American rapper Dreezy has ignited a fiery debate among Nigerians after she combined fufu, jollof rice, and egusi soup on a single plate — a culinary move many consider a cultural “food crime.”
The Chicago rapper, born Seandrea Sledge and often called the “Princess of Chicago Rap,” shared a viral “Cooking w/ Big Dreez” video in which she prepared several traditional Nigerian dishes for the first time. Alongside fellow creator @sheissavviee, Dreezy cooked egusi soup made with melon seeds, stockfish, and palm oil, which she compared to “African gumbo.” She also prepared fufu, noting it was surprisingly easy once she got the hang of mixing, and jollof rice, served with oxtail and goat meat.
The controversy, however, was not about her cooking skills but her plating. Dreezy served all three dishes on one plate — fufu, jollof rice, and egusi soup together — a combination that left many Nigerians bewildered.
In Nigerian food culture, fufu is traditionally eaten with soup, while jollof rice is enjoyed as a standalone dish. Combining all three is widely considered unconventional, and social media users did not hold back.
Despite the backlash over her plating, Dreezy rated the final meal a perfect 10 out of 10, declaring her love for Nigerian cuisine.
The video has since sparked heated discussions online, with some calling it a “food crime” while others praised her for embracing the culture — even if she broke a few unwritten rules.
