Popular Nigerian musician Terry G has finally addressed long-standing accusations that he hijacked the hit song “Pass Me Your Love” from his fellow artist and one-time collaborator, AY.Com.
The singer took to social media to set the record straight and defend himself against what he called unfair criticism.
Background of the allegations
The controversy dates back several years. Critics have often accused Terry G of taking undue credit for Pass Me Your Love, a track originally released by AY.com, on which Terry G was featured as a guest artist. The allegations stem from Terry G’s frequent performances of the song at concerts and public events, which many interpreted as him claiming ownership of the track.
Over time, these criticisms intensified. Some fans and observers believed Terry G’s constant association with the song overshadowed AY.com’s role as the original creator. As a result, there were whispers in the industry that this issue may have contributed to the fading of AY.com’s musical career.
Terry G dismisses accusations
In a recent post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Terry G dismissed the accusations as baseless. He described the backlash as “pure ignorance” and argued that featured artists also have the right to perform songs they contributed to.
“To those saying I stole Pass Me Your Love from AY.com, that’s pure ignorance,” Terry G wrote. “So I don’t have the right to perform a song I collaborated on? Your favourite artists do it all the time, but when it’s me, it becomes a problem. Hypocrisy at its finest.”
He continued by stating that the situation was never about ownership, but rather about mutual collaboration between two artists. According to him, he never claimed the song as his own nor added it to his albums.
“And no, I didn’t put the song on my album; it was never about ownership, it was about collaboration,” he added.
Blames fans for AY.com’s career decline
Terry G didn’t stop at defending himself. He also pointed fingers at those he believes were responsible for damaging AY.com’s career. According to him, it wasn’t his actions that dimmed AY.com’s spotlight, but rather the unnecessary noise and criticism from fans and social media users.
“Some of you ruined AY’s moment with your noise, not me,” he wrote. “As for my shine, nobody can block it. You no reach.”
His response sparked fresh conversations online, with fans taking sides on who bears the blame for the issue. While some agreed with Terry G’s view, others still held the opinion that he could have done more to highlight AY.com’s role in the hit song.
A broader look at song collaborations in Nigeria
This drama highlights a common problem in Nigeria’s music scene: the blurry lines around ownership and credit in collaborations. It’s not unusual for featured artists to perform collaborative songs at events. It’s a common practice worldwide.
However, when the lines between support and overshadowing are crossed, tensions can arise. Many fans and critics believe that artists should make a conscious effort to publicly credit the original owners, especially when a song becomes a major hit.
Read Also: ‘Impossible to discuss cultural impact in Nigerian music without me,’ Terry G boasts
