CDQ said he and Wizkid attended Lagos State University around the same period and would often spend time together at an arcade before Wizkid later changed schools.
“Wizkid and I went to LASU around the same time before he changed schools to Lead City. We used to chill at the arcade together,” CDQ said.
According to the rapper, Wizkid had already attracted attention from several major figures in Nigeria’s music industry before joining EME.
CDQ recalled that Wizkid told him he had options from prominent music executives, including Don Jazzy and M.I, but eventually chose EME after Banky W presented a more attractive financial offer.
“Before he signed to EME, he told me he had options: Don Jazzy wanted to sign him to EME, M.I. too, but Banky W gave him more money,” he added.
Wizkid eventually signed with EME, a decision that became an important chapter in his early career. His time with the label helped introduce him to a wider Nigerian audience before he went on to establish his own Starboy Entertainment imprint and achieve international recognition.
CDQ’s recollection offers a glimpse into the period before Wizkid became one of Africa’s most internationally recognised music stars.
The story also highlights the intense competition among Nigerian music executives and record labels for emerging talent during the late 2000s and early 2010s, when a new generation of artistes was reshaping the country’s music industry.
Wizkid has since built a career spanning multiple international collaborations, major awards and global tours, becoming one of the leading Nigerian artistes in the worldwide expansion of Afrobeats.
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