Controversial Nigerian singer Speed Darlington has opened up about why he believes his long stay in the United States failed to deliver personal or professional fulfillment, describing the experience as emotionally draining and largely unproductive.

Speaking in a video message, the artist said his 23 years in America were defined more by legal troubles and isolation than by career growth or financial stability. According to Darlington, his time in the US left him with repeated arrests and criminal records rather than the success commonly associated with the “American Dream.”

He contrasted that chapter of his life with his career in Nigeria, where he said he found acceptance, confidence, and financial reward. Darlington noted that his mansion was built entirely from income earned in Nigeria, underscoring what he described as a stark difference in how he was treated in both countries.

The singer attributed his eventual decision to step back from living in the US to feelings of marginalisation, low self-esteem, and what he described as racial bias within American society. He said these experiences affected both his mental and physical well-being, leaving him feeling undervalued and disconnected.

In his words, “America did not favour me. I have access to the USA, but I don’t want to be there all the time. America has no favour for me, and I’m not ashamed to say it. The only thing I have is criminal records, arrest, arrest, arrest, arrest is all I got from the USA.

“So, after 23 years, I told myself it’s better for me to have access to America. I can go whenever I want to see my family for maybe 10 days, one week, or 4 days, and I will turn around and return. American society is not conducive to my mental and physical well-being. In America, my self-confidence is in the gutter. I can’t even talk to girls; I lack confidence whenever I’m in America. I’m always lonely. If I spend 9 months or two years, I will be lonely throughout, which means endless masturbation. It gets tiring.

“If I want to talk to a girl, firstly, I’m worried about my accent. Is she going to laugh at me? Am I adequate? American society has an atmosphere where a black man is nothing, and he has to overprove himself before he can get any respect.

This is not how I want to live my life. While here, I amount to something. Everybody is black and dark-skinned. All these things are what I’m thinking.

“I love having access to the US anytime I want, but my mansion money with a swimming pool on top came from Nigerians. That fight I had with Portable was how I finished my mansion decking. That money helped me very well. That fight did not take place in Las Vegas; it took place in Lagos, Nigeria. It is better to be in a forest, climbing trees and be free, than to be in the centre of everything and be caged. I did not leave America with money.”

Darlington concluded that while he values the ability to travel to the US when necessary, Nigeria remains the place where he feels respected, confident, and truly successful.