The Nigerian music scene witnessed another heated social media exchange this week as singers, Zlatan Ibile and Seyi Vibez, engaged in a public back-and-forth on X, sparking widespread reactions from fans and industry observers. What began as perceived shade in a song quickly escalated into direct exchanges before Zlatan eventually extended an olive branch.
The tension reportedly stemmed from Zlatan’s ad-libs on Adekunle Gold’s track Life of the Faaji, which some fans and Seyi Vibez interpreted as subtle jabs at Seyi’s “Fuji Moto” persona and recent projects. Seyi, who is known for speaking his mind online, responded with a series of posts that intensified the situation.
In one viral tweet, Seyi wrote, “You’ll always be a back up artiste ttkc Abaku laso ewure! Zttw ke Ayiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.” He followed up with additional posts targeting Zlatan’s fashion brand, Zero To The World (ZTTW), writing: “Aseju ni ZTTW High fashion ati Go crazy ti da” and “Zlatan wey be say na inside shop for Lekki hin career dey!”
The posts, which generated hundreds of thousands of impressions, appeared to question Zlatan’s relevance in music while referencing his entrepreneurial ventures.
Rather than escalate the situation, Zlatan Ibile opted for reconciliation. In a post that quickly went viral, garnering over 70,000 likes and millions of views, he wrote, “It actually hurts that my brother thinks I would diss him in any way. It’s literally a misunderstanding. @seyi_vibez it’s all love, bro. When you’re ready to talk it out, I’m here!! 4L ABURO MI.”
Seyi Vibez later responded, accepting the apology but clarifying his discomfort with being addressed as “aburo” (younger brother). He wrote, “Iya LOSEYI knows how many pikin she born. But apology accepted Egbon Adugbo. Please next time don’t do back up artiste to diss me on a song. Thank you Zlatan.”
The exchange divided fans online. Many praised Zlatan for his calm response, describing it as a display of maturity, while others defended Seyi Vibez and questioned aspects of the apology.
The conversation also reignited calls for unity between both camps, with some fans pointing out their past collaborations and shared Ikorodu roots. Others even urged a future joint project, saying, “We need a Zlatan x Seyi Vibez collab again.”