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Why I Refused To Rap In English For Global Validation – Olamide

When the conversation around Nigerian hip hop legends arises, Olamide Badoo’s name sits firmly at the top of the list.

From his breakout in the early 2010s to becoming a full-blown cultural force, Olamide Gbenga Adedeji has built an empire around authenticity, consistency, and a fearless embrace of his roots.

The YBNL boss is not only responsible for his own catalogue of timeless street anthems, but for discovering and nurturing some of the country’s biggest modern stars, from Lil Kesh to Fireboy DML to Asake.

What sets Olamide apart isn’t just his ear for hits or his dominance on the charts. It is his refusal to conform. In an era when many Nigerian artists switched to English or diluted their sound in search of international recognition, Olamide doubled down on the streets that made him.

During a recent interview with Eddie Kaddi on BBC Radio 1 Extra, Olamide spoke candidly about the philosophy behind his decision to rap in his native language rather than switching to English for global appeal.

His words revealed a sense of pride that goes beyond music.

He said: “Growing up and seeing the likes of Awilo Longomba doing his thing, Brenda Fassi (…). These people never tried to infuse English by force or anything. They were just doing their thing. Key thing is you have to identify your audience. Once you identify your audience, then the rest of the world are going to catch up eventually. So I have to stay true to myself no matter what it is, where it is in this world.”

The 36-year-old star added: “I’m a Naija boy. If I want to wear my Agbada and my Dashiki, I will do it. Let them know what I’m really all about — my heritage, my lineage, my culture, my food. You just have to stay true to yourself and that’s the only way you can become comfortable in life. I’m comfortable in my skin, I’m a Naija guy, Yoruba boy. I’ve got H-factor and all that. And I’m proud about it.”

That statement alone captures the very essence of Olamide’s career, a superb balance of street confidence, cultural loyalty, and an unshakeable belief in himself.

It is the same attitude that has fuelled his rise from Bariga to global acclaim, without ever having to abandon his linguistic or sonic identity.

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Entertainment

Davido Charges Entertainers To Speak Up More Amidst Worsening Insecurity

Davido

Davido, the Nigerian singer, has said entertainers are not doing enough to speak out against the country’s growing insecurity. The singer, via the social media platform X called on entertainers to speak more about the challenges facing the country.

In the post, Davido admitted that entertainers, including himself, had not done enough to speak out against injustice and the worsening state of affairs in Nigeria. He added that Nigerian entertainers must begin using their platforms to draw attention to the problems affecting citizens.

He wrote, “I can’t lie, we entertainers… we dey f**k up, I won’t lie, including me. We need to speak up. It’s too much injustice going on. Our country don go.”

The singer also maintained that he is not part of any “City Boy” group, insisting that he had spoken against the government in the past.

This comes after a social media user criticised him for not being sincere

“I no dey part of any City Boy group. When I called out the government on American media, you guys rained curses on me,” Davido wrote.

He added that his relationship with “ST” was only personal and did not mean he belonged to any political group.

The singer added, “I’ve been friends with ST for years, and that’s where it stops, and I call and complain to him all the time, even in person.” The singer’s remark comes amid increased calls from celebrities who are calling out the country’s leadership over rising insecurity.

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Celebs

‘I smoked 40 sticks a day for 13 years’: Ebuka opens up on nicotine addiction as Banky W revisits porn struggle

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu says he smoked up to 40 cigarettes daily for 13 years, while Banky W revisited his past pornography addiction on Mentality with Ebuka. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has revealed that he began smoking in JSS3 and spent the next 13 years addicted to cigarettes, reaching a peak of two packs, roughly 40 sticks, every single day by the time he was in university.

The television host disclosed the latest episode of his podcast Mentality with Ebuka, which aired on Friday, May 22. The episode featured singer and pastor Banky W and medical content creator Aproko Doctor in a candid conversation about addiction, its origins, and the long road out of it.

“I started smoking in JSS3, which is crazy young,” Ebuka said. “It was basically peer pressure, wanting to prove myself, wanting to belong. By the time I was done with secondary school, I had become full-on. Got into university, and by university, I was doing about two packs a day. That’s about 40 sticks of cigarettes every single day.”

He added that his exit from the habit was less a dramatic decision and more a test of willpower. “The last stick of cigarettes I had was in February 2008. I didn’t quit. I just kept saying let me see how much longer I will hold out for, and now it’s been almost 18 years.”

Banky W used the same platform to revisit a confession he had made publicly before, his years-long struggle with pornography addiction, tracing it back to a freshman dormitory in a New York university where a classmate had shared an open hard drive filled with explicit content accessible to the entire floor.

“I wonder how many of us got trapped in that moment,” he said. He described the experience of trying to stop as a confrontation with something far more entrenched than he had anticipated.

“When it’s now time to stop, you realise you’re dealing with demons that are much stronger than you. That was where the reality dawned on me.” He said it took a deliberate journey to reach a place of freedom, and that he has since addressed the issue openly from the pulpit, part of what he described as a growing willingness among pastors to tackle subjects previously considered too uncomfortable for the church.

The episode is the latest in Ebuka’s Mentality series, which has carved out a space for honest, personal conversations that Nigerian public figures rarely have on record.

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Entertainment

Kizz Daniel announces that he will be releasing two albums in 2026

After posting his initially scheduled ‘Uncle K’ album in 2025, the hitmaker is making up for it by releasing two projects in 2026. Afrobeats superstar Kizz Daniel is gearing up for a busy year as he announces plans to release two albums.

On May 15, 2026, the hitmaker shared a post on his Instagram story unveiling the titles of two albums he intends to release later in the year. The revelation comes days after he teased what’s expected to be his first release of the year.

“Two albums this year. Thanks for your love and patience,” he posted on his Instagram story.

The prospective projects titled ‘Uncle K’ and ‘Radio Gidi’ will be a follow-up to his 2025 EP ‘Uncle K: Lemon Chase’, which had 7 tracks with guest appearances from FOLA, rapper Odumodublvk, and street pop star Bella Shmurda.

Back in 2025, the award-winning star had earlier shared his plans to release the album ‘Uncle K’ before postponing it after losing his mother-in-law and later releasing the EP that serves as a teaser for what listeners should expect.

With two albums scheduled for 2026, Kizz Daniel appears to be making up for not releasing an LP since the 20-track album ‘Maverick’ in July 2023. In 2024, he dazzled with the hit-filled four-track EP ‘TZA,’ which spawned the hit records ‘Sooner,’ ‘Too Busy To Be Bae,’ and ‘Twe Twe.’

Known for his ability to coin hit records that ride on the familiarity of language and musical simplicity to attract listeners across demographics, fans will be expecting a handful of hit records from his upcoming album.

So far in 2026, he has delivered a guest verse on G4ZI’s ‘Energy’. With his upcoming single expected to be released in the coming weeks, he appears ready for an explosive summer.

In a career that has spanned a decade, Kizz Daniel has become one of Afrobeats’ most reliable hitmakers, with his music finding eager listenership among millions of fans drawn to his witty lyricism and catchy melodies.

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