Nigerian record producer Kel-P has responded to claims by his former collaborator, singer Solidstar, who alleged that he mentored him and that Kel-P took his musical style to Burna Boy.
Back in January, Solidstar accused Kel-P of stealing his sound and using it for Burna Boy during their collaboration. He claimed he chose not to react because Burna Boy had previously supported him.
In a recent episode of the Urban96 podcast, Kel-P dismissed the claims, stating that he created the musical styles in question and was not influenced by Solidstar. He explained that some artists assume ownership of a sound simply because they have worked with a producer who later uses similar elements for others.
“So many artists have said I’m giving their vibes to other artists. What they don’t understand is that I created the sound and gave it to them. When they hear the same sound elsewhere, they feel entitled,” Kel-P said.
He recalled that Solidstar was one of the first artists he worked with, but he never made any money from their sessions. According to him, he was simply making music with Solidstar because of his talent. However, once he got the opportunity to work with Burna Boy, he shifted focus.
Kel-P also revealed that after the COVID-19 lockdown, Solidstar reached out to congratulate him on his success and even asked for help securing a recording deal. Though Kel-P promised to keep in touch, Solidstar unfollowed him after two days. He later followed him again, messaged him, and then unfollowed him once more when Kel-P didn’t respond.
Kel-P said he was shocked when a friend sent him a screenshot of Solidstar’s public rant about him.
Kel-P rose to prominence after producing and co-writing 10 of the 19 songs on Burna Boy’s 2019 Grammy-nominated album, African Giant.
