Renowned African music icon and Nigerian rap legend OLAMIDE tricked everyone into thinking he was retiring after the release of his critically acclaimed Unruly album had amassed over 300 million global streams but like a true artist he’s back with a surprise new EP titled IKIGAI / 生き甲斐, VOL.1.
The EP title, derived from the Japanese concept of ‘ikigai’, which means “a reason for living“, serves as a thematic foundation for the project, where Olamide explores the intersections of passion, profession, and purpose. Throughout the EP, Olamide reaffirms his position as a trailblazer in global music, delivering on innovation and deep resonance yet again.
OLAMIDE disrupts genres and breaks barriers between them which this record is the perfect demonstration of. Each track on Ikigai / 生き甲斐, Vol. 1 offers a distinct musical experience, with the opener ‘Metaverse’ introducing listeners to the EP’s eclectic sonic landscape, followed by the high-energy ‘Uptown Disco’ featuring Olamide’s proteges Fireboy DML and Asake, while ‘Knockout’ with Moroccan Algerian songstress Sabri adds a soulful and sensual undertone to the project.
As one of Nigeria’s biggest stars, OLAMIDE’s music counts over one billion streams of his music worldwide. His eclectic style puts him equally at home emoting over a buoyant afrobeats rhythms, as he is rhyming over a pulsing trap beat.
He is also the founder of YBNL Nation, which he has grown into one of Nigeria’s most influential record labels. Since forming the imprint more than a decade ago, Olamide has not only helped launch the careers of afrobeats royalty such as Fireboy DML, Asake, and Adekunle Gold, but has also built a creative community and platform that champions the authentic and innovative sound of Nigerian music. The African icon’s impact and artistry have also garnered the acclaim of global tastemakers such as Billboard, Pitchfork, Forbes, Rolling Stone, and The GRAMMYs, among others.
