Celebrity rivalry is one of the most quintessential themes in entertainment stories, news reporting, or documentation of narratives. Rivalry is what fascinates readers, although peace is pivotal, the urge for ‘violence’ is always more adored than peace. Regardless of what the average human claims they want, they always find a way to embrace chaos, conflict, and animosity.
Celebrity rivalry is a pivotal part of our existence; same way there is the good and the evil, the positive and the negative, there is a need for people to align with a particular coterie of persons. It could be due to various reasons such as cultural inclinations, emotional attachment, natural admiration, or the enthralling charisma of the subject. In celebrity rivalry, there is genuinely no absolute winner, no one comes out on top, neither party in the pandemonium collects a medal, more often than not, it is only done for bragging rights and momentary clout chasing.
In this article, we will review the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of celebrity rivalry. The author would be using various case studies to explain how celebrity rivalry can either make or mar the career of various celebrities.
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The Psychology of Rivalry
Humans would always to be a part of a tribe, a community, or belong to what is perceived to be the winning team. To succeed or emerge victorious in this life, a competitor would have to wage war by going against the opposition to be crowned the winner. In every segment of life, there is rivalry, in politics, business, entertainment, and even in the marketplace.
Regardless of how civilized modern society claims to be, there will always be something to fight for. Although most people prefer to participate and instigate violence vicariously through their favourite celebrities, for instance, Davido’s 30 Billion Gang (30BG) against Wizkid’s FC, everyone wants to fight for something, either surreptitiously or overtly. Another renowned example is the feud that goes on in the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) house.
Whoever wins in a celebrity rivalry contest is usually determined by emotions rather than logic. No one cares if Drake has sold more copies than Kendrick Lamar; what Lamar did at the 2025 Super Bowl competition is what everyone remembers, and it simply translates to perception is reality.
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The Good Part Of Celebrity Rivalry: “No Publicity Is Bad Publicity”
Celebrity rivalry isn’t designed to always be gloomy, there are roses that could be found amid the thorns. The art of celebrity rivalry could aid the exposure of entertainers if they are strategic and subtle with how they promote it. Everyone can eat if the audience should buy into the chaos and pandemonium instigated surreptitiously by the personnel from behind their cellphones.
There is a popular mantra in Advertising/Public Relations which reads, “No publicity is bad publicity”. An example would be the legendary feud between Fuji music pioneers, General Ayinla Kollington and Alhaji Ayinde Barrister, It was later discovered that both parties doctored their animosity, and their rivalry propelled their music careers to impressive heights.
The entertainment industry in modern times hasn’t changed much, although the mode of operation has changed massively. In the past, fans would have to visit music stores to buy new vinyl or CDs to listen to what both parties have to say prior to basing their judgments. This type of practice encourages the listeners to invest in the music and helps in accentuating their sunk cost fallacy. This is why rivalry is essential; it moves the market and puts buttocks in seats.
During the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) Pepper Dem competition in 2019, Tacha Akide got disqualified from the house for choosing to engage in a vicious altercation against her perceived rival, Mercy Eke, who emerged as the eventual winner of the competition. This particular segment served as the peak period of BBNaija competition, as no other feud has been able to capture such a moment ever since.
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The Negative Part: Are You Competitive Or You’re Just Envious?
Not every form of rivalry is healthy. Sometimes, it can be born out of envy and jealousy. Unlike the aforementioned positive part of rivalry that is usually designed to help promote the work of art and crafts of the personnel, the negative aspect could be about the hatred for the creativity and charm of the opposition.
Why is Burna Boy always tackling Davido on social media, however, Davido hasn’t come at him? Sometimes, the person you are competing against might not necessarily see you as a rival, and this could affect your career in the long term, as listeners might not notice you for your propensity but instead your envy.
It would be recalled that Nigerian thespians, Laide Bakare and Eniola Badmus, went at it at Eniola Ajao’s movie premiere last weekend. Bakare on social media bodyshamed her colleague by talking about her physical appearance before allegedly going under the knife.
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The Ugly: No One Ought To Die For The Game
There are numerous cases of musicians losing their lives for engaging in rivalries. On September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur was shot four times by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Paradise, Nevada; he died six days later. Following his murder, the Notorious B.I.G. was at first considered a suspect due to their public feud; he was also murdered in another drive-by shooting six months later in March 1997, while visiting Los Angeles.
Closer to home, Nigerian recording artiste, Mohbad, died in September 2023 amid his ongoing feud with controversial recording artiste, Naira Marley. There have been allegations that Marley and socialite Sam Larry are responsible for the unfortunate demise of Mohbad, however, it has yet to be proven. These are just several parts of how celebrity rivalries can escalate into something heinous and beyond human control.
For every good and bad, there is always an ugly side that doesn’t serve anyone.
Conclusion: Who Wins Rivalries?
To be honest, I genuinely do not know. However, I would say the fans who are the recipients of the back and forth are the ones who are usually well-fed. While the celebrities risk losing their careers or suffering a massive decline should they fail to fascinate the onlookers, it is the fans who earn the bragging rights to gallivant and hum the panegyrics of their favourite celebs.
Also, celebrity rivalry aids the relevance of the celebrities. In the words of the legendary Nigerian musician, Innocent ‘2Face’ Idibia, “If nobody talks about you, then you are nobody.” Harsh words, but that is the fact: no one wants to be irrelevant.
In the end, celebrity rivalry is pivotal for both the celebrity and the fans.
