Original stage name, first show… 4 things you never knew about Olamide

Not many artistes can release back-to-back commercially successful albums like Olamide Adedeji, one of the most successful Nigerian rappers.

Olamide’s 2011 debut album ‘Rapsodi’ thrust him into national prominence and ever since he has become the face of indigenous hip-hop.

Here are five things you never knew about the rapper who recently released his sixth album, ‘The Glory’.

1. Olamide Adedeji says he fell in love with music at “first sight” before the age of 11. His first performance after discovering his talent was at a “hood jam festival” in Ladi Lak, a community in Bariga, Lagos.

2. Olamide’s best childhood experience was with his father. The rapper has fond memories of being taken to the amusement park to go on rides.

3. At some point, the indigenous rapper was the most featured artiste in Nigeria but nowadays, he has his eyes set on foreign collaboration. Beyond these shores, Olamide says he would love to work with American hip-hop artiste, Jay-Z.

4. Before meeting ID Cabasa, Olamide was known as G-Dog (a hardcore rapper who flowed in the English language). ID Cabasa advised the rapper to change his stage name to ‘Olamide’ and helped him develop his indigenous style of music.