Controversial Nigerian artist Portable, known for his candid and often dramatic public statements, has taken aim at fellow artist Olamide following rumors that his protégé, Asake, has left the YBNL record label. The accusations came in a viral video posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, where Portable expressed his frustration with both Olamide and Asake.
In the video, Portable reflected on the moment Olamide featured on his hit song “Zazzu,” remembering the verse Olamide contributed. However, his comments quickly turned critical as he voiced his anger over Olamide’s decision to sign Asake instead of him, only for Asake to later abandon Olamide without gratitude. “Olamide, you used Asake to tackle me in the industry. You wanted to cancel me, so I ran to Sango. From Sango, I toured the world,” Portable stated in the video, expressing how he felt sidelined by Olamide’s decisions.
The artist continued to accuse Olamide of taking away people who were important to his success, including his producer, promoter, and dancer. “You took away my producer, my promoter, Kogbagidi, and my dancer,” Portable said. He seemed particularly aggrieved by the notion that Asake, whom Olamide had elevated, had now allegedly neglected him without offering any acknowledgment or appreciation.
Portable also took the opportunity to remind Olamide that, despite the tensions between them, he still appreciated the verse Olamide gave him on “Zazzu.” “Now see life—Asake doesn’t appreciate you anymore, yet I still do. I thank you for the verse you gave me on ‘Zazzu,’” Portable said, offering a somewhat sarcastic expression of gratitude amidst his criticism. He also claimed credit for certain fashion trends and cultural influences in the music industry.
In a further rebuke, Portable claimed that Olamide had tried to take credit for trends that he himself started. “I started the trend of wearing big shoes and oversized clothes, but you told Asake to copy it,” Portable accused Olamide, calling him a “copycat.” The artist also made allegations about Olamide and other industry figures hijacking his influence, particularly in relation to cryptocurrency. “Davido, I was the influencer for crypto and bitcoin, but you hijacked it from me and still claim to be a rich man,” he added.
Portable’s outburst comes as speculation swirls around Asake’s reported departure from YBNL, a development that has created buzz in the Nigerian music scene.
