Nigerian-American singer-songwriter and record producer Davido has made it to the cover of the March/April 2025 issue of Rolling Stone Africa, becoming the first male living artist to grace the magazine’s front page.
This historic honour, which bears testimony to the unstoppable rise of Afrobeats and the global impact of Nigerian culture, comes ahead of the Afrobeats superstar’s release of his fifth album, 5ive.
Since breaking onto the scene at 19 years old with Dami Duro, Davido, who is known for global hits like If, Fall, Blow My Mind, and Unavailable, has played a key role in shaping Afrobeats and elevating African music on the world stage.
He has built an empire—not just as an artist but as a record label owner, mentor, and cultural ambassador. His journey of resilience and innovation is the focus of the Rolling Stone Africa cover story, which provides an exclusive look into his upcoming fifth studio album, 5ive, and his lasting influence on African music.
Expressing pride in Davido’s achievements, Director General of Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, said the Council was delighted and excited “to enter into this wide-ranging alliance with Rolling Stone Africa“.
“It is of course fitting that the launch icon is Davido, one of our Kings of Afrobeats and a global ambassador for Nigerian music, culture and fashion sharing positive energy with his massive global audience,” said Asika.
“We are proud of him, his journey and of all of our Ambassadors who continue to make Nigeria front page news globally in music, film, fashion, literature, sports, comedy and more. Congratulations to him on his 5th album and to Rolling Stone Africa on the relaunch and look out for ‘Nigeria Everywhere’ and other unique activations coming from us with Rolling Stone,” he said.
CEO of Rolling Stone Africa, D.R. Bellegarde Smeralda, praised Davido’s contribution to Afrobeats and Pan-Africanism.
“To inaugurate our partnership with the National Council for Arts and Culture in Nigeria which will give birth to our monthly segment called ‘Nigeria Everywhere’, we could not have picked a better cover story than Davido,” said Smeralda. “Davido has for years been a great ambassador of Afrobeats and Nigerian culture globally and it is remarkable to witness what him and his team have achieved in music and beyond constantly promoting Pan-Africanism.”
Launched in August 2024, Rolling Stone Africa is dedicated to celebrating African music, culture, and stories, operating through a joint venture between the Mwankom Group and Penske Media Corporation (PMC).
A portion of Rolling Stone Africa’s proceeds goes toward charities supporting African history preservation and children’s welfare, reinforcing its commitment to making a tangible impact beyond entertainment.
