- Wizkid: 7 Facts You Don’t Know About The “Ojuelegba” Singer
Wizkid has been the major talk of the town, when it comes to the Music Industry in Nigeria (read: Africa). And that has been every year, since he first broke out with “Holla At Your Boy,” in 2010.
He’s now one of the heavyweights of music in Africa, and with his recent wide international appeal, he’s now the acclaimed StarBoy of African Music, especially from the rest of the world’s point of view.
There are actually just very few artists who’ve reached the level Wizkid has surpassed. And even after almost a decade since his break-out, the “Come Closer” singer is still one of the most-relevant artists, right now. It’s more than amazing, let’s be honest.
In this edition of our “Facts You Don’t Know,” we present to you 7 things you probably didn’t know about Ayodeji Balogun, aka Wizkid.
- 18 YEARS IN MUSIC
Maybe you got to know him, around 2010, when he first came on to the mainstream. Well, I’m sorry, about ten years before that, Wizkid has been singing.
At that time, he went by the name Lil Prinz, and waspart of a group called Glorious Five (they even had an album!) He was just 11, too. But he was recording music already, and yeah, almost two decades after, he’s still putting out music. Not as a Lil Prinz, but as the biggest thing in Africa!
- NEXT RATED 2011
“If you want the car, comman collect it,” Don Jazzy had said at the fight at that 2015 headies. Who was he fighting with? Olamide, boss of YBNL. What were they fighting for? The Next Rated Award, not just the car? Olamide wanted it for Lil Kesh and Don Jazzy wanted it for Reekado Banks, who actually won. That was 2015.
But in 2011, Wizkid went into the Headies and picked up the so-much-coveted Next Rated Award. Not even Olamide, who was also nominated could stop him. He got a Hyundai Sonata, as prize. Well, I hope you know why they were fighting now?
- NUMEROUS HITS
Wizkid, alone has more hits than all the artists nominated for the 2015 Next Rated Award, combined together. That is, Reekado Banks, Lil Kesh, Korede Bello, Cynthia Morgan and Kizz Daniel. And, yeah, it’s not an hyperbolic statement!
From the days of “Superstar” (Holla At Your Boy, Pakurumo, Don’t Dull, Love My Baby, Tease Me, Oluwa Lo Ni) to the “Ayo” Era (Jaiye Jaiye, Joy, Bombay, On Top Your Matter, One Question, Show You the Money). Or the recent ones (Come Closer, Ojuelegba, Odoo, Medicine, Manya, Fake Love) ? What about the STEW (Fever, Master Groove) ?
- STEW! WIZ HAS THREE SONS
OK, cough out. Harder. I said harder. Wizkid is just 28, but he already has three sons in, and probably, still counting. There’s Tife, Ayo, and his youngest, Zion, which he had recently, with his international Manager, Jada Pollock.
Did you cough the other time? Sorry, we have to cough, again.
- TWITTER CELEBRITY
Wizkid became the first Nigerian artist to hit the 1M followers mark on Twitter, in 2014.
The “Ojuelegba” singer is probably still one of the most followed celebrities on Social Media, now. And he’s still very much active on the micro-blogging site, Twitter.
Recall that, his beef with Davido, last year, started on Twitter and was fuelled with several jabs on Twitter. And now, it’s “Everything stew” time.
- M.I ABAGA IS A FAN
If you were a big fan of Nigerian hip-hop and rap music, around the time Wizkid blew up, you probably first heard him on M.I’s “Fast Money Fast Cars,” off M.I’s acclaimed debut album, “Talk About It,” which was released in 2008. There is a possibility M.I would have signed him to Loopy Music, if he had known him earlier.
So, yeah, in a way, M.I Abaga unveiled Wizkid to the industry. And he’s actually a fan. There was even a time the “Safe” rapper said Nigerians don’t deserve Wizkid.
- OJB JEZREEL
Wizkid started recording, long before he was old enough to buy a beer. But between the years when he grew and the years when he became our Next Rated, a couple of things had happened.
One of them was learning from OJB’s feet (of blessed memory). He saw how maestros like 2Baba recorded their stuffs, and learnt. Many don’t know, but then, OJB Jezreel is one of the most important figures in Wizkid’s explosive career. OJB would be proud, now!
You can now ask Egbon Drake, who is “The Real StarBoy”?