anything that Davido can have his way but he would continue to Win, Lead and be On Top.
Davido’s Comeback
After months of staying away from social media, Davido announced his first single of the year, “FEM” which means “Shut Up”. Making the announcement, Davido wrote that the track is dedicated to people taking bad about him simply because they do not understand his shine. “To the people talking about you because they don’t understand your shine, they don’t understand your grace, they don’t understand why they can never be what you are or have what you have… we say #FEM!”
Lyrics Breakdown
In the first verse, Davido doesn’t waste time in giving the raison d’être of the track. Apparently, someone is talking too much and all Davido wants is for him to shut up.
“E be like you don dey talk too much, Small talk you don dey talk who talk, Fem (Baddest!), Oboy you don dey do too much, Small talk you don dey look who talk, Fem (I’m Baddest!), “
Now, this is where the track gets interesting, Davido combines two of Burna Boy’s tracks in one sentence. “Like To Party” & “Odogwu“. It is no longer news that Burna Boy considers himself as the “Odogwu” which means a mighty person in the Igbo language. Also, Burna Boy’s debut official single ‘Like To Party’ which is off his “L.I.F.E” album is considered to be one of his biggest songs and the track that gave him prominence in the music scene. So Davido mentioning these tracks definitely raises eyebrows.
You wey dey find the pitty, Tell Odogwu say we Like To Party, Just call me, you wan know 30BG, You go know 30BG when you see 30BGUh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, Make una tell am to call me, Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh
From another angle, Burna Boy considers himself as the original Gangster, the one and only real music Gangster that runs and makes things happen in the music industry. Well Davido comes to clear him about partying and ganging, gives him an insight about how he desperately wants to get the Grammy and warms him to stay off violent acts because he is the Don dada and owns the Real Gang.
In second Verse Davido continues with his warnings. He advises him against talking too much because things could get more dangerous and out of hand. Here he also brags about having fans that are seriously vexing, and the real Gangs.
“Before the, before the matter get serious, Before the, whole matter gets dangerous, You need to make sure you don’t stay too much, ‘Cause if you say too much, I fit to run up on you… You see say I get fans wey dey para gan, You see say my own G pass G-Wagon”
Another intriguing detail in the second verse is the G-Wagon part. Davido says his own things are bigger than just the G-wagon. It is worthy to note that Burna Boy has a G-Wagon worth millions in his collection of exotic cars. When Burna Boy posted his garage on social media, Davido shared photos of his ridiculously expensive private jet.
Also Davido reminds that he sets trends even without being on Twitter, how he hangs around men and not boys, how he has the real fans and G that are ready to die for him and not Twitter staffs. Oops shots fired!!
“My nigga, I set trends, no Twitter staff, I get men, I no dey gather boys…”
This part above is like a double shade, let’s look deeply. We all know Wizkid has the best/biggest fans on social media especially on Twitter, and Burna Boy of late has been taking side with Wizkid praising him and doing all sort just to have Wizkid’s biggest and greatest asset – The Fans on his side towards his ‘Twice As Tall’ album and anytime he gets into any mess. Well David just made things clear that people on social media won’t go all out for you in real life, The street will and he owns that so Burna should think twice.
Still on the second verse, things got confusing with the last lines;
“I dey live my life, man dey turn am to shoot on sight, When be say na me dey give them life, Them go tell me who dey give them mind, give them mind”
This above sounded like Davido was having A Good Time, living the best his life, catching his cruise with the Gang/fans and someone, somewhere who isn’t happy about it wants to snipe him out. Take him off the music scene and steal his shine/glory. Well let’s drop our pen down on the Lyrics Breakdown.
DAVIDO – “FEM” REVIEW
The Visuals + Audio Review
The track produced by Napji has a good beat and vibe. Despite the fact the Davido’s singing skills are on the level any one of us could easily achieve with the help of singing lessons from a good vocal coach, his vocals were a bit rough (sounded like he wasn’t properly hydrated before singing) but he sang with passion. The track might be like a diss but it’s got easy to remember and catchy lyrics. However, “FEM” sounds like a mixture of some of his previous tracks, only with different lyrics and a changed beat but fortunately the strong vibe the song emits covered up that flaw.
Whats a Davido single without a visual to back it up? The Dammy Twitch directed visuals actually sums up the message he is trying to pass across. Davido shares a full view of his private jet, his luxurious lifestyle, his gang, and of course, the crazy love he receives from his fans on the street, worldwide. In other words, he is showing that he is the bigger man.
Final thoughts.
This track is on its way to being a huge hit and it’s not just because it’s his first single of the year or because of its message. The title of the track is enough to start a new movement, another internet slang for netizens plus its catchy lyrics. Someone talking too much about you? someone dragging you for no reason? Tell them to what? FEM! Davido sure knows how to diss someone, address matters and still make it a hit song.
From OBO’s corner/end FEM! is not a Diss but a Statement which reads: ‘I don’t need to talk down on you/people before i get elevated – But if that is what you deploy to be elevated, then KEEP QUIET aka FEM!‘
But hey! this entire brouhaha has this writer thinking If this beef was between both, who had the better diss? How would Burna Boy respond to this? Is this really a diss for Burna Boy or it’s Davido just catching cruise? Do drop/share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
DAVIDO – “FEM” REVIEW
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