'I Nor Be Rapper' – Shallipopi reacts to Headies Awards 2025 after winning Best Rap Single
Nigerian singer Shallipopi has taken to X to share his thoughts on the recently concluded 2025 Headies Awards, where he won the coveted Best Rap Single award for his hit song Cast, featuring Odumodublvck.
Nigerian singer Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi, has openly called out the organisers of the 2025 Headies Awards following his experience at the just-concluded ceremony in Lagos.
The event, which held on Sunday, April 27, 2025, and was themed Back to Base, saw top industry names like Davido, Regina Daniels, and Annie Macauley in attendance.
Shallipopi, who won the Best Rap Single award for his hit track Cast featuring Odumodublvck, was left unimpressed by how the moment played out.
After being announced as the winner, the music star was invited on stage, but instead of receiving the iconic Headies plaque, he was handed a handshake. Despite the awkwardness, Shallipopi managed to accept it gracefully and addressed his fans in a brief speech.
Headies ran out of plaques for the Best Rap Single award won by Shallipopi.
Shortly after a video of the moment hit the internet, Shallipopi took to X to express his frustration through a series of blunt posts. In his unfiltered tweets, he wrote, “Mtchewwww,” followed by, “The next one if una see me make I bend.” He added, “I nor go even lie for una sef, I nor want that award, give the real rappers wey dey the category, me Shallipopi I nor be rapper.”
His remarks not only revealed his disappointment at missing out on other categories—such as Next Rated, for which he was nominated—but also showed a striking level of self-awareness. He openly distanced himself from the rap label and called for the award to be given to artists he believes better represent the genre.
Still, Shallipopi’s win for Best Rap Single marks a notable achievement in his rising career, particularly with Cast standing out as one of the year’s defining tracks in the Nigerian music landscape.
While the 2025 Headies have come and gone, Shallipopi’s outspoken reaction has kept the spotlight firmly on the night’s most talked-about moments.
