Nigerian rapper Odumodublvck has responded to criticism following his recent interview with BET Network, where he was quoted as referring to female artists Bloody Civilian and Smur Lee as “Z-list artists.”
During the interview, the rapper discussed supporting emerging talents—particularly women—without expecting anything in return. He said:
“I can help you without taking anything from you, same thing with the girls. I want to be able to give girls deals without having to compromise themselves. The last time a Nigerian girl was number one on the chart, I think it was probably me. I’ve gone number one with two girls, Smur Lee and Bloody Civilian, and they were not A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H artists — they were Z artists. But yes, they went number one.”
The comment sparked outrage online, with many accusing the rapper of belittling the mentioned female acts.
Addressing the controversy on X (formerly Twitter), Odumodublvck clarified that his “Z-list” remark was not intended as an insult but rather as an exaggeration to emphasize how far the artists have come.
He wrote:
“BLOODY IS NOT A Z LIST ARTIST. NEITHER ARE THE NAMES I CALLED.
Z WAS JUST AN EXAGGERATION TO AMAZING FEMALE ARTISTS LIKE SMUR LEE, KENKÉ & VALENTINO, WHO ARE MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES. – THE MACHINE.”
The rapper’s clarification has since sparked mixed reactions, with fans debating whether his initial statement was taken out of context or poorly phrased.
