“Instead of hating, use me as a ladder” — Cubana Chief Priest fires back in ‘Balenciaga’

The Celebrity barman and socialite has responded to the backlash trailing his failed APC House of Representatives primary bid with a new single, ‘Balenciaga’

Just days after facing online ridicule over his failed outing in the APC House of Representatives primaries in Imo State, Pascal Okechukwu has done what many Nigerian celebrities do best when controversy strikes, turning the noise into content.

The celebrity barman and socialite dropped the song at the peak of conversations surrounding his unsuccessful bid for the APC ticket representing Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency.

Ballot

Despite ‘political blessings’ from the president’s son and his close associate, the 45-year-old socialite who served as the Imo State Director of the City Boy Movement (CBM), a group established to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid, lost the APC ticket to the incumbent lawmaker, Canice Moore Nwachukwu.

Cubana Chief Priest’s loss drew mixed reactions. At the same time, some social media users had mocked him and celebrated the loss, the businessman turned politician saw it as a good fate, as he claims that APC now pampers him, crediting his failure to cling to the party’s primary ticket to the president’s suspicion stemming from his ethnic background and his past political association.

But rather than retreat quietly, the businessman leaned into the backlash. Across social media posts, he branded detractors “Umu Bingo” and boasted about turning their “tears” into a hit song. In typical Cubana fashion, controversy became marketing material.

Balanciaga

His latest single, “Balanciaga”, is less a carefully musical statement and more a swaggering public response to critics who questioned his political ambition.

Released on 22 May, the track arrives as a loud, designer-clad clapback, transforming a moment of political embarrassment into a nightlife-ready street anthem.

For Cubana Chief Priest, timing has always been part of the performance.

‘Balenciaga’ thrives on spectacle, confidence and theatrical excess, qualities that have become inseparable from the Cubana Chief Priest brand. It follows a familiar formula dominating Nigerian nightlife playlists: upbeat rhythms, catchy hooks and luxury-centred chants that feel tailor-made for parties in Lagos lounges and late-night drives.

Review

Its title, inspired by luxury fashion house Balenciaga, reinforces the song’s obsession with status, wealth and visibility. Throughout the track, Cubana Chief Priest presents himself as the untouchable “big boy” who remains unfazed by criticism, celebrating designer fashion, expensive lifestyles and financial dominance with unapologetic bravado.

The lyrics function as a public declaration that online mockery cannot diminish his relevance. Instead, he reframes criticism as proof of influence, positioning himself as a man too successful to be rattled by social media commentary.

Here is the catchline of the single, “To you motherfucker who thinks you have something to say about me. CP My life, my style, my choice, my energy, come on, no crashing out on yourself cause I am doing me, go ahead and do yourself pussy, Umu bingo”

“Instead of hating, use me as a ladder”

Despite being a backlash to critics, the song’s melody, tune, and sound make it a pleasant listen. A good listener’s choice for someone who wants to motivate himself or feel good about himself, despite the odds.

But whether the single evolves into a lasting street anthem or fades after the initial online frenzy remains uncertain.

Verdict:

7/10

Balenciaga is streaming on all streaming platforms