Interrogating machoism, male celebrity rivalry and digital fandom practices in Nigerian Hip Hop

ABSTRACT

Beyond the glamour and paparazzi of contemporary popular music, celebrity artistes constantly negotiate intense rivalry with other artistes. This reality might be hinged on several different reasons. In this study, I interrogate Nigerian male artiste rivalry, with recourse to lyrical compositions and online engagements. This is complemented with fans’ online discourses on artiste rivalry, wherein the negotiation of identities is examined. Recourse is made to the tenets of fandom theory, and these are applied to the analysis of purposively selected music lyrics and tweets. In this mix of data, machismo-laden brags and positive self-representation as well as negative-other representations constitute identified linguistic realisations in the artistes’ narratives. On the other hand, fans index and ‘authenticate’ their participation through appellative self-identities, name-calling and through artiste critiquing. Significantly, these manifestations assert the multiplicities of narratives that are activated and which mediate in the online discursive practices of Nigerian male celebrity artistes and their fans.

KEYWORDS:

• Nigerian popular music
• Artiste rivalry
• Machoism
• Fandom
• Digital media

Acknowledgments

This article is part of the outcomes of my research with the Stellenbosch University Institute of Advanced Studies (STIAS). I am grateful for the stimulating feedback during my residency. I also appreciate the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verzuz

2. https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1147316/twitter-users-in-nigeria

3. https://www.legit.ng/1402973-blessing-disguise-rapper-vector-reveals-beef-mi-fetched-money.html

4. https://thewillnews.com/how-9ice-used-rumour-of-affair-with-ex-wife-to-promote-album-ruggedman/

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul Ayodele Onanuga

Paul Ayodele Onanuga is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. He received his PhD from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. His research interests revolve around linguistic practices in New Media Studies, queer sexualities on digital media, Nigerian Hip-Hop Studies, and Computer Mediated Communication/Discourse Analysis. He is a member of the Editorial Board of Discourse Context and the Media. He is widely published.