The controversy nearly drove me to depression – Carter Efe

By Enitan Abdultawab

Carter Efe, an online streamer, said that the backlash and controversy surrounding his music nearly pushed him into depression, describing how the response to his hit song “Machala” affected his mental well‑being and early career.

In a recent interview with BBC Pidgin, he explained that the criticism after the release of “Machala” triggered intense online harassment, with some calling him a rapper and a thief and insulting his appearance.

“People always say I’m controversial, but controversy almost pushed me into depression. After I dropped ‘Machala,’ people dragged but I have grown over it. I am not going back there,” he said.

He added that he was still struggling with depression while traveling to Dubai and could not enjoy his success. He said he has since become mentally stronger and less affected by online criticism.

“Now, I don’t care. If you drag me from now till tomorrow, I cannot be moved,” he stated.

Efe also discussed the challenges of the streaming economy, calling the music industry “very difficult” and mentally exhausting. He recalled struggling to get listeners to stream his tracks and being surprised by the low revenue artists receive from streaming services.

He said he had once thought that releasing music would ensure financial success, but later realized that artists may earn far less than expected from streaming revenue.

Regarding his rivalry with musician Portable, Efe said his entry into boxing was motivated by anger and past grievances, noting that their disputes fueled his aggression during training.

“I entered boxing with the plan to kill Portable. He has done so many bad things off camera and that was what fuelled my anger inside the ring,” he said.

“They say Speed Darlington wants to fight me. I am ready for him. I will destroy his waist,” he added.

Outside the controversies, he made a surprising statement about Wizkid