- Ikigai proves Olamide’s purpose is music
- He featured former and present YBNL acts such as Asake, Fireboy, Lil Kesh, Pheelz and Young Jonn
- 7-track Ikigai breaks streaming record
He simply cannot stop making music even if he wants to, and this latest addition to his discography is evidence. He even goes to faraway Japan culture to pick a title. The extended play’s (EP) title comes from the Japanese word Iki, which means to live, while gai means reason. Put together, it’s a phrase that literally translates to “a reason to live,” and it refers to the concept of discovering what matters to a person and living a life of purpose—a concept Olamide celebrates on Ikigai, which was released on June 27, 2024.
From the title alone, one can easily conclude that music is the reason to live for the 35-year-old artiste, and no matter what the trend is, he is dynamic enough to stay on top of it, showing his incredible evolution and understanding of the Nigerian music space.
Olamide Adedeji's journey on the Nigerian music scene is one of growth and consistency. For well over a decade, the rapper and singer has countlessly proven his dexterity to dazzle his listeners and fans.
Tracklist of Ikigai, Olamide's 15th music project overall
When he is not recording songs for himself, he is overseeing a music nursery (call it a record label) where he turns raw talents into outright stars. Asake and Fireboy, alongside Pheelz, Young Jonn and Lil Kesh, are some pieces of evidence, and he features them on his new project. They highlight his overall impact and why he is regarded by many as one of the most influential artistes in Africa. He elevates everything—street pop music and street-born singers.
In its opening week, Ikigai, his unexpected album, set a record of 7.92 million streams on Spotify Nigeria, surpassing Shallipopi’s 5.7 million streams. The feat also surpasses his 2023 album Unruly, which had 5.8 million streams on Spotify in 7 days.
The album still maintains its number one spot on Nigeria’s Apple and iTunes charts, respectively, as of July 8, amongst other feats.
Reviewing Olamide’s Ikigai EP
Olamide’s Ikigai EP showcases his legendary rap flow and delivery, which have made him the favourite of numerous music fans.
Olamide makes a strong entry with his first track, Metaverse, blending Yoruba and English to talk about his success. It would be easy to assume it’s from a place of pride, but deeper than that is seeing an artiste who knows his worth and acknowledges his efforts and love for the music. He emphasises his status as a hitmaker, saying, “Yo, we no dey do am for the gram. Flow choke for my head bi kewu ti mo cram…” This loosely means, ‘hey, we don’t do it for the gram, my head is filled with music flows like someone who mastered Quranic lessons.'
Coming as the second track on the 7-track EP, Uptown Disco, as the name implies, motivates you to move your body. The memorable rhythm and flow make the song upbeat. Asake and Fireboy’s feature is another plus that makes the track easy to leave on repeat.
Olamide compares himself with popular names such as Tupac and Obafemi (Martins) to reinstate his presence as a ‘big fish” on Makaveli, which is also an alias of Tupac Shakur. Here, it’s a reassurance to a lover to trust he’s capable of taking care of her. He tells her to tell him whatever she wants, and it’ll be granted.
Morowore, the penultimate track, is perhaps the biggest hit and has already taken over TikTok and Instagram. It revolves around love, gratitude and prayers to God. The YBNL boss reminisces about his journey and how far he has come in the game - Africa’s most successful rapper and star-mining music executive, to say the least. The song, which is a sample of IK Dairo’s 2002 song, Mo Wa Dupe, has a gospel feel and will be on repeat for many.
Synchro System, featuring Lil Kesh, Young John, and Pheelz, shares a similar theme, with Olamide recognising the hand of God in his life as spelt out: “Na God be my propeller, oh.” The diverse vocals on the track elevate the song’s experience. The track title is a reference to the King Sunny Ade album that got a Grammy nomination in 1983, and about 20 years after, Olamide also got his.
If there’s one thing that is undeniable about this suprise album, it is the supreme hitmaking ability of Olamide. He may shed his energetic, emotionally charged rap bars and the hustle-oriented lyrics, but his music understanding and evolution remain unrivalled. Music is his reason to live, and his 12th solo project embodies this. He has found purpose in music, paved the way for numerous musicians, and sustained his relevance in the modern music era. He didn’t stop after Unruly, he likely won’t stop after this.
Ayra Starr solidifies her superstar status with sophomore album 'The Year I Turned 21'
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reviewed Ayra Starr’s sophomore album ‘The Year I Turned 21.’ The project solidified her status as a formidable force in the industry, garnering over 200 million streams in its first week and making her the ultimate Gen Z pop star.
The album contained 14 tracks and featured numerous music stars, including Seyi Vibez, Asake, Anita, Coco Jones, Giveon and Milar.
