Nigerian rappers Phenom and Ycee recently engaged in a heated exchange on social media, sparking widespread debate about collaboration, respect, and industry dynamics within Nigeria’s hip-hop scene.
The disagreement began when Phenom took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his frustration over the difficulty of securing features from top artists for his upcoming project. In his post, he reflected on his own peak years, highlighting how he had supported rising stars, including Ycee and Falz by giving them opportunities when they were still emerging. “Funny how when you’re trending, everyone wants a verse, but when you reach out, suddenly they’re all ‘busy.’ I remember when I helped a few rappers on their way up. Now it’s crickets,” he wrote.
Ycee responded swiftly, accusing Phenom of misrepresenting history. The Jagaban hitmaker reminded fans that he had been paid for the verse in question and called out Phenom for recycling a line he had originally used on a collaboration with Olamide. “Don’t twist the story,” Ycee stated. “You paid me for that feature, and you even reused my bar from another record. Let’s be real.”
Phenom fired back, clarifying that his original post was not aimed at Ycee and suggesting that Ycee’s defensive response was unnecessary.
The online spat quickly drew mixed reactions from fans. Some praised Phenom for openly addressing the challenges of collaboration in the industry, while others sided with Ycee, emphasizing the importance of defending one’s reputation and professional agreements. Comments ranged from criticisms about ego and disunity in Nigerian hip-hop to reflections on the balance between business and respect in the industry.
Although neither artist has issued a formal statement following the exchange, the feud has reignited conversations about how emerging and established artists navigate support, recognition, and collaboration in Nigeria’s rap scene.
Singers Phenom and Ycee in verbal exchange over the former’s statement about his inability to get verses from prominent artistes pic.twitter.com/qxAgwNobRE
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) November 13, 2025 lol
My bro you were paid for the verse which I later couldn’t use cos you’d used some (if not all of the) bars from it on one joint you did with Baddo back then. You never re
-recorded like you’d promised to so let’s just set that record straight abeg. https://t.co/z4bz9MQOwY
— ZAHEER! (@iam_YCee) November 13, 2025 You didn’t type the name of the people ducking you. You typed YCee
Why is my name in your tweet? https://t.co/ccfnWB6XJX
— ZAHEER! (@iam_YCee) November 13, 2025 Get Fresh updates from NotJustOk as they drop via X and Facebook
