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Afrobeats Star Fola Apologises After First Headline Show Ends Abruptly

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2025 Afrobeats breakout singer, Folarin Odunlami, with the stage name, Fola, has apologised to fans following the abrupt end of his first headline performance at the Mainland Block Party, which was halted over safety concerns after the venue reportedly exceeded its capacity.

The event, held on Monday, December 15, at the Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, was disrupted after a large influx of fans led to overcrowding, rowdiness and reported safety breaches.

Attendance was said to have surpassed the venue’s approved capacity, prompting organisers to stop the show.

Several fans at the venue complained of poor coordination, with some ticket holders saying they were unable to gain access despite purchasing tickets sold in batches by the organisers.

Fola, who performed briefly before leaving the stage, later addressed the situation in an apology message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.

He explained that the decision to stop the performance was taken in the interest of safety.

“My people, I’m really sorry about how last night went,” the singer said, acknowledging the disappointment experienced by fans.

He added that reports of injuries were particularly troubling and should never have occurred at a live event.

“People were hurt and that should never happen. I had to stop the show because safety comes before anything else,” he said.

The singer further assured fans that their concerns had been noted and that steps were being taken to address the situation.

“I hear you on all fronts, and we’re working to make things right,” he added.

The concert, which was highly anticipated by fans of the 2025 Afrobeats breakout star known for songs such as Lost and Bye Bye, triggered backlash on social media, with criticism directed at both the artiste and the organisers over what many described as inadequate planning and poor crowd control.

In a separate statement on X (Formerly Twitter), Dangbana Republik, the record label Fola is signed to, acknowledged the lapses that led to the disruption and reiterated its commitment to fan safety.

“We acknowledge the serious safety issues that occurred at the event organised by Mainland Block Party,” the label said.

It noted that the venue’s capacity was exceeded, creating conditions it described as unsafe and unacceptable.

“The venue capacity was exceeded, resulting in unsafe conditions that should never have happened,” the statement said.

The label added that the performance was halted as soon as it became clear that fans were at risk, stressing that discussions were ongoing with the organisers.

“Once it became clear that fans were at risk, the performance was stopped immediately. We are working with the organisers to ensure adequate measures are taken to address the concerns of those affected. Your safety remains non-negotiable to us,” it added.

As of the time of filing this report, the organisers of the Mainland Block Party had yet to issue a separate statement addressing the incident.

 

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Entertainment

Davido Breaks Silence After Grammy Loss

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Nigerian singer Davido has broken his silence following his loss at the 2026 Grammy Awards held on Sunday, February 1.

Daily voice reports that his song featuring Omah Lay, With You was nominated in the Best African Music Performance category, but he did not take home the prize.

After the awards night, the singer shared photos from the event on his Instagram page, with the caption, “Oluwa Dey My Side.” South African star Tyla had clinched the prize for Best African Music Performance category for her song Push 2 Start.

The category featured several Nigerian artistes, including Burna Boy with Love, Davido with With You featuring Omah Lay, and the joint entry from Ayra Starr and Wizkid titled Gimme Dat. Also nominated was Hope & Love by Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin. Despite the heavy Nigerian presence, none of the country’s nominees emerged victorious.

The Best African Music Performance category was created to give African sounds wider global attention, and this year’s shortlist once again reflected Nigeria’s strong impact in the music space, with three Nigerian acts making the final list.

Tyla’s latest win makes her a two-time recipient of the Best African Music Performance award. She first claimed the honor in 2024 with Water, becoming the first artiste to win the category. Tyla, 24, is a South African singer and songwriter known for blending amapiano, pop and R&B sounds.

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Grammys: Kendrick Lamar Surpasses Jay-Z As Most-Awarded Rapper

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Kendrick Lamar swept the rap categories at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, winning all four. His album ‘GNX’ won the Best Rap Album, while his collaboration with Lefty Gunplay, ‘TV Off’ clinched the Best Rap Song.

His SZA-assisted hit, ‘Luther’ won the Best Melodic Rap Performance while his collaboration with Clipse, ‘Chains & Whips’ took home the Best Rap Performance award.

‘Luther’ also won the highly coveted Record of the Year award.

After sweeping the rap categories and also winning the Record of the Year at this year’s year Grammys, Lamar surpassed Jay-Z (25) as the most-awarded rapper, with 27 Grammies.

Meanwhile, Olivia Dean won the Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy, beating stiff competition from Leon Thomas, KATSEYE, Addison Rae, and Lola Young.

Dean continued the streak of only women winning Best New Artist at the Grammys since 2017.

Billie Eilish won the Song of the Year for ‘Wildflower’ for a record time.

Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny’s ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ makes history as the first Spanish language ‘Album of the Year’ winner in Grammys history.

Pharrell Williams received the Dr. Dre Global Impact award at this year’s Grammys.

Beyoncé remains the most awarded artiste in Grammy history, with 35 wins.

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Trump Slams Grammy, Threatens Legal Action Against Trevor Noah

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U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised the Grammy Awards, describing the ceremony as “virtually unwatchable” and accusing its host, Trevor Noah, of making a false and defamatory statement about him.

In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said the Grammys were among the “worst” award shows and claimed broadcaster CBS was “lucky” to no longer air what he called “garbage.”

He also took aim at Noah’s performance as host, comparing him unfavorably to late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

Trump’s comments followed a remark by Noah during the awards ceremony in which he referenced Trump and former President Bill Clinton in relation to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump strongly denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island or being associated with it in any way.

“I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close,” Trump wrote, insisting that he had never previously been accused of such by the media.

He said Noah’s comment was incorrect and defamatory.

The president warned that he was considering legal action against Noah, calling him a “pathetic” and “talentless” master of ceremonies, and suggested his lawyers could pursue a lawsuit for damages.

Trump also referenced previous legal disputes involving media figures, saying they had “worked out well” for him.

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