Until now, it would have been safe to assume Wizkid in the same class of celebrities above our the wrath of our share and like buttons. But earlier this week, the singer’s interview with BBC culture reporter, Jasmine Dotiwala, became the source of a rare Wizkid drag, with a social media mob wielding pitchforks and putting the Starboy to the roast.

The crime? Wizkid’s apparent inability to stick to one accent, evident in his mispronunciation of British and American words and expressions. And the jury’s stand? Well, guilty as expected. The final verdict, however, is not exactly clear.

A lot of social media chatter is built off loose ended trending topics but you don’t need to watch the cringe-worthy extended cut of Wizkid’s interview to know his BBC spotlight wasn’t flawless. Wizkid did not only use a fusion of faux accent, he also found it difficult to connect the right words with the intent behind them. You can hear this in how he touches on grand ideas briefly before bringing them to a flat stuttering conclusion. Obviously, Wizkid’s grand master plan is to leave a footprint on African music, but it also seems like that’s all he had to say.

But can you blame him?

Wizkid’s giant leaps to global acclaim may cloud the public’s perception of the singer’s growth, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Starboy is still just a a 27-year-old under the weight of a continental responsibility. In less than five years, the Ojuelegba native has risen to become one of the few voices in African music charged with the duty of highlighting on the works of those before him as well as opening doors for those coming after. For that kid from Surulere, an interview with BBC is a chance to impress by any means necessary even to the point of overkill. Ignore Frank Donga’s slapstick humour and think how you would present yourself at your dream job interview, with the glum of the ruthless and unforgiving job market at the back of your mind.

This is not a free pass for Wizkid to get away with a glaring lack of authenticity, but fact is, if you have never had to sharpen your use of language (in the best way you know) to impress a job interviewer, you probably didn’t want the job bad enough. Wiz’ is already willingly assuming the role of an ambassador for African music, we probably should ease up on the pressure for him to have it all figured out already.

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