US-based Fuji musician Adewale Akanji Balogun, popularly known as Barryshowkey, has turned a long-running dispute over his claimed relationship with late Fuji icon Sikiru Ayinde Barrister into the subject of a new song titled DNA.
The seven-minute single addresses claims circulating on social media questioning Barryshowkey’s paternity and whether he was biologically related to the late Fuji pioneer.
In the song, Barryshowkey rejects the allegations and maintains that Ayinde Barrister never disowned him or questioned his paternity during his lifetime.
“Sikiru Ayinde Barrister never disowned me as a child. Until his passing, I remained one of his favourite children,” he says in the track.
The release comes against the backdrop of a longstanding public association between Barryshowkey and the Barrister family.
Older Nigerian media reports have described him as one of the late musician’s children, with reports in The Nation, Independent and Tribune previously referring to Barryshowkey as Barrister’s son.
However, conflicting claims have emerged online, with some individuals associated with Barrister’s family disputing Barryshowkey’s claimed biological relationship with the Fuji legend.
Barryshowkey’s DNA, therefore, represents his personal response to the controversy rather than independent proof of biological paternity.
The musician says he was motivated to record the song by what he considers misleading narratives about his family and identity.
Rather than allow the controversy to define him, he said he wants to reaffirm his identity while continuing to build a musical career of his own.
Barryshowkey has spent years developing his Fuji career in the United States, although his music remains closely connected to the legacy of his late father figure and the wider Fuji tradition.
Earlier interviews have shown his determination to establish an independent identity despite the influence of Barrister’s name.
His latest release appears to continue that balancing act — defending his claimed family connection while insisting that his own artistic journey should stand on its merits.
Barryshowkey has also disclosed plans for a video accompanying DNA, which is currently in the works and is expected to be released soon.
The musician is also planning a return to Nigeria for a homecoming, saying the visit will provide an opportunity to reconnect with his fans and perform for supporters.
For an artiste whose career has been shaped both by his association with one of Fuji music’s most influential figures and by his efforts to establish his own identity, the new song offers an unusually personal intervention in the debate surrounding his name.
With DNA, Barryshowkey has chosen music rather than interviews or social-media exchanges as his response to the controversy.
Whether the song settles the debate is another matter. But for the Fuji musician, the message is clear: he wants his identity, his family story and his place in Fuji music to be heard in his own voice.
