The AfroBoss: Olamide Badoo

By: Muhammed Moshood – MM

In a recent piece, I mused about my formative years and how music ‘forcefully’ shaped my life.

One of the Afrobeat kings and masters of the game I mentioned in that piece is Olamide Badoo. Born Olamide Gbenga Adedeji, Olamide or Badoo or both as he’s fondly called, is a lyrical maestro who deftly weaves his words like a magician casting spells.

For the uninitiated, Afrobeat is arguably the most popular genre of music in Africa right now.

The way he (Olamide) jumps on beats is exciting and superbly brilliant. With each rhyme, he paints vivid tapestries of life, mirroring the streets of Lagos, his base, and Nigeria; his words dance like graffiti on the walls.

Olamide’s lyrical raps reflect life itself; expectedly, his and those of his followers – complex yet seemingly perfectly layered. His verses are a mirror held up to romance/love, betrayal, struggles, dreams, and aspirations.

Listening to The YBNL and EMPIRE record labels boss over the years, his lyrical raps are a kaleidoscope of emotions, and a symphony of raw authenticity, perhaps because he raps with a mix of his native Yoruba language, Nigeria’s official English language and the creole Nigerian Pidgin.

His creativity knows no bound; he could leave you spellbound as he effortlessly switches between languages, infusing Yoruba proverbs and multiple street lingos with a finesse that reeks of uniqueness, reserved for a top gun. To say he’s a linguist, a wordsmith who crafts verses that are a linguistic mosaic: a blend of cultures and dialects that mirror the diversity of his homeland, may not be overstating the obvious afterall. He probably sits atop the list of creators of Nigeria’s most widely known slangs.

In Badoo’s verses, the mundane becomes extraordinary. He’s a storyteller who can spin a tale of love and heartbreak, hustle, life struggles and triumph in a breath, transporting you to the bittersweet alleys of romance, heartbreaks, relaxation and wins. His lyrically flowing metaphors are like puzzle pieces, fitting seamlessly together to form a picture that resonates deeply – usually across demographies.

Looking back, I think it’s not just about the wording of his work; the rhythm and cadence leave you wanting more, just as his craftily worded verses ride the beats like a surfer riding a wave. To top it all, his flow mirrors a rollercoaster of highs and lows, a rhythmic journey that takes you to the heart of his spectacular narratives. He appears to sing his heart out with every verse he’s ever produced. Or who could have effortlessly delivered those bodies of work year in and year out?

Whether on a single or collab, the classics have never ceased to drop. From his first up to date, the streets recognise and turn up still. If you know Olamide Badoo and have been following, how does it sound if it’s heard that you can’t remember any or all of the following: First of All, Eni Duro, Stupid Love, Voice of the Street, Story for the Gods, Motigbana, Melo Melo, Duro Soke, Anifowose? As you’d expect, the list is endless!

The YBNL Nation and EMPIRE record boss is not just a rapper; his body of work, with all sense of modesty, should earn him spots with the greatest of poets, philosophers, and griots of the streets. His verses are like incantations, invoking emotions, sparking contemplation, and transporting the listener on an incredible journey of happiness perfectly coiled in the mood for either soft-heartwarming beats enough for little body moves, half body spin to afro tungba, or full dance-all. Undoubtedly, the versatility is deafening.

Beyond his depth of work on the microphone, Olamide is getting a very good hang of the business as a record label boss. Don’t take my word for it: see the roll call of talents who have passed through him: Adekunle Gold, Pheelz, Lyta, Chinco Ekun, Lil Kesh, Fireboy, and most recently, Asake. To name but a few.

Conclusively, Olamide, by his releases, has proven to be a mix of old, new and potentially far more; Badoo, in my opinion, fuses Afrobeats with Afrobeat. Bar his investment in the business side of things, could his exposure, deference and reference be the secret sauce to his longevity on the stage of play?

Whatever, Olamide Badoo, respect!

N.B. This is not a paid writing or review. It is my personal reflection of a well known actor in appreciation of his tremendous work.