Nigerian music fans were left bewildered when one of Show Dem Camp's most popular tracks suddenly disappeared from digital platforms. The iconic rap duo's hit single 'Tropicana' from their acclaimed album Palmwine Music Vol. 2 has been removed from all major streaming services, sparking widespread speculation across social media.
The Business Behind the Music
In a recent interview with Elsie Not Elise, SDC members Wale 'Tec' Davies and Olumide 'Ghost' Ayeni finally broke their silence about the missing track. They confirmed that the removal stems from an unresolved financial dispute with one of the featured artists on the song.
Tec explained the situation began when a collaborator attempted to renegotiate terms years after the song's initial success. 'We negotiated and agreed terms. And then a few years later, the artist hits you up and says 'I feel like I deserve more and I want more, and if you don't do more, I'm threatening...' which is like how many years after the project,' Tec revealed during the interview.
Creative Partnerships Turned Business Battles
While Tec approached the situation from a business perspective, Ghost expressed deeper frustration about the integrity issues at play. 'The thing that pisses me off is that when we talk about people's integrity,' Ghost stated. 'We are artists ourselves. Built this from the ground up. We weren't from a label. Why would we want to do you over?'
The emotional toll of the dispute was evident in Ghost's words, highlighting how creative partnerships can sour when business interests collide. He didn't hold back his disappointment, mentioning that there have been 'a couple of people' who have raised similar concerns about collaboration terms.
Social Media Investigation Points to Flash
Although SDC maintained professionalism by not naming the artist involved, Nigerian music fans quickly connected the dots. The track 'Tropicana' features artist Flash, who delivers the song's memorable chorus, making him the prime suspect in the dispute.
The speculation intensified when BOJ, a prominent member of the collective, posted 'TROPICANA BABY OOOO' followed by laughing emojis on Twitter (now X). This single post ignited fan discussions, with many users directly pointing to Flash as the artist seeking renegotiation.
One user @mo_morinsola commented: 'SDC said they won't call him out, BOJ said hold my beer...I'm dying.' Another fan @jokufx expressed support for the artist's position: 'That song carried the album for me he definitely deserve what he asking for.'
The Changing Landscape of Nigerian Music Business
Tec framed the dispute within the broader context of Afrobeats' evolution, noting that African artists are becoming more business-conscious. He observed that when Palmwine Music 2 originally released, fewer artists were focused on the financial aspects of their work.
'I think now, we are super conscious of... there's no more gentleman agreement. There's no more 'let us agree on everything,'' Tec reflected. 'To be honest, with a lot of people, they don't even agree to the contracts that they've signed anymore, which is crazy.'
Despite the current standoff, Tec offered reassurance to fans: 'Yes, the project has done its thing. Still going to continue. It will be back up very soon for sure. So at the moment there's a little bit of a conversation with an artist and hopefully, we get to resolve it.'
The situation highlights the growing pains within Nigeria's music industry as it transitions from informal agreements to more structured business arrangements. As artists become more aware of their commercial value, such disputes may become more common, representing what Tec simply calls 'the cost of doing business' in today's music landscape.
Meanwhile, Show Dem Camp continues to push forward with their musical journey, recently releasing their 11th studio album 'Afrika Magik' and announcing that Palmwine Fest will debut in Abuja on December 12, 2025, before returning to Lagos on December 21.
