By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigerian rap legend Olamide has clarified long-held assumptions about his career timeline with fellow Afrobeats star Wizkid, stating that the “Ojuelegba” crooner is actually older than him in the music industry by at least two years.
Fans have often regarded the pair as industry mates, largely because they both rose to mainstream prominence in 2010, Wizkid with the smash hit Holla at Your Boy in January of that year, and Olamide with Eni Duro a few months later.
Their perceived parallel journey was further reinforced when they were both nominated for the coveted Next Rated category at the 2011 Headies Awards, which Wizkid eventually won.
However, speaking in a recent interview with streamer Azeeez, Olamide said the timeline is not as simultaneous as many believe.
“Wizkid and I didn’t start doing music at the same time,” he said.
“He started a year or two before me; he was already putting out music before I came.”
Wizkid’s earlier start is well documented. Before his breakout in 2010, he featured on M.I Abaga’s hit single Fast Money, Fast Cars in 2008, two years before he shot to national fame.
The clarification adds new context to the careers of two of Nigeria’s most influential artists, both credited with shaping the country’s contemporary music landscape.
