Ivorian star Didi B puts his bid in for a 2026 Afrobeats banger with ‘Igbo’: Watch repeatedly
Aside from the way he says Igbo at the beginning, I am fully on board.
Just five days ago, Ivorian star artist Didi B unleashed a culturally rich visual for ‘Igbo’. Throughout the trance-inducing track, he talks about smoking to alleviate stress, prioritising cash money, and willingly catching a vibe. By making this move, it seems the French-speaking artist wants to be a strong contender in all year-end Afrobeats song lists. We are still six months away from 2027, so it is hard to tell. However, we can verify that the SaszyAfroshii production is a quality earworm.
Ironically, sharing the same name as a popular tribe of African people known for their resilience, the Abidjan creative is likely leaning more towards the way Burna Boy used it. According to his biography, he is the only Ivorian rapper to have filled the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium (over 30,000 seats). Subsequently, he achieved the same victory at the Stade Bouaké. Without further ado, watch ‘Igbo’ below. It was directed by Young Nouchi and filmed in Nigeria.
If you’re wondering what made me want to cover this song, allow me to explain its significance. Firstly, there are at least three languages in this composition: Nigerian Pidgin, Yoruba, and French. Based on my knowledge, Ivorians do not generally speak Nigerian Pidgin, which deepens my theory on Didi B’s intention. He has collaborated with Nigerian artists like Young Jonn, Zlatan, and Davido, and more.
Back in his home country, the population communicates in French, which is the official language, and indigenous local languages like Dioula (the most widely used trade language), Baoulé, and Bété. The equivalent language in Côte d’Ivoire is Français de Moussa (a popular, localised form of pidgin French often heard in the streets of Abidjan), rather than the English-based Nigerian Pidgin.
