The Yoruba Language is a beautiful language to speak and the speakers of this language ruled every aspect of life. Yorubas were politicians, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, actors, doctors, musicians, and lots more.
They ruled the music aspect very well that their songs send much good musical content to the likes of King Sunny Ade, Chief Ebenezer Obey, Ade Love, Orlando Owoh, Sir Shona Peters, Kwam 1, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister (Barrister), and a whole lots more.
We had music acts who sing and create sweet melodies with relevant dance steps to go with e.g ‘soyoyo’.
There was one genre of music that was left to be discovered and conquered by this tribe, “Rap and Hip-hop”.
Rap and Hip-hop was a foreign musical genre from America, we had different Nigerian acts who rapped but it was in English, Igbo And Pidgin starting from Junior and Pretty, Idris Abdulkareem, Ruggedman, Eldee, 2 shotz, Saucekid, Mode 9, M.I, and Mr Raw but we never had a Yoruba Rapper.
Boom, Lord of Ajasa was discovered, he used the language to rap and the audience partially accepted because he was really slow with his rap style, the audience was expecting more, then rise of hardcore rapper was born.
Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun also known as ‘DaGrin’ was a yoruba hardcore rapper with a touch of excellence.
He was the true Yoruba lyricist the tribe ever had that time and the world was expecting.
His debut single, ‘Pon Pon Pon‘ which was produced by Sossick, shows the real message of hip-hop. It talked about the gangstar life of the Nigerian streets. Using the language so fluently gave him the maximum respect he deserved.
DAGRIN is the deity of Yoruba Hip-hop.
Peter Talker
His songs proudly depicts the beauty of the language using self-created figures of speech, not the regular ones that has been from ages.
He also was a versatile artiste; he could be hardcore or soft but he remains the best using the language so well that the brand identity CEO (Chief Executive Ọmọ Ìta) became a point of reference on the streets.
He gave birth to several rise of Yoruba rappers. He gave an aesthetic feeling that the language can be used to satisfy a nostalgic feeling. He is also a Rapper that respect the Divine power, his song ‘Thank God‘ which featured the upcoming vocalist then, Omawumi shows that he believed in the existence of the almighty God.
Just the short time he spent in the world of music, he was featured by several artistes like DJ Jimmy Jatt, 9ice, Terry G, Konga, Dj Neptune, Y.Q, M.I e.t.c.
DaGrin’s presence on any work of art made the song a major hit. He will always be one of the greatest Yoruba Rapper that can’t be forgotten. 22nd of April was s significant day to be remembered in the hearts of his fans.
My personal song that I loved as his rap verse on General Pype’s “CHAMPION” remix, which also had Vector, Sasha P, GT da Guitarman, Neato C. His verse after the intro gave a pumped up energy every rapper could work on in the song.
After his death on 22nd of April 2010, we all thought that would be the end of Yoruba hip-hop but thank goodness for the fight to keep his legacy on by the rap acts after him like Olamide, Jahbless, Reminisce, Seriki, Chinko Ẹkun e.t.c keep on pushing the rap culture to keep the ghetto dream awake.
Agree or disagree, DAGRIN is the deity of Yoruba Hip-hop.
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