Davido becomes the first male living artist to feature on Rolling Stone Africa’s cover, marking a milestone for Afrobeats and Nigerian music.
Davido has become the first male living artist to feature on Rolling Stone Africa’s cover, marking a milestone for Afrobeats and Nigerian music.
Rolling Stone Africa has unveiled Davido as the cover star for its March/April 2025 issue, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first male living artist to grace the magazine’s front page. The Nigerian afropop superstar, known for global hits like If, Fall, Blow My Mind, and Unavailable, has been a key figure in shaping Afrobeats and elevating African music on the world stage.
Since breaking onto the scene at 19 years old with Dami Duro, Davido 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.
Obi Asika, Director General of Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), expressed pride in Davido’s achievements.
“At the National Council for Arts and Culture of Nigeria we are 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.
He added: “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.”
Similarly, D.R. Bellegarde Smeralda, CEO of Rolling Stone Africa, praised Davido’s contribution to Afrobeats and panafricanism.
“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 panafricanism”
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. Follow Rolling Stone Africa on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Davido’s Rolling Stone Africa cover is more than a milestone—it’s a testament to the unstoppable rise of Afrobeats and the global impact of Nigerian culture.
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