Singer, Olamide Reveals Real Reason For Establishing Record Label, Signing Artists

By Murphy Akanji

Award winning Nigerian rapper and singer, Olamide Adedeji, popularly  addressed as Olamide, has revealed why he established a record label.

According to the YBNL boss, he started a record label so he can spend his money which is “becoming too much” on young artistes’ careers.

The highly talented and multimillionaire singer made this disclosure  during an interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden.

 “I just started stacking up money and the money was becoming too much for me. I’m like, yo, I don’t have anything to do with all this money, mehn, I need to sign new guys. Let me spend money on people, you know.

“It is just like my own little way of giving back to the community,” Olamide said

Theroyaltimews.com recalls that Olamide’s YBNL Nation is home to two of the hottest new generational afrobeats artists in the country- Fireboy DML and Asake.

The likes of Adekunle Gold, Lil Kesh, Chinko Ekun, Young Jonn, and Pheelz were formerly signed to the record label.

Olamide is singer-songwriter and indigenous hip-hop rapper. He is also popularly called  ‘Olamide Baddo’, ‘Baddo Sneh’ or simply ‘Olamide’. He founded the YBNL Nation, an independent record label where several top Nigerian Music Stars signed under its imprint. Olamide sings in his native language, Yoruba, and he is an award-winning Nigerian rapper.

Olamide was born on March 15, 1989 in Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria, and he has two other siblings. After completing his primary and secondary education in Lagos, he went on to Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State to study Mass Communication.

Olamide took to his music career in 2000, after discovering his talent in music. 10 years later, after the release of Eni Duro, he rose to stardom. He released his first single ‘Eni Duro’ under the coded Tunes label and was managed by Toni Payne. Olamide later performed at the hip-hop world awards ceremony that same year.

Baddo Sneh started with ID Cabasa’s coded Tunes record label headed by Toni Payne where he did his first studio album. Then, left in 2012 to start his own record label.

Olamide Songs

He has released several studio albums, 35 singles and a collaborative album. Below are detailed information about his albums and their singles.

Olamide First Studio Album (Rapsodi)

Rapsodi is Olamide’s debut studio album. It was released in 2011 under the Coded Tunes record label featuring guest appearances from Pheelz, 9ice, D’banj, Wizkid, Reminisce and many more. Rapsodi is a hip-hop album performed in Yoruba language with 16 songs on the track list.

Second studio Album (YBNL)

Olamide released his second studio album titled Yahoo Boy No Laptop (YBNL), on November 12, 2012. The artist that made guest appearance in the album include Kay Switch, Kidakudz, Davido, Tiwa Savage and Buckwlya. The producers were Pheelz, Samklef, 2kris, Tyrone and ID Cabasa. It had four singles – Ilefo Iluminati (2011), First of All (2012), Stupid Love (2012), Voice of the Street (2012), Owotabua and durosoke.

The lyrics of the album focuses on his love for God and the streets that raised him. The album received 2 awards from The Headies 2013 as the Best Rap Album and Album of the Year.

Baddo Sneh released his third studio album titled Baddest Guy Ever Liveth on Nov. 7, 2013 under the YBNL Nation record label. He was the executive Producer of the album with Pheelz, Buckwyla, Ketchup and Pepenazi as Guest artists. It is an hip-hop album recorded in Yoruba Language. The album singles are Durosoke (2013), Turn Up (2013), Yemi, My Lover (2013), Eleda Mi o (2014). It was awarded the Best Rap Album and Album of the Year from Headies, 2014, and the Best Album of the Year from Nigeria Entertainments Awards also in 2014.

Fourth Studio Album (Street OT)

Street OT, Olamide’s fourth studio album was released on Nov. 14, 2014 under his label, YBNL Nation. Street OT was a follow-up on his previous albums, as he decided to always produce an album every year. Lil Kesh, Chinko Ekun, Pasuma, Don Jazzy, Reminisce and Phyno made guest appearances in the album. The album focuses on showing his love for the streets. It has two singles – Story for the gods (2014), Goons Mi (2014). Olamide was the Executive Producer, with Pheelz, B-Banks, and Young John as additional producers.

It is a combination of hip-hop, rap, and afrobeat. This time, the album was done with English, Yoruba and Igbo language. Out of three nominations for award in 2015, it won the album of the year in the Headies 2015.

Eyan Mayweather, Olamide’s fifth studio album was released on Nov 23, 2015. It was released through YBNL Nation with studio production from Pheelz, B-Banks, ID Cabasa, and Young John. It has four singles: Bobo (2015), Matters Arising (2015), Lagos Boys (2015), and Melo Melo (2015).

In the following years, he released two other albums – The Glory (2016), and Lagos Nawa (2017).

Also, in 2015, he did a collaborative studio album with Phyno under Penthause Music and YBNL Nation. The album featured Wizkid, Lil Kesh, and Storm Rex. The album producers are Pheelz, Major Bangz and B-Banks. It was a hip-hop song, having two singles Une (2015), and Confirm Ni (2015).